Cape Town, South Africa, 23 August 2016 –A meeting of geological experts is underway in Cape Town this week aimed at reviewing the African Geological Mineral Information System (GMIS) strategy. The strategy will introduce African Mining Vision (AMV)-compliant initiatives that will improve geological and geospatial information and its use in mining and broad development processes in Africa.
Organized by the African Minerals Development Centre, the gathering has attracted more than 54 Directors-General from African Geological Survey Organisations (GSOs), representatives of regional economic commissions, African geological initiatives, partner organisations and experts from international organisations. In addition to reviewing the GMIS Strategy, the meeting aims to appraise the Organisation of African Geological Survey (OAGS) strategy, a crucial continental coordination body of the geological and mineral information systems.
Kaiser Gonҫalves de Souza, Senior Geology and Mineral Information Advisor of AMDC, emphasized, “The AMV-driven strategy represents a shift from geological information for the mining sector to an encompassing mechanism covering legal, economic, social and environmental applications in mining and broad development processes in Africa.”
It is expected that the GMIS Strategy will promote the development of Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) among African countries as a tool for GMIS management; provide open access and facilitate data sharing and distribution across various levels of users, including private sector and government agencies; increase regional and national mapping and exploration activities; and support the development of continent-wide mineral inventory. The meeting begun on Tuesday, 23 and concludes on Friday, 26 September.
Note for editors on the Africa Mining Vision:
Formally adopted by African heads of state in 2009, the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) is the continent’s own response to tackling the paradox of great mineral wealth existing side-by-side with pervasive poverty. The AMV outlines a unique roadmap to the transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development in Africa.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Daisy Leoncio
Communications and Advocacy Officer
African Mineral Development Centre
dleoncio@uneca.org
Visit us at www.africaminingvision.org
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economique Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: ecainfo@uneca.org