Addis Ababa, August 08, 2013 (ECA) – Government officials and experts from several sectors of the South African economy are scheduled to meet in Johannesburg on Aug. 22 to discuss ways of expanding commodity-based manufacturing to increase the value of its mineral resources. The meeting, organized by the Economic Commission for Africa, in collaborating with South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation and the Institute for African Alternatives, will brainstorm on how to successfully implement government policies on value addition and manufacturing.
Representatives of mining, manufacturing, business, metallurgy, academia and labour industries will be expected to make presentations on such issues as the context of the interface between mining and manufacturing, how to turn natural resources into beneficiated products, and problems faced by the manufacturing sector and possible solutions.
Also to come up for discussion will be the recommendations of the 2013 Economic Report on Africa (ERA). The theme of this year’s report is: “Making the most of Africa’s commodities: Industrializing for growth, jobs and economic transformation.” Participants at the forum will have an opportunity to further discuss areas of potential follow-up research in order to deepen the recommendations of the report.
One of the key messages of this year’s report, co-authored by the ECA and the African Union Commission, is that African countries have a real opportunity to promote industrialization and economic transformation by adding value to natural resources and primary commodities. According to the report, a strong global demand for minerals with the attendant high prices have had little impact on income generation and job creation on the continent mainly because the commodities are usually exported in their raw forms.
It is for this reason that attention is now being directed to finding ways through which mining can serve as a base for greater value addition and commodity-based manufacturing in Africa.
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