Published by the government of Zimbabwe
3 October 2008
Harare — THE Youth in Mining will this month launch the Youth in Mining and Environment Trust, which is aimed at capacitating Zimbabwean youth in extracting minerals and exploitation of natural resources.
The chairman of the Youth in Mining and Zimbabwe Miners Federation secretary for foreign affairs Mr Hamilton Pazvakavambwa said that there is need to give mining rights to the youth.
The launch of the trust will run under the theme "Our Time Now". The Youth in Mining was formed last year by the Ministry and Youth, Gender and Employment Creation to empower the young people in mining.
The purpose of the launch, Mr Pazvakavambwa said is to develop the youth in Zimbabwe in the area of mining and national resources exploitation to enhance production in the mining industry.
"This is in line with the United Nations World Programme Action for Youth, which revealed that youth are partners and assets for the country.
"The move is aimed at stopping youth from being speculators and dealers but engaging them into economic developers and players," he said.
He added that the launch is taking into consideration the inter-relatedness of the challenges facing youth and the need for cross-sectoral policies and programmes that attend to the needs of the youth.
It is also guided by the new partnership for Africa's Development strategic framework for youth programmes that is working towards youth empowerment and development.
In a related development the association is working in bringing foreign investors in the mining field to make sure that there is proper mining activities in the country.
"We are currently working in bringing in potential investors from China and India and negotiations are currently under way," he said.
Mr Pazvakavambwa said that the youth have been sidelined in mining activities, so this is the time to showcase talents and develop the country.
Of late, Mr Pazvakavambwa said youths have not been given ownership of mineral rights.
"We have not been fully involved in decision making in the mining industry which is one of the most pivotal sectors of the economy, so we are saying this is our time to show case our ability and revive our economy," said Mr Pazvakavambwa.
The trust will set up a pilot project to extract minerals like gold, coal platinum nickel and coal.
He continued: "We have a strategic system to make sure that minerals will not be smuggled out of the country by illegal means.
"We want to stop rural to urban migration, but instead we have to develop them and create employment for the youth," said Mr Pazvakavambwa.
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