Working Towards the Establishment of a Pan-African Mineral Geological Information and Knowledge Base

24 March 2016
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United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Addis Ababa)

More than 60 geological experts converge to discuss the building of a continental-wide mineral geological information and knowledge base.

In his opening statement, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Minerals of Tanzania, said, "We are here to set out areas of collaboration between existing geological initiatives compliant with the Africa Mining Vision. This is our opportunity to see to it that the rich endowments of our natural resources, particularly mineral resources, bring wealth to the African people."

The roundtable focuses on the Africa Minerals Geoscience Initiative (AMGI), the strategy to assist African Union member states in building their mineral geological information and knowledge base. Also one of the key components of the event is a discussion on the Geological and Mineral Information System (GMIS) Strategy, which is being developed by the African Mineral Development Centre (AMDC) to facilitate the strengthening of the African production, management and dissemination of geological and mineral information (GMI) in connection with the implementation of the African Mining Vision (AMV) and the domestication of the Country Mining Vision (CMV).

The meeting brings together over 60 geological experts drawn from the AU Member States and other pan-African institutions such as the AMDC/UNECA, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), African Development Bank (AfDB), regional economic communities (RECs), and also representatives of international geological institutions such as PANAFGEO, WAXI, WorldBank, AMGI etc.

By the end of the three-day event, the roundtable will be able to achieve:

  • Broad consensus on the Pan-African Coordination mechanism for the implementation of the GMIS
  • Agreement on an implementation plan and Roadmap for the AMGI project
  • Formalization of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys as a formal voice for African Geologist to the African Union
  • Stronger collaborative relationship between GMIS and other international geological initiatives.

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. Simply put, the AMV outlines the 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 Officer for the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC), by email at dleoncio@uneca.org or visit www.africaminingvision.org.

Read the original article on UNECA.

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