Africa Aims to Learn From Chile's Success in Mining Sector

2 June 2017

Addis Ababa — A delegation from the Government of Chile and the Chilean private sector, through the coordination of the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC), will arrive in Addis Ababa to share their successful experience and best practices in mining with African countries.

Chile is the world's top copper producers and is one of the most successful countries in the world in developing a mining-driven diversified economy. The Corporación Chilena del Cobre (CODELCO) and the (Empresa National de Mineria (ENAMI), both nationally-owned companies, have a rich array of best practices in the context of mineral resources development. Both companies will be in Addis to share the Chilean success stories in many areas of the mineral value chain as well as in the regulation and optimization of the Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASM) sector.

Chile has a collaborative environment between the mining companies and the government, in which suppliers have the opportunity to innovate and develop; creating a mining supply chain into a world class model that the rest of the developing world - particularly mining economies in Africa - can learn from.

AMDC currently engages with the Government of Chile and the Chilean private sector to further pursue the potential for a South-South cooperation in mining.

Kojo Busia, acting coordinator of AMDC, said,

"We are bringing together the key focal points for mineral development within the Chilean government to meet and exchange information with about four or five African countries that are willing to participate in this knowledge exchange. This will be an information sharing experience aimed at addressing the institutional and policy environment in which these programs succeeded and thrived. How did the government bring on board the private sector and other players to incentivize local suppliers? What strategic issues can local suppliers learn from these experiences? How can this be duplicated or copied in African?"

The round table discussions will initialize the South-South Cooperation project with the delegation from Chile sharing their expertise with representatives from Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea and Zambia, as well as other delegations.

Under knowledge sharing in supplier development, the experts will discuss:

Development of productive and efficient suppliers through the building of industrial clusters around supply chains in the mining sector

Creation of "zones of efficiency" for local companies to benefit from certain types of incentives

Exploration of commercial joint ventures between Chile and Ghanaian SMEs to develop the capacity of local suppliers to be productive and competitive

For ASM knowledge experience with ENAMI, attendees will delve into training and skills building; technology transfer through joint ventures and business linkages; and in kind contributions.

The knowledge-sharing event runs from 19 to 20 June 2017 at the Economic Commission for Africa Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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