Mining indaba set for next month

Business reporters
The fifth edition of the annual Zimbabwe Mining and Infrastructure Indaba to be held in Harare next month will focus on the need for a collective effort among nations towards tackling the problems threatening the viability of mining industries across Africa.The theme of this year’s edition, which runs from September 25 to 27, is ‘‘Redefining Africa, Harnessing our Resources Collectively’.’ Utho Capital chief executive Ms Sheila Galloway, who is the event organiser, said the aim of this year’s event is to stimulate discussions and influence decisions towards uplifting the African continent in terms of economic growth and development.

“Without the continuous dialogue among African countries, as encouraged at the indaba, each country will operate in a silo and Africa will neither attract the requisite funding required to implement major infrastructure projects that benefit the relevant economic blocs and the continent, nor will the continent negotiate mining deals in a position of strength,” Ms Galloway said

She also urged the Government to develop policy initiatives that support beneficiation and sustainable economic development. “The Government should implement policies that bolster the benefits of its mineral resources in terms of value, the creation of employment and a manufacturing base, skills and technology transfer, as well as sustainable economic development, the mining industry needs to promote local beneficiation and value addition,” she said.

“The indaba’s goal is to harness the fundamental areas of mining, financial and human resource requirements to ensure sustainability and prosperity on the continent to move development and economies into the future. This will start the process of redefining Africa as a continent of abundance and wealth.”

The event is going to focus on evaluating and overcoming the failures and challenges in Africa and Ms Galloway maintained that only through robust self-criticism and introspection can appropriate lessons of history be learnt and corrected, and economic prosperity be achieved as a result of taking appropriate corrective action.

The Zimbabwe Mining and Infrastructure Indaba 2013 will have a regional focus and will showcase a panel comprising prominent speakers and stakeholders from the South African Development Community and the rest of Africa to discuss key issues that impact on the mining sector in Africa, particularly infrastructure development and funding.

Some of the topics and issues that will be addressed include building sustainable communities through mining, the new generation of miners in Africa, which include women, junior miners and artisanal miners, the European Union’s support for the mining sector and its focus on the issues of transparency and governance, regional integration of infrastructure, as well as Africa’s power and energy projects.