Files
Abstract
Africa’s abundant mineral resources offer opportunities
for its countries’ governments to work with mining
companies so that minerals exploitation can benefit both
company and country. Well-managed mineral exploitation
can underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socioeconomic
development, in the words of the Africa Mining
Vision (AMV) of 2009. An Action Plan for Implementing the
AMV (2011) has set out strategies for developing mineral
management systems and institutions through which
Africa can benefit from its mineral resources, and it is now
being implemented by the African Minerals Development
Centre which has begun work in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, within the UN
Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The Centre’s task is to build
strategies and policies to support sustainable development. Stakeholder
relations, both with investing companies and affected communities, are
critical, as also is careful forethought about social and environmental
impacts, legislation, infrastructure and adaptation of technologies to bring
modern tools and practices to African agriculture.