The first Bureau Meeting of the third African Union Conference of Ministers Responsible for Mineral Resources Development (CAMRMRD) was held on 13 August 2014 in Luanda, Angola.

Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission (AUC), the meeting composed of Algeria, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana and Mozambique as well as Angola as host country, RECs and key partners, considered the Senior Officers’ report on the institutionalization and the sustainability of the African Minerals Development Center (AMDC). Under the monitoring and policy guidance of the AUC, the Center will implement the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) and foster stability and cooperation in the minerals sector in conjunction with key regional and national mineral development centers and facilitate the effective and predictable integration in the African minerals sector.

The main objectives of the Centre shall be to support African Union Member States in the development and implementation of coherent policies including licensing, contracting, taxation and regulatory frameworks. It will increase regional mapping and exploration activities to upgrade mineral inventories and geoscientific information data bases. It will also contribute to the Plan of Action for Accelerating Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA) through promotion of beneficiation, industrial linkages, responsible investments, innovation and diversification. The Africa Mining Development Center will promote the continent’s policy space to pursue local beneficiation, value addition and resource-based industrialization and harness the potential of artisanal and small-scale mining by integrating it into regional and global value chains for inclusive growth and sustainable social and economic development.

In her opening remarks, the Commissioner for Trade and Industry, Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl recalled the OAU/AU 50 years celebration with the important contribution of Agenda 2063 as a road map for the next 50 years. She explained that the Mineral Resources and other traditional and non-traditional commodities where Africa has huge endowments, will need to play their transformative role in the achievement of the goals and aspirations of the people on the continent. She underscored the importance the Commission attaches to the Mineral Resources sector as a key sector for the realization of the Agenda 2063 and its vision of creating decent employment and wealth for African population especially the youth and women.

“The committed leadership of the African Union Commission is determined to ensure that African member States achieve social and economic development which is inclusive and sustainable. However, for this to happen, it requires a Paradigm Shift, strong Political Commitment at national, regional and continental levels, as well as change of mindset of African communities to own the entire development process of Africa using our natural and human resources. It requires revisiting the way we, as African do things and step out of the box and rethink about how to use our abundant natural resources for benefiting our people. This further requires owning our institutions and processes while working with our key and stakeholders, partners and allies who have Africa’s interests at heart”, she emphasized.

The Minister of Geology and Mines of Angola, Dr. Francisco Queiros thanked the African Union Commission for having chosen Angola to host the meeting. He explained the geological planning framework of Angola. “Our government has invested 405 million US dollars to conduct geological surveys, to establish a modern headquarters of the institute of Geology and to create three laboratories. We will soon conduct a geological mapping to identify the locations of all our mineral resources”, he said. According to the Minister, by investing in infrastructure, Africa will produce wealth and build a strong middle class. He welcomed the AMDC, a Center to be fully owned and controlled by Members States.

Amongst other recommendations to the Ministers, the proposal for the establishment of the African Minerals Development Centre as an organ of the African Union Commission has been endorsed for further recommendation to the upcoming extraordinary Session of Ministers.

As the way forward, the first extraordinary session of the AU Conference of Ministers responsible for mineral resources development will take place in Zambia/Zimbabwe in end of October 2014.