AMDC’s Dr Kojo Busia at DRC Mining Week:

“the African Mining Vision truly represents a win-win for all”

Thousands to gather for mining conference and expo in Lubumbashi in June
“Enhancing linkages and diversification will be the key message at DRC Mining Week” says Dr. Kojo Busia, Acting Coordinator, African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) and keynote speaker in the opening session of the upcoming mining conference and expo in Lubumbashi from 23-24 June.

Dr Busia adds: “for over half a century, the dominant paradigm for mineral sector management was rents-based. Among other factors, the downturn clearly demonstrated why we need to rethink this paradigm. So, the AMDC approach, which is rooted in the Africa Mining Vision (AMV), represents a paradigm shift. We have absolutely no doubt that building on other complementary initiatives and working together with the private sector, civil society and public sector, the AMV truly represents a win-win for all.”

The AMDC was set up in 2013 to coordinate the implementation of the African Mining Vision, as adopted by the African Union Heads of State and Government.

African Mining Vision’s new paradigm
Dr Busia says the AMDC is really proud of what they have accomplished so far in less than five years: “this is a very short time for initiatives of this kind, and the AMDC has emerged as a leading and distinctly legitimate Center of Excellence on mineral sector management, for AU Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs). AMDC is achieving success in demonstrating how the AMV’s new paradigm for linkages-based mineral sectors management, represents a win-win for governments as well as the industry.”

He continues: “a cross-section of public, private and civil society sector actors are actively collaborating in the AMDC’s work. Such collaboration is remarkable in itself, given the sensitivities that typically underpin the sector. It also highlights another key element of our work, in that AMDC has facilitated collaborative engagement and participation for an inclusive range of public, private and civil society stakeholders, with a concrete, actionable focus on women and youth as well.”

Valuable lessons can be learned
According to Dr Busia, “the AMDC’s research indicates that it is not necessarily due to weak institutions and ineffective regulations that countries continue to be unable to take advantage of booms. It is rather the lack of long-term vision and effective policies, which create weak institutions and laws, unfit for transforming the mining sector in Africa.”

Asked which African countries are doing the right things in his opinion, Dr Busia replies that “valuable lessons can be learned from what is happening in almost every country, across different stages of the mineral development trajectory including new entrants, emerging and major mining countries and at different segments of the mining value chain. Perhaps I could cite one example that cuts across multiple geographic regions of Africa, where we have been most active so far. Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi and Sierra Leone have made commendable progress towards reforming their mineral regimes along the AMV principles, in a manner that seeks to facilitate optimal outcomes for the countries as well as for investors.”

The full interview with Dr Busia can be viewed here: http://www.drcminingweek.com/AMDC-interview

Thousands are expected to gather for the practical annual mining and industrial expo again as the award-winning DRC Mining Week conference and exhibition returns to Lubumbashi, in the heart of the DRC’s mining hub, from 23-24 June. While retaining its main focus on mining, the event will also broaden its scope to include a focus on related and complementary sectors such as agriculture, energy and construction.

Industry recognition and support
As with previous editions of the event, DRC Mining Week has already secured the early and impressive support of the industry through the diamond sponsorship of Engen and the platinum sponsorships of Sodexo, Standard Bank and Tenke Fungurume Mining, while Aggreko, Atlas Copco, Axishouse, Copperbelt Energy, Earth Networks and ERG are confirmed as gold sponsors.

Earlier this year, DRC Mining Week was recognised for its support of the Kinsevere Community School Project in Lubumbashi when it was named a finalist in the Social Responsibility category of the AAXO ROAR Organiser and Exhibitor Awards, which honour excellence in the exhibition and events industry on the continent.

DRC Mining Week is organised by Spintelligent, a leading Cape Town-based organiser of exhibitions and conferences across the continent in the infrastructure, real estate, energy, mining, agriculture and education sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include African Utility Week, Agritech Expo Zambia, Kenya Mining Forum, Future Energy East Africa (formerly EAPIC), Future Energy Nigeria (formerly WAPIC), Future Energy Central Africa (formerly iPAD Cameroon), iPAD Nigeria Mining Forum and EduWeek. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group.

DRC Mining Week:
Pre-conference Power Focus Day: 22 June 2017
Conference and expo: 23-24 June 2017
Site visit: 22 June 2017
Location: The Pullman Lubumbashi Grand Karavia Hotel, Lubumbashi, DRC

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