Mining can promote good governance

As you read this column, the annual “Africa Down Under” conference on mining and related activities is concluding in Perth, and this time its discussions explored the social implications of wealth creation more widely than it had done previously.

As in previous years, the conference brought together most Australian companies interested in Africa’s mineral wealth and provided a great opportunity for the private sector executives to interact with African diplomats based in Australia, Australian diplomats based in Africa, and African government officials.

An unusually large number of African ministers, as well as senior government officials, from various countries including Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe addressed the conference.

It was gratifying to see five Kenyan government delegates at this conference, which is a big difference from previous years when it has featured one person or none from the High Commission in Canberra. Apart from the High Commissioner Stephen Tarus, there was the Commissioner of Lands Zablon Mabea, the acting Commissioner of Mines and Geology Moses Masibo and two other officials.

The conference also gave me an opportunity to hold discussions with Australia’s High Commissioner to Kenya Geoffrey Tooth and two of his predecessors, Phillip Green and Lisa Filipetto.

One of the important features of the conference is the “breakout session”, which admits only 100 attendees, and one of these sessions was the “Zimbabwe Investment Lunch” that featured Zimbabwe’s Minister of Economic Planning and Investment Promotion, Tapiwa Mashakada, the Australian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Matthew Neuhaus, and several senior officials from Zimbabwe.

Several mining companies with interests in Kenya participated, including Aviva corporation and Base Resources, which I discussed in this column last year. AVIVA is prospecting for gold in Western Kenya, especially in the area around Kakamenga, while Base Resources is developing a mineral sands project near Kwale at the Kenyan coast. A new small mining company interested in Kenya that has appeared on the scene is East African Copper, which claims it has secured an exploration permit for prospecting in eastern Kenya, in the area around Mwingi.

While all mining companies seek to make huge profits for their shareholders, participants in the “Africa Down-Under” conference are increasingly suggesting that mining should not just be seen in terms of digging dirt and making money.

At a pre-conference event called “Africa-Australia Research Forum”, organised by Murdoch University on August 30, scholars, mining executives, government officials and civil society representative discussed several issues, including the need to leverage the mining infrastructure in Africa for agricultural supply chains and the protocols to be followed when mines are closed.

By far the most interesting part of the discussion revolved around the issue of social responsibility in the mining sector.

Several participants argued that the mining sector had a responsibility to respect human rights and the rule of law, initiate programmes that provide training and jobs for the local community, try to reduce the gender gap, and help build schools and healthcare facilities in the communities where they operate.

Thus, over the years, the participants in this annual conference are beginning to explore how the mining sector can encourage and support major efforts towards the attainment of food security and good governance in Africa.

Makinda is a professor at Murdoch University, Australia.