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| AIMES 12 Meeting Calls for Coherence and Harmonisation of the on-going Policy Initiatives on the Continent |
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| Monday, 26 July 2010 16:14 |
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12th ANNUAL STRATEGY MEETING OF THE AFRICAN INITIATIVE ON MINING, ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY (AIMES)
JULY 6-8TH, 2010, BAMAKO, MALI 1.0 IntroductionWe, XX members of the African Initiative on Mining, Environment and Society (AIMES) from Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe and our partners from Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America held its twelfth Annual Strategy Meeting from July 6-8th, 2010 in Bamako, Mali.
2.0 Context and Purpose The 12th annual strategy meeting took place at a time of global financial crisis affecting the economies of mineral dependent countries. The countries which unleashed the financial shock waves into Africa’s economy have begun to put forward recovery measures. This is a period during which the continent, under the aegis of the African Union, is embarking on reforms of Africa’s mining regimes. Both the financial crisis and the recovery measures have consequences for Africa’s development effort in general and the reform agenda in particular.
Conceived as a platform for analysis, information sharing and shared policy positions, the objective of the twelfth annual strategy meeting was to: 1. Deepen our understanding of and capacity in relation to the financial crisis, the continental reform agenda as well as other policy initiatives relevant to Africa’s mining sector.
3.0 Issues The meeting discussed: · The financial crisis and the current recovery effort, international commodity trading, and international financing recourse for the global mining industry and their impacts and implications for mineral dependent economies in Africa. · The issues and challenges to the continental agenda for the reforms of Africa’s mining regimes as well as other on-going policy initiatives relevant for Africa’s mining sector and their implications for the reform agenda. · The sites and arenas of policy initiatives, contestations and advocacy, in particular, the Multilateral Development Banks, the African Development Bank, The African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights and the national policy space. · Strategies and the role of AIMES as a Pan-African civil society network for collaborative advocacy on mining
4.0 Observations Based on shared analysis and understanding of the issues discussed the meeting made the following observations: The financial crisis has inflicted devastating effects on the economies of African countries through job losses, collapse of businesses, and loss of government revenues from selected minerals, in particular copper and diamond.
The financial and economic crises exposed the inherent weakness of the structure of Africa’s economies and their over-dependence on a narrow basket of primary commodities. At the same time, the crisis has exposed the flaws of neo-liberal economic model.
Unfortunately, while the flaws of neo-liberalism have re-introduced the debate on regulations, much of the discussions on regulation tend to focus on financial regulation and ignore any discussion on the financialisation of primary commodities.
We observed that African governments are turning up to the International Financial Institutions, in particular the IMF and the World Bank for a solution to the financial crisis. Rather than financial aid, the financial crisis brought to the fore the urgent need for a re-exanimation of the primary commodity trading regimes and the structure of the economy of mineral dependent African countries. We observed the appalling attitude of the World Bank towards the concerns of the public and citizens, especially people affected by the Banks supported mining projects. The failure of the World Bank Group to; acknowledge failures of Structural Adjustment Programme, and incorporate constructive response to the Extractive Industries Review into its policies and practice, is a reflection of its lack of sensitivity to citizens concerns.
A decade ago, African policymakers rejected suggestions of any alternative to the current liberalised Africa’s mining regimes even when it was clear that the unsustainable extraction of Africa’s rich mineral resources has not been to the benefit of local communities, host countries and the continent as a whole. On that score, we find the on-going reform initiative by the African Union an affirmation of the failure of the mining regimes and a bold step that should be supported to succeed.
However, we are concerned that the future prospects of the continental reform initiative may be undermined by parallel processes such as the World Bank sponsored African Mineral Governance Programme (AMGP) and other regional specific initiatives. Our concern is grounded on the history of past experiences in which external policy prescription has led to the collapse of domestic as well as continental policy initiative. A clear example is the way in which Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAP) came to replace the Lagos Plan of Action adopted by African governments in the 1980s. While African governments may still have the spirit of the Lagos Plan of Action, the demands of liberalisation and commitment to specific projects is making it almost impossible for them to rally around a continental development project.
The failure and or lack of domestic policy is also a reflection of the appalling attitude of African leaders towards a united continental development initiative. Over the past decades, there has been a tendency on the part of African governments, negotiators and elites to prioritise externally prescribed policies and donor funded projects over domestic policy initiatives and resource mobilisation. This partly explains why domestic policies often prioritise foreign direct investment over and above rural economic activity, peasant producers, small scale artisanal mining and the informal sector as a whole.
In the midst of on-going policy initiatives at the national, regional, continental and international levels we observed a continuing environmental degradation and violation of the human rights of people living in mining areas. Environmental destruction and human rights violations caused by mining activities manifest in various forms including water pollution, destruction of livelihoods of men and women, land degradation and interruption of land relations, forced eviction, meagre compensation, unemployment, public health and safety issues, encroachment in protected areas, and general lack of developmental impacts in communities affected by mining.
The current mining regimes provide too many privileges for transnational mining companies which enable capital flight out of the continent. These privileges come in various forms including unrestricted access and control of mineral resources, tax concessions, low State equity participation, long years of mining leases, pervasive contracts and bilateral investment agreements, voluntary reporting mechanisms. These privileges constitute an important component of the poor balance sheet of mining for Africa. The situation is compounded by the poor information exchange and weak institutional capacity to monitor and prevent tax evasion and avoidance, environmental and human rights abuses.
5.0 Demands/Recommendations Based on the forgoing we make the following proposals for ensuring success of the reform agenda, protecting African economies from devastating effects of financial crisis, and the protection of the environment and community rights.
Financial crisis
Continental Policy Reform Agenda
We repeat our demands for:
6.0 Conclusion We concluded the meeting knowing that the reform initiative is a contested arena but with high hope that African governments and leaders would be united around the African Mining Vision and in their pursuit of the reform initiative in a way that addresses the needs and imperatives of African peoples and their economies, and in the same spirit united in their opposition to any threat to derail or re-shape the reform in the narrow pursuit of the interest of corporations and a few privileged elites.
We as African Civil Society in collaboration with partners are committed conscious of the diversity capacity differentials commit ourselves to ourselves to continue to work together for the promotion and protection of community rights, the environment and the realisation of the aspirations of African peoples. We call upon other organisations, especially the academic community, the media, women’s groups, labour and human rights activists across Africa and beyond to join AIMES in this endeavour.
Endorsed by
Directeur Exécutif IRPAD/Afrique skype: mamadou.goita 1. Abu A. Brima Executive Director Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD) 29 Main Motor Road Freetown, Sierra Leone Tel.: +232-02-345-3073 / 077251698
2. Alvin Mosioma Coordinator Tax Justice Network for Africa (TJN-A) Mbaruk Road, Mucai Drive, off Ngong Road P. O. Box. 25112 – 00100 Nairobi- Kenya Tel: 254-20-2721076, 2721655, 2725743 Fax: 254 20 2725171 Mobile:+254722571614 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
3. Mohammed S. Turay Programme Officer Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD) 29 Main Motor Road Freetown, Sierra Leone Tel.: +232-02-345-3073 / 077251698 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
4. Roger Moody Mines and Communities 41A Thornhill Square, London Tel/Fax: +44 20 77 00 6189 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
5. Wilson Kipsang Kipkazi Secretary/Programmes Director Endoris Welfare Council P.O. Box 15801-00200 Nakuru, Kenya Tel.:+254-020-214-0886 Cell:+254-053-206-1107 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
6. Kabinet Cisse Change de Programme Resource Naturelle CECIDE, BP 3768, Conakry, Guinea Tel.: +224-60586697 / 30467035 Cell: +224-6058-6697 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
7. Mamadou Diaby Community Representative c/o CECIDE, BP 3768, Conakry, Guinea Tel/Cell: +224 62 29 57 73/64 86 36 33 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
8. Idrisa Sako Journalist, Les Echoes BP 2043, Avenue Cheick Zayed Bamako, Hamdallaye Tel.: +223-229-6289 Cell: +223-647-5472 Fax: +223-229-7639 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 9. Caroline Ntaopane Mining Programme Officer Bench Marks, Johannesburg, South Africa Tel.: +27-11-832-1759 Cell: +27-99 32 46 00 81 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
10. Richard Adjei-Poku Executive Director Livelihood & Environment Ghana (LEG) P.O. Box 88, Ahafo, Kenyasi Cell: + 233-24-338-8299/+233-27-553-7802 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
11. Jamie Kneen Communications & Outreach Coordinator Miningwatch, Canada 508-250, City Centre Ave, Ottawa, ON K1R 5R2, Canada Tel.: +1-613-569-3439 Cell: +1-613-761-2273 Fax: +1-613-569-5138 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
12. Jean-Luc Muke Member, Avocats Verts Org Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo Tel.: +243-99 99 72 412 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
13. Joshua Klemm Program Associate, Africa Bank Information Center 1100 H Street, NW, Suite 650 Washington, DC, 20005 Tel: +1 202 624-0630 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Skype: klemmjd
14. Mawutor Samuel Civic Response 37 New Town Loop D-T-D Accra North Cell: +233-24 68 52 432 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
15. Abdulai Darimani Third World Network – Africa P.O. Box AN19452 Accra-North Tel.: +233-302-511189 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
16. Lindlyn Tamufor
17. Yao Graham Coordinator Third World Network – Africa P.O. Box AN19452 Accra-North Tel.: +233-302-511189 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
18. Barbara Zida Kpodo Programme Officer Third World Network – Africa P.O. Box AN19452 Accra-North Tel.: +233-302-511189 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
19. Gilbert Makore Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) Number 6 London Derry Road, Eastlea, Harare, Zimbabwe Tele/Fax: (00263-4) 252093/253381/250971 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
20. Gertrude Frimpomaa Domfeh Cell: +233 244 873252 21. Kanni Abdoulaye GREN Niger Cell: +227 90 36 61 28 or 96 55 73 49 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
22. Hamadataher Haroun Moussa GREN Niger Cell: +227 90 58 13 50 or 96 96 70 02 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
23. Van Edig Christopu Cell: +227-20 72 35 90 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
24. Nouhoum Keita Community representative, Mali Cell: 223-76 49 14 30 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
25. Prince Chima Williams Environmental Rights Action/ OilWatch-Africa Cell: +234-80 59 40 23 85 or 80 23 64 989 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
26. Fatoumata Traore LES ECHOS, Mali Cell: +223 76 12 83 15 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
27. Assetou Samake Researcher, Mali Cell: +223-66 71 18 03 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 26 July 2010 16:28 ) |
