The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), in collaboration with the organisers of the yearly Investing in African Mining Indaba, will be presenting the fourth Sustainable Development forum at the Investing in African Mining Indaba, to take place place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from February 3 to 6.

Sessions and Panellists

On Tuesday, February 4, a conversation between economist Dr Paul Collier and ICMM deputy president and senior programme director Aidan Davy will take place. This interactive session between Collier, an award-winning author, and Davy will focus on governance, investors and the future of mining in Africa.

“Sustainable development issues are increasingly important for investors. In this interactive session, we will explore the issues pertaining to resource governance, achieving development outcomes as a result of natural resources development and ensuring equitable returns for investors and host countries,” Davy tells Mining Weekly.

He adds that Collier will also share his views on the future of Africa’s resource extraction, besides other issues, and engage in a question- and-answer session with the audience.

The sustainable development sessions will take place on Thursday, February 6, and will comprise a keynote address and two interactive panels.

Former Cape Town clergyman Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane will deliver the keynote address. The first panel discussion, titled ‘Mining and communities: Moving from conflict to resolution’, will include commentary from nongovernmental organisation International Alert senior project officer Yadaira Orsini, US-based gold miner Newmont Mining Corporation sustainability and external relations executive VP Elaine Dorward-King, public-interest group the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association executive director Mutuso Dhliwayo and international financial institution the International Finance Corporation & Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency VP and compliance adviser ombudsman Dame Meg Taylor.

The second panel discussion, titled ‘Responsible sourcing of materials: Global trends and challenges’, will include commentary from Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development legal expert Tyler Gillard; communication products and services provider Motorola Solutions environment, health and safety strategic initiatives director Mike Loch; mining major Anglo American global safety and sustainable development head Dorian Emmett; and international relief and development organisation Oxfam global programme manager Keith Slack.

Davy says the ICMM has continued to improve the selection process for panel topics and speakers for the 2014 Investing in African Mining Indaba.

“A multistakeholder committee, convened by the ICMM, reviewed a list of possible topics identified by our research and a vote was taken to determine which topics were to be discussed at the event. Ideas for the panel topics ranged from responsible sourcing and world heritage and mining to health and safety in mining,” he explains.

Importance of Sustainability Sessions

Davy states that, while ICMM acknowledges that many topics are important in the African context, the committee has to decide on the most pertinent topics for the sustainable development sessions.

He adds that the panel discussions are designed to respond to participants’ concerns and to provide opportunities for them to engage in discussion with expert panellists.

“The challenges that will be discussed do not have a single solution; there are no clear-cut answers. Our efforts are aimed at providing participants with a forum to critically reflect on the progress made and on the sustainable development challenges that still lie ahead for South Africa, the region and the industry on a global level.”

Davy says the ICMM hopes to use the sustainable development sessions to contribute towards its vision of leading companies working together to strengthen the contribution of mining, minerals and metals in sustainable development.

“Bringing together thought leaders and representatives from government, industry and civil society organisations exemplifies the collaborative approach that we favour,” he enthuses.

Conflict Resolution and Responsible Sourcing

Davy tells Mining Weekly that evidence from some preliminary analysis by the ICMM suggests that conflict between mining companies and African communities may be increasing and is certainly more widely reported than in previous years.

“We are keen to hear from our panellists on this issue and look forward to a good discussion on how company-community conflicts arise, the challenges associated with such conflicts and practical steps that various parties can take to help prevent conflict from developing or to mitigate adverse impacts,” Davy states.

He adds that the ICMM is also looking forward to discussing the challenge of responsible sourcing and hearing how companies and other stakeholders in sub-Saharan Africa are responding to the challenge. It also hopes to identify the barriers that hinder greater transparency and the traceability of materials.

“Our work focuses on the sustainable development issues the industry faces on a global level, yet many of these challenges are equally applicable to Africa. Years of research at the ICMM, in collaboration with institutions such as the World Bank, have proven that governance needs to be strengthened and that no single development protagonists, such as governments, development institutions, private companies or civil society organisations, can do it alone,” explains Davy.

“Events in South Africa within the past two years have reminded us that the industry can be faced with extremely challenging situations caused by many complex factors. Solutions are never simple nor within the reach of any single development actor; collaboration is key,” concludes Davy.