Date: 05/02/2006
Source: Department of Minerals and Energy
Title: Hendricks: African Mining Partnership gala dinner
Welcoming remarks by Minister Lindiwe Hendricks at the African Mining Partnership (AMP) gala dinner, Sheraton Hotel, Cape Town
Deputy President,
Ministers from African countries and South Africa,
Programme Director
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Welcome to the fourth Gala dinner of the AMP and welcome to Cape Town. A special welcome to our Deputy President who, as one of the founder members of this organisation, is passionate about the success of what we can achieve as Ministers of Mining in Africa and the impact of the AMP projects. She will be addressing us shortly.
Having been in this portfolio for less than eight months I have had the opportunity to only meet some of my colleagues. Those Ministers that I did not meet at the Executive Committee members at our mid-term review in Addis Ababa last August, I look forward to meeting over the next few days. Such interactions are important as they help to build relationships so that we are able to consolidate our positions on a number of issues that affect us.
On Friday President Mbeki gave his annual State of the Nation Address where he spoke about the need to stimulate and increase economic growth and the importance of addressing inequality and eliminating poverty in our country. For all African countries, including South Africa, the resources sector represents a powerful economic force. We as the ministers presiding over this sector have a critical role to play in our economy and indeed we have the responsibility to ensure this sector is effectively utilised to create a better life for our people.
I hope that through our formal and informal interactions we are able to share information, ideas, and knowledge on strategies for promoting growth in the resources sector. Particularly during this period of a resources boom there is a great deal that we can do to stimulate profitable new investments into our countries.
Tonight we are joined by several mining companies and I thank them for the support they have offered to these AMP gatherings. Most of these companies have become significant investors in other African countries and bring with them skills, finance, technology and access to markets. By now they are all aware of good practice and good corporate governance when it comes to investing in Africa.
In his address on Friday President Mbeki spoke about the problems of corruption and poor administration in government and the need to urgently tackle these things as they impede development and hamper the delivery of services to the most vulnerable in our society. The resources sector with the potential for significant profits has been target for these corrupting elements and we must therefore guard against these influences.
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, the resources sector also holds significant potential for the development of small scale mining and upstream and downstream industries. Some of the AMP projects have been looking at these issues and I look forward to the deliberations tomorrow.
Tonight we should all enjoy ourselves before the hard work of tomorrow and I would like to thank Standard Bank for sponsoring this dinner. I welcome Mr David Munro and Standard Bank directors who are accompanying him. Mr Munro will also be giving an address later this evening.
Finally, in most African cultures, we have the concept of Ubuntu and in that spirit I welcome you and hope everybody enjoys the dinner and the entertainment afterwards.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Minerals and Energy
5 February 2006
Source: Department of Minerals and Energy
Title: Hendricks: African Mining Partnership gala dinner
Welcoming remarks by Minister Lindiwe Hendricks at the African Mining Partnership (AMP) gala dinner, Sheraton Hotel, Cape Town
Deputy President,
Ministers from African countries and South Africa,
Programme Director
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Welcome to the fourth Gala dinner of the AMP and welcome to Cape Town. A special welcome to our Deputy President who, as one of the founder members of this organisation, is passionate about the success of what we can achieve as Ministers of Mining in Africa and the impact of the AMP projects. She will be addressing us shortly.
Having been in this portfolio for less than eight months I have had the opportunity to only meet some of my colleagues. Those Ministers that I did not meet at the Executive Committee members at our mid-term review in Addis Ababa last August, I look forward to meeting over the next few days. Such interactions are important as they help to build relationships so that we are able to consolidate our positions on a number of issues that affect us.
On Friday President Mbeki gave his annual State of the Nation Address where he spoke about the need to stimulate and increase economic growth and the importance of addressing inequality and eliminating poverty in our country. For all African countries, including South Africa, the resources sector represents a powerful economic force. We as the ministers presiding over this sector have a critical role to play in our economy and indeed we have the responsibility to ensure this sector is effectively utilised to create a better life for our people.
I hope that through our formal and informal interactions we are able to share information, ideas, and knowledge on strategies for promoting growth in the resources sector. Particularly during this period of a resources boom there is a great deal that we can do to stimulate profitable new investments into our countries.
Tonight we are joined by several mining companies and I thank them for the support they have offered to these AMP gatherings. Most of these companies have become significant investors in other African countries and bring with them skills, finance, technology and access to markets. By now they are all aware of good practice and good corporate governance when it comes to investing in Africa.
In his address on Friday President Mbeki spoke about the problems of corruption and poor administration in government and the need to urgently tackle these things as they impede development and hamper the delivery of services to the most vulnerable in our society. The resources sector with the potential for significant profits has been target for these corrupting elements and we must therefore guard against these influences.
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, the resources sector also holds significant potential for the development of small scale mining and upstream and downstream industries. Some of the AMP projects have been looking at these issues and I look forward to the deliberations tomorrow.
Tonight we should all enjoy ourselves before the hard work of tomorrow and I would like to thank Standard Bank for sponsoring this dinner. I welcome Mr David Munro and Standard Bank directors who are accompanying him. Mr Munro will also be giving an address later this evening.
Finally, in most African cultures, we have the concept of Ubuntu and in that spirit I welcome you and hope everybody enjoys the dinner and the entertainment afterwards.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Minerals and Energy
5 February 2006
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
