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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
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