By Business Reporter – Tuesday 19 March 2019
HARARE (Mining Index) – THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in partnership with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development will tomorrow host the inaugural Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners (ASM) forum in Bulawayo.
The conference will be running under the theme, Leveraging Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining for Economic Development.
Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Polite Kambamura is expected to deliver the keynote address as the convention seeks to analyse the investment and financing opportunities available within the artisanal and small scale mining sector and its value chain.
The mining session, which is an offshoot event from the Mine Entra hosted in July annually, will also deliberate on current policy, regulatory frameworks and their contribution to small-scale mining sector’s capacity and productivity.
The conference brings together ASM stakeholders for a discourse on the supply side, including challenges affecting the sector such as fuel, liquidity and cash, with a view to come up with actionable resolutions and programmes.
“In 2013, we introduced an Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners (ASM) Conference as part of the Mine Entra program to advance inclusivity for the event by providing a targeted platform for small scale miners to engage with their policy makers, suppliers and service providers to discuss specific challenges and opportunities within their sector,” said ZITF Marketing and Public Relations Manager Stella Nkomo.
“The forum seeks to spotlight the significance of sustainable ASM mining in Zimbabwe’s economic recovery and growth agenda by creating linkages and harnessing opportunities for the sector’s development,” said Nkomo.
Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation (ZMF), Zimbabwe Artisanal and Small Scale for Sustainable Mining Council, Chamber of Mines Zimbabwe, Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM), and Environmental Management Agency (EMA) are some of the key stakeholders expected to present.
In protecting the environment, delegates will assess the ecological impacts related to artisanal and small-scale mining and sustainable mitigation practices.
This conference has grown to an extent that stakeholders requested that it be part of a series of events for the important, special interest group as opposed to an annual once-off event.
“As ZITF Company we remain committed to providing relevant discussion platforms for the nation’s key economic growth drivers and will continue to organise events that push this growth agenda,” added Nkomo. ENDS//