OREANDA-NEWS. A meeting between the authorities of African Union member states in December 2013 in Maputo, Mozambique, marked the launch of the country's African Mineral Development Centre. The organization will provide support for African Union member states and organizations connected to the mineral sector in the better use of resources to further the continent's social and economic development. The objective is to contribute to the region's transformation through the reduction of poverty and social inequality. The launch of the new centre took place during the 3rd Conference of Ministers Responsible for Mineral Resources Development in Africa.

Our company was represented by our Capital Projects director in Mozambique, Ricardo Saad, who took part in a roundtable on the mining industry's contributions to the continent. The new institution's functions and guidelines were also discussed during the meeting.

Representatives from government, civil society, local communities and entities such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Mozambique Coal Development Association (AMDCM), an organization of which Vale is a member, took part in the talks. Saad outlined Vale's initiatives to train its employees and enhance their skills by means of specialization programs, among other actions. He also touched on the current local development policy in Mozambique and Malawi, intended to reduce the number of expatriates in-country.

Other matters debated during the meeting included Africa's mineral potential and the need to provide further training opportunities for the local workforce. The intention is to encourage efforts to produce specialists in non-technical areas, such as management, contract negotiation and community relations. The importance of governmental support to the development of the mining industry in the African countries was also considered.