Namibian women played a key role at the recent African Mining Vision (AMV) workshop held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The workshop, organised by the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC), aimed to assess and revise the implementation of the AMV and the African Minerals Governance Framework (AMGF).
The AMV, adopted in 2008 as a strategy to harness Africa’s mineral resources for sustainable development, has faced slow implementation.
Only 13 out of 56 African Union member states have ratified the vision. During the workshop, participants addressed these challenges, with a focus on enhancing collaboration between civil society and governments to push the AMV forward.
Namibia was represented by mining consultant Zenzi Awases, President of Women in Mining in Namibia and Vice President of the African Women in Mining Association, alongside Thekla Mutero, an emerging miners’ representative from Namibia, who contributed valuable insights.
Mutero’s advocacy for rebranding small-scale miners as “emerging miners” sparked significant discussions on the future of Africa’s mining sector.
The Namibian delegation’s input on the country’s mining sector, particularly its export-driven nature, was well-received.
A major outcome of the workshop was the introduction of a revised AMV action plan, designed to address the evolving needs of Africa’s mining industry, including the rise of critical minerals and the global energy transition.
In line with the workshop’s discussions, Namibia is set to host its own Women in Mining Summit on the 16th and 17th of October 2024, which aims to further empower women and promote socio-economic transformation in the industry.
