Australia to set up A$5m African minerals development centre

Australia has committed to investing (A$5m) five million Australian dollars to establish what the county called an African minerals development centre.

The centre is expected to be a reality in the next two years.

Speaking at this year’s Africa Downunder conference on August 29, 2012, Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Bob Carr, who made the announcement said the centre would implement the African Union’s African Mining Vision adopted in December 2011, the Mining Weekly reports.

The AU’s vision aims at driving sustainable mining, increase transparency around major projects and support infrastructure, and develop new capacity.

Australia is already assisting to develop the African mineral sector in a sustainable and transparent manner which in-turn will yield benefits for the continent’s population.

By Ekow Quandzie