Name of the Partnership/Initiative

Global Dialogue of Governments on Mining/Metals and Sustainable Development

Expected date of initiation: End of 2003
Expected date of completion: open

Partners Involved:

This is an initiative of national governments with an interest in the mining, minerals and metals sector. Interested national governments are invited to express an interest in participating in the process of establishing an Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development. Countries that have expressed an interest in the process to date include: Angola, Australia, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Congo (Brazzaville), China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Finland, Gabon, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

This initiative by national governments is built on the recognition that activities undertaken would benefit from participation by relevant stakeholders, industry, NGOs, labour, indigenous people and others, as well as intergovernmental organizations.

Leading Partners:
Name of the contact person/focal point:

Main objectives of the Partnership/Initiative

The Global Dialogue will provide a framework to address sustainable development issues relevant to the mining and metals sector that benefit from consideration at the global level. The participating governments in the Global Dialogue process will determine the structure of the new intergovernmental forum. They will also determine the objectives of the forum, which could include the following elements:

• Review the contribution of the mining/metals sector to the development of sustainable local communities, including poverty alleviation;
• Promote national governance of the sector, including through capacity building and other activities as required;
• Enhance the ability of member countries to be full participants in informing international policies, activities and priorities affecting the sector throughout its life cycle;
• Improve the ability of Mines Ministries to influence policy making in a manner that will enhance the life cycle contribution of the sector to sustainable development;
• Promote, through dialogue and information, more integrated and co-ordinated approaches to policies and strategies with existing decision making activities or organisations that affect the sector;
• Foster changes in the way the sector operates throughout its life cycle in a sustainable development perspective;
• Exchange information and experiences between member governments in relation to the national management of the sector; and
• Promoting transparency, anti-corruption practices and accountability in the sector.Paragraph 46 (a-c) as well as other parts of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation identifies a number of priorities for the sector.

This partnership of governments aims to promote progress particularly on those issues that are primarily the responsibility of national governments. This partnership will also help address the five key areas identified by the Secretary- General for the Summit, particularly water, health, agriculture and biodiversity as they may relate to the sector.

Expected results:

• More sustainable mining communities;
• More effective contribution of mining to poverty alleviation, particularly in developing countries;
• Higher social, environmental and economic contribution and performance by all stakeholders including governments and industry, including greater accountability and transparency;
• Better informed international policies and strategies that affect the sector;
• Enhanced capacity by governments to exercise governance in the national management of the sector;
• Better access to financial and other resources to promote greater advances in capacity building related to the sector;
• Enhanced capacity of developing countries to bring forward consideration of their interests in the development of international policies and strategies affecting the whole life cycle of the sector;
• Improved capacity to influence and respond to global issues and events affecting the sector;
• Improved capacity to share sustainable development practices and experiences among regions.

The Partnership is oriented towards dialogue and information exchange. Any future roles will be agreed between the partners.

Specific targets of the Partnership/Initiative and timeframe for their achievement:

The first stage of the initiative is a preparatory process aimed at creating a high level intergovernmental forum on mining, minerals, metals and sustainable development. A meeting of interested governments took place in Geneva, 1-3 October 2003. Some 70 delegates from 35 countries and 4 multilateral institutions participated in the meeting to review the terms of reference and rules of procedure for the Forum and to discuss an initial work plan. Countries agreed to meet again in Geneva in June 2004.

Coordination and Implementation mechanism

Stage 1: Canada continues to act as the facilitator of the process to establish the Intergovernmental Forum. Following the successful meeting of governments to discuss the terms of reference, rules of procedure and initial work plan, work continues towards the next meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

Stage 2: The establishment of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development following acceptance of the Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure by 25 countries. The next meeting is planned for June 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland. An agreement on a Secretariat will be made at that time. Work will be done through ad hoc working groups.

Arrangements for funding

Canada and other donors will provide funding for Stage 1. Participants at the Inaugural Meeting will determine funding approaches for subsequent activities.

Arrangements for capacity building and technology transfer

Capacity building will be a key issue for the Intergovernmental Forum. In coordination with interested parties, the Forum will seek to identify capacity building priorities, facilitate coordination of the capacity building activities of donor organizations and countries, promote access to additional resources to be devoted to capacity building, as well as strengthening linkages between the institutions of the sector in developed and other countries.

Links of Partnership/Initiative with on-going sustainable development activities at the international and/or regional level (if any)

The Global Dialogue will take into account and seek to build upon the existing regional networks of governments with an interest in mining, in the Americas (CAMMA), in Africa (SADC, AMP, and others) and in Asia (APEC-GEMEED). The Dialogue will work with these organisations to enhance the global impact of local, regional and commodity specific work. The dialogue will also seek to build on other sector specific activities such as the International Commodity Study Groups, the “Non-Ferrous Metals Consultative Forum on Sustainable Development” and the “World Mines Ministries Forum”.

Discussions will be undertaken with intergovernmental organisations to identify areas for co-operation.

The Forum will also take into account and could draw on industry-based activities, including the Global Mining Initiative, the Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development Projects, and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) as well as on work by all other stakeholders on sustainable development in the sector.

Monitoring Arrangements

Monitoring arrangements and reporting will be part of the requirements of the dialogue. They will be determined in the course Stage 1 and adopted at the Inaugural Meeting.

Other relevant information:

Website for the Global Dialogue: www.globaldialogue.info

Name and contact information of the person filling in this table:

This document is available in both PDF and .doc formats.

Note: To obtain a free copy of the Acrobat Reader, you may wish to visit Adobe Systems Incorporated to download it and learn more about this product. For PDF and other help, please visit our Help section.

In PDF format:

Partnership Initiatives Information Sheet

In .doc format:

Partnership Initiatives Information Sheet