The Africa Mining Vision (AMV), a policy framework created by the African Union to ensure that the continent utilises its mineral resources strategically for broad-based, inclusive development. According to the African Union (AU), the AMV aims to achieve: “The transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development.” The AMV, adopted by African Heads of State in 2009, sets a guiding framework, action plans and criteria for implementing its objectives. The forum under the theme, “Enhancing National Ownership in the Mining Sector: Domesticating the Africa Mining Vision” took place almost a decade after the AMV’s inception. Over those ten years it has widely been argued that implementation has been slow and there have been low levels of awareness about the framework among key stakeholders in the mineral sector. According to an Oxfam report (2017) there has been limited domestication or implementation of the AMV on the continent. So far, 24 out of 54 countries have started implementation of AMV. Only Lesotho has fully domesticated and used AMV to prepare her Country Mining Vision (CMV). There are now urgent calls for action at the highest level to ensure the aims of this transformative policy can be achieved in order to advance sustainable development across the continent. Tanzania’s interest in the AMV reflects the country’s appreciation of the strategic role that the mining sector can play in achieving the country’s development vision and a desire to put in place appropriate policies, strategies and practices to optimise benefits from exploitation of its mineral endowment. Equally, Tanzania’s work towards a CMV is framed within the wider acknowledgement by the government that a lack of proper management and development of mineral resources will have serious consequences for communities, the administration, the mining industry and the wider nation.
