MEMO ON THE CAMEROON INTERNATIONAL MINING EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE CIMEC 2015

THE MINISTRY OF MINES, INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IS ORGANIZING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LONDON BASED COMPANY  AMETRADE LTD, A SPECIALIZED EVENT ORGANIZER, UNDER THE DISTINGUISHED PATRONAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, THE SECOND EDITION OF THE CAMEROON INTERNATIONAL MINING EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE (CIMEC), FROM 27 TO 29 MAY 2015, AT THE YAOUNDE CONFERENCE CENTRE. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF CIMEC 2015, MAKING CAMEROON A REGIONAL PLATFORM  FOR TRADE AND TRANSACTIONS IN THE MINING INDUSTRY AND RELATED ACTIVITIES.

IT IS WORTH RECALLING THAT THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS SECOND EDITION OF CIMEC IS ONE OF THE MAJOR RESOLUTIONS THAT SANCTIONED THE FIRST EDITION, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE CONFERENCE CENTRE FROM 29 TO 31 MAY 2013.

CIMEC 2013 WAS A GREAT SUCCESS, BECAUSE IT SUCCEEDED IN BRINGING TOGETHER, FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN CENTRAL AFRICA, EXPERTS AND PROFESSIONALS OF THE MINING WORLD AND ITS RELATED ACTIVITIES, FROM 20 COUNTRIES, INCLUDING 60 EXHIBITORS AND 600 PARTICIPANTS. SOME OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING RESULTS RISING FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AFORESAID RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE: 

·         INCREASE IN THE NATIONAL PRODUCTION OF GOLD A THROUGH THE MASTERY, BY THE AUTHORITIES, OF THE PROCESS OF CHANNELING ARTISANAL EXPLOITATION;

·         BEGINNING OF INDUSTRIAL MINING OF SOME GOLD AND IRON DEPOSITS IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

THIS IS WHY CIMEC 2015, EQUALLY PLACED UNDER THE DISTINGUISHED PATRONAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC HIS EXCELLENCE PAUL BIYA, INTENDS TO CONSOLIDATE AND IMPROVE THESE INVALUABLE ASSETS, IN TERM OF CALIBER, QUALITY AND VARIETY OF PARTICIPANTS, EXHIBITORS AND EXPERTS. 

THE KEY PLAYERS CONCERNED ARE MINING COMPANIES INVOLVED IN EXPLORATION, MINING AND PROCESSING, ROCKS AND ORES ASSAY LABORATORIES, SURVEY, EQUIPMENT AND LOGISTICS MINING INDUSTRY, LEGAL EXPERTS, FINANCE AND RESEARCH FIRMS, AS WELL AS MINING SCHOOLS.

THEREFORE, FROM 27 TO 29 MAY, THE YAOUNDE CONFERENCE CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE CLOSE TO 800 PARTICIPANTS AND 200 OFFICIALS AND OPERATORS OF THE MINING INDUSTRY AND RELATED ACTIVITIES, COMING FROM CEMAC COUNTRIES AND FROM A  SCORE OF OTHER COUNTRIES WITH PROVEN EXPERIENCE IN THE AREA, IN PARTICULAR FROM NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, ASIA, WEST AND SOUTH AFRICA.

THE MAIN AWAITED RESULTS, INCLUDE AROUSING INTEREST, ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELATED STRUCTURES. THE INTEREST HERE IS TO REDUCE CONSIDERABLY CHARGES IN TERMS OF TIME, ENERGY AND MEANS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OPERATORS OF THE GEOLOGICAL AND MINING INDUSTRY.  

INDEED, CAMEROON IS ONE OF THE RARE AFRICAN COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE RICH, DENSE AND VARIED POTENTIALITIES IN NATURAL RESOURCES, AND ESPECIALLY MINERALS WHICH CLASSIFY IT AMONG THE LARGEST IN AFRICA. WITHOUT BEING EXHAUSTIVE, ONE CAN MENTION ITS SITUATION ALONG THE LARGEST CORRIDOR OF CENTRAL AFRICA IN IRON DEPOSITS, THE SECOND LARGEST BAUXITE RESERVE IN AFRICA, THE LARGEST LATERITIC DEPOSIT IN NICKEL COBALT IN AFRICA, ETC.

AMONG THESE NUMEROUS NATURAL ASSETS, BY WHICH CAMEROON IS REFERRED TO AS AFRICA IN MINIATURE, A REGIONAL CENTRE PAR EXCELLENCE FOR EXCHANGES, TRADES AND TRANSACTIONS IN THE MINING INDUSTRY AND RELATED ACTIVITIES, WE CAN MENTION: ITS ENERGY POTENTIAL (SECOND HYDRO ELECTRIC POTENTIAL IN CENTRAL AFRICA), COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURES (INTERNATIONAL AIR, MARITIME, RAILWAY AND ROAD TRANSPORT), ITS STRATEGIC POSITION (AT THE HEART OF THE GULF OF GUINEA, EASY ACCESS TO CEMAC AND CEEAC ZONES), ITS POLITICAL STABILITY, SOLIDITY, THE RELIABLE AND ATTRACTIVE NATURE OF ITS INSTITUTIONS (LAW ON PRIVATE INVESTMENT INCENTIVES, MINING, PETROLEUM AND GAS CODES), ITS BILINGUAL NATURE, ETC.

IN THE SHORT TERM, CIMEC AIMS TO:

·         ENCOURAGE MINING INDUSTRIES AND RELATED ACTIVITIES (GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY COMPANIES, DRILLING COMPANIES, ASSAY LABORATORIES, EXPERT FIRMS, ETC.) WITH PROVEN EXPERIENCE, TO SETTLE IN CAMEROON IN ORDER TO DEVELOP LOCAL DEPOSITS AND THOSE OF THE CEMAC SUB-REGION.

·         SHOWCASE MINING PROJECTS WHICH WILL SOON GO INTO PRODUCTION. 

·         CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS PROMOTING AND DEVELOPING THE CAMEROONIAN MINING SECTOR IN PARTICULAR, AND THAT OF THE CEMAC ZONE, IN GENERAL, SO THAT IT MAY SUPPORT MORE EFFECTIVELY POLICIES AIMED AT BOOSTING GROWTH, ALLEVIATING POVERTY, REDUCING UNEMPLOYMENT AND IMPROVING THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE POPULATION.

IN THE MEDIUM TERM, CIMEC INTENDS TO POSITION CAMEROON AS A REGIONAL PLATFORM FOR PROMOTING, TRADING AND MAKING TRANSACTIONS IN THE MINING INDUSTRY AND RELATED ACTIVITIES, SIMILAR TO INDABA IN SOUTH AFRICA OR EVEN PDAC IN TORONTO, CANADA.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

DR. FUH CALISTUS GENTRY, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF MINES, INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

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