Tony Blair, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to Present a Keynote Address at the 2015 Mining Indaba

Mining Indaba, the world’s largest mining investment event will take place on 9 – 12 February 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa

CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, November 6, 2014/ -- The organisers of the annual Investing in African Mining Indaba announced today that Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1997 - 2007) will participate in a keynote presentation at the  2015 annual conference.  Euromoney Institutional Investor Managing Director, Mr. Christopher Fordham, will host an “Interview with Tony Blair” during a special keynote presentation.

The 2015 edition of the annual Mining Indaba, the world’s largest mining investment event will take place on 9 – 12 February 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa.

  

“Mr. Blair has vast experience as a global leader and through the charity he founded in 2008, the Africa Governance Initiative, he has worked with African governments to improve regulation and investment oversight. As a result, Mr. Blair will provide unique and charismatic insights to our global delegation who are vested in capitalising African mining,” says Jonathan Moore, Managing Director, Mining Indaba.

Tony Blair was Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1997 – 2007, having secured an historic third term in office.   As leader of the Labour party, he led extensive public service reform, introduced a national minimum wage, oversaw constitutional reform, led the London 2012 Games bid and was instrumental in the Northern Ireland peace process. He also oversaw devolution in Scotland and Wales.

Continuing his role in public life, Tony Blair now works to secure peace and prosperity in the Middle East, improve governance in Africa, encourage understanding of world faiths and boost access to sport for children in the North East of England. He also remains committed to finding solutions to climate change.

The 2015 Mining Indaba is expected to draw more than 7,000 investors, mining corporates, government leaders, global press, and other industry stakeholders from 110 countries.

In addition to Mr. Blair’s keynote presentation, the Mining Indaba will feature a blockbuster line up of global speakers including: industry’s most pervasive deal-maker, Robert Friedland of Ivanhoe Mines, global economist, Dr. Dambisa Moyo; creator of the acronym BRIC, Jim O’Neill; the World Bank’s Group emerging regions expert, Anita Marangoly George; and a host of other government leaders, world’s largest mining company CEOs, and international commodities analysts. 

Mining Indaba also includes the Investment Discovery Forum on 8-9 February in Cape Town, which offers private educational and networking setting exclusively open to accredited investors (complimentary registration available) and mining corporates to engage in deal discussions. The ability to schedule unlimited number of one-on-one meetings in this forum enables investors and mining executives to maximize their ROI for their travel and time. For more information visit http://www.miningindaba.com/DiscoveryInvest.

The Mining Indaba will include a total of five and half days of deal-making and discovery showcasing ALL of Africa’s most attractive investment opportunities unlike any other mining investment in the world. For more information on registration and programme, visit http://www.miningindaba.com.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Mining Indaba™.

Moyo challenges Chinese notion of African recolonisation

Cape Town 6 February 2013 - “China’s campaign and race for resources globally is systematic and deliberate. Not since the era of colonialism have we seen a campaign on such a scale,” says Dr Dambisa Moyo. She delivered a keynote address at the Investing in African Mining Indaba ™, under the theme: Winner Takes All: China’s Race for Resources and What It Means for the World.

Moyo challenged those who claim that China’s investment in Africa is a new form of colonialism to invest in the opportunities that abound in Africa today. “If you’re concerned about Africa being recolonised by China, then put your money where your mouth is.” She said that concerns from the West about neo-colonialism, environmental degradation are exaggerated or just plain wrong. She did, however, add a note of caution to be “vigilant and ensure that they gain something from their engagement with the Chinese.” She said that African governments must articulate their policies clearly investor.

She pointed out double-standards, saying that China is the biggest foreign lender to the United States today, yet “no-one complains about human rights violations, but when it comes to Africa there are claims of re-colonisation.”

Moyo described China’s approach to investing in Africa as a symbiotic relationship, with China offering host nations what they need. She pointed to the vast financial resources at China’s disposal, saying that China’s “deep pockets mean that they can go where others like the US and Europe cannot go.

“People question China’s ability to value an asset, they should ask why they are willing to pay a premium for an asset. The answer lies in the utility model.”  She said China is simply interested in ensuring that they secure the natural resources, so they will pay what they must. “As competitors fall away, China will have less competition and will end up paying less for resources.”

She ccontends that China has become a monopolist in some areas of the commodities market, including copper and coal.

Moyo remarks that the world is nowhere near the end of the commodities super cycle. She expects significant price increases for the foreseeable future as well as volatility in commodity markets. This will be driven by factor like population growth, a growing middle class in emerging markets and urbanisation policies in developing countries.

She pointed to some supply-side constraints though; citing land, water shortages and energy constraints, and further added that it is becoming harder to access minerals due to difficult terrain and political tensions: “There has been an increase in conflicts around the world due to resource constraints. Since 1995, there have been 25 commodity-based conflicts around the world.” She said future conflicts would revolve largely around water resources, but that minerals and energy would also generate their fair share of conflict around the world.

Moyo also spoke of an increase in natural resource nationalisation citing the examples of Mongolia, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Australia. She said: “Governments are taking on more responsibility for mineral resources.”

She cautioned governments who are embarking on this path to be careful, citing difficulties that may arise, such as difficulties in raising capital due to uncertainties that are created by policy changes by governments, particularly in the mining sector, which is a long-term investment sector.

Moyo was named by TIME Magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2009. She was also named as one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders. She is best known for her New York Times bestsellers “Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working” and “How there is a Better Way for Africa.”