Mining Indaba, Cape Town, South Africa   A massive continental operation for arresting HIV/AIDS spread BPC sells stake to a French company Road development affects sales Hospitality organisations urge to train e-skills Diversification tops national agenda Modern infrastructure national priority Celebrating 100 years of economic beneficiation Sparkling hospitality industry return to Harare Government’s new Acts and policies welcomed Snail pace for SADC financial integration

CAPE TOWN – Budget constraints fuelled by the last global economic downturn have forced Botswana to limit her participation at international forums aimed at marketing the country’s vast mineral base.

While her peers sent teams of high powered delegations to the on-going annual edition of the mining jamboree, Botswana only seconded a small contingent. This year’s conference is conducted under the theme Mining Indaba 2010.

The country’s few mining players and Botswana Export and Import Development Agency (BEDIA) are present to drive the country’s interests.

According to an attendance profile 51% of the participants at the conference are from Africa while Europe has 18% representation followed by Australia with 15%, America 12% and Asia 4%.

From Southern Africa only Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Democratic Republic of Congo have ministers and their aides in attendance at the conference.

Apart from government representatives the four day conference is graced by miners, explorers, project developers, mining analysts, fund managers and investment specialists, representing nearly all the stakeholders in the mining industry value chain throughout Africa.

With over 3,500 delegates in attendance the conference will among other issues discuss the outlook on various metals, commodities and best practices in corporate and social responsibility due to their popularity last year.

On the other hand two days of ministerial presentations at the conference is expected to provide a forum to learn about new mining opportunities from countries eager to secure new investments into their countries.

“Mining Indaba has raised billions of dollars and introduced the international investment community to mining interests throughout Africa,” said an official statement from Mining Indaba.

Meanwhile Zimbabwe, a country coming out of political and economic turmoil, has sent a high powered team to the conference in anticipation to lure investors.

Zimbabwe has a huge natural resource base which has been weighed down by political wrangling in the country over the past ten years.