Join us in Geneva for IGF’s Annual Meeting October 24-28, 2016

Please mark your calendars for the IGF’s annual general meeting which will be held from October 24-28 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

More information on the agenda and travel arrangements will be provided in the weeks and months to come.

We would like to thank everyone who completed the survey following last year’s annual general meeting. We were pleased to hear that you appreciated the diversity of issues covered by presenters along with the breadth of information shared and the focused discussion on mine closure.

Participants told us that they value the IGF as a resource for networking with peers, a forum for sharing information and experiences and a “a non-judgmental venue for members to openly discuss their challenges and perspectives.”

Here are some of the issues and ideas identified in the survey that we are working into our plans for the upcoming meeting.

Main priorities of government agencies:

- Maximizing revenue and increasing exploration, production and investment

- Developing frameworks to strengthen governance of the sector- Providing oversight of sector operations to ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations

- Protecting the environment and mitigating the negative impacts of mineral development- Producing reliable data on the sector, its operation and production, revenue and potential

SAVE THE DATE

Main challenges for effective operation of government agencies:- Lack of resources for operating- Lack of expertise

- Lack of data, data collection or data processing

- Inadequate systems or infrastructure - Bureaucratic inefficiencies

Key challenges for the mining sector in your country:- Artisanal mining - Environmental degradation

- Inadequate infrastructure

- Poor educational standards & lack of skilled workers

- Lack of geological information

Topics of interest for future meetings:- Effective taxation

- Minerals revenue sharing for sustainable development - Energy alternatives

- Presentations from member countries on lessons learned

- Social acceptability and conflict in mining

- Moving from extraction to added value to raw materials

- Best practices in mining and closure certification of capacities- More time for discussion following presentations

What can IGF do to promote sustainable mining and development?- Establish rewards for countries/organizations which have made efforts in developing the IGF Mining Policy

Framework- Engage with senior government leaders to apply best practices

- Provide technical assistance to member countries- Arrange for site visits of successful operations

- Case studies in developed and developing countries on fiscal regime and environmental management

- Increase the sponsorship base and get more mining company involvement

For more information contact IGF-Secretariat@iisd.org