A delegation from the National Organising Committee (Comité National d’Organisation, CNO) for the second edition of the Artisan Mining Day (Journée de l’Artisan Minier, JAM), scheduled to take place on 21 and 22 July 2023 in Gaoua, in the south-western province of Poni, met the professional organisations of artisanal miners in the region on Tuesday 04 July. The aim of the meeting was to explain the issues involved in holding the event.
The meeting, which began at 10am in the meeting room of the Haut-Commissariat of the Poni province, was an opportunity for the head of delegation, Zéphirin ZONGO, who is also the Technical Secretary for Local Content and Investment Promotion (ST-CLPI) at the Ministry of Mines, and his team, to talk directly to those involved in the Artisan Mining Day (JAM).
Mr Zongo explained to the representatives of artisanal miners that this year’s theme, “Artisanal mining: what mechanisms can be used to formulate operators in order to improve the socio-economic benefits of the sector? is aimed at strengthening the supervision of artisanal mining in Burkina Faso.
He maintained that this activity, which is placed under the Very High Patronage of His Excellency the President of the Transition, Head of State, Captain Ibrahim TRAORE, and under the chairmanship of the Minister of Energy, Mines and Quarries, Mr Simon-Pierre BOUSSIM, will result in solutions and recommendations for responsible artisanal mining and quarrying.
Representatives of artisanal miners welcomed the approach taken by the National Organising Committee and reaffirmed their commitment to making the event a success.
On the whole, their concerns centred on the inclusion of certain categories in the competition, the type of equipment that could be displayed on the stands, the mobilisation of the actors, etc.
The delegation responded to these concerns and urged the artisanal mining representatives to pass on the message to their peers to ensure the success of the event.
Source: JAM Communication Commission
