The mining sector...remains critical to African development and has been an important contributor to the continent’s growth over the last decade... It is amongst the huge ironies of the sector...that “69 per cent of people in extreme poverty are in resource-driven countries and that almost 80 per cent of the countries, whose economies have historically been driven by resources have per capita income levels below the global average.”...Closely related to this is the building of an African mining sector that harnesses the potential of artisanal and small-scale mining to stimulate local and national entrepreneurship, improve livelihoods and advance integrated rural social and economic development. There are many parts of our continent where small scale and artisanal mine...much progress has been made, but we need a much stronger and concerted push for transformation...As Africa, therefore, develops its Agenda 2063...we invite the mining sector in its great diversity to contribute towards this process.