Kalindekafe heads 43-nation forum

The Intergovernmental Forum (IGF) on mining, minerals, metals and sustainable development has confirmed the re-election of Dr Leonard Kalindekafe as its chairperson.

Kalindekafe, who is director of Geological Survey Department of Malawi and also head of Malawi delegation at the IGF meeting, will serve on the position for two years.

The letter from the forum’s secretariat states that the confirmation follows IGF’s 2011 annual general meeting (AGM) which was held from November 1 to 3 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland.

In an interview on Tuesday, Kalindekafe said: “When I was first elected in 2009 to chair the IGF for two years, I was extremely excited. I became the first African to chair this forum.

This time around, I thought that perhaps a new chairperson was going to be elected, especially when one considers the high calibre of the people in this 43-nation forum.”

The forum’s member states include Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Canada, Nigeria, Tanzania and Mongolia, among others.

He said one of the achievements made so far include finalising the Mining Policy Framework (MPF) which has been discussed at different forums, including at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in New York.

“What is remaining now is to get MPF into a United Nations [UN] system which can disseminate it to all her member States to be used as a guide when they formulate their new policies.

“I will ensure that the forum grows bigger, spreads wider and becomes an even more useful organisation for mankind. The global minerals industry needs professional guidance since mining is one of the most important industries to mankind,” said Kalindekafe.