West African mining expo will highlight opportunities in world's new 'Eldorado.'

As mining and exploration opportunities in South Africa decline, so attention is increasingly being focused on West Africa.
This has resulted in explosive growth in the region, now widely considered the world's new Eldorado.
Mineral exploration continues at a frantic pace -- since 1997, over 60% of the world's mining exploration budget has been spent in Africa, much of it in the ECOWAS region.
Of the more than 300 mining projects under-way on the continent, almost two thirds are outside of South Africa and daily, more are coming on stream.
For example, Australian mineral exploration company, Adamus Resources recently announced it is to invest $100 million in its mining operations in the Western Region of Ghana.
According to some reports and experts, the area is the fastest-growing region for new mineral discoveries in the world.
“The region is booming,” says John Thomson, organiser of WAMPEX, the West African Mining and Power Exhibition, now in its 16th year.
“Annual economic growth in many of the 15 West African countries is 5 per cent or higher, largely as a result of the contribution made by mining.
“In Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Ghana, for example, gold-production increased by 84% in the ten years between 1994 and 2004.”
There are undoubtedly still huge, yet undiscovered, gold and mineral deposits in the region. A French Government geological survey recently reported Burkina Faso has the greatest upside potential in West Africa, as its geological structure is similar to that of Ghana, the continent's second largest gold-producer after South Africa. They believe Burkina Faso will become West Africa's next major “gold country.”

Investor-friendly

It is a part of the world that is keen to do business and is perceived as more investor-friendly than South Africa.
Ghana, for example, was ranked first in Africa and ninth in the world amongst economies that have implemented major reforms aimed at improving conditions for doing business, by Doing Business 2007, while South Africa is losing popularity with foreign investors, as its black economic empowerment principles and mining charter negatively impact on investment strategies.
Investors, mining houses and mining-equipment suppliers are reaping the benefits of the region's new mining-friendly legislation, stable governments and well-thought-out economic policies.
Companies of the likes of African Explosives Limited and Randgold, say West Africa now represents a substantial portion of their overall business – in the case of AEL 25% of their annual sales of more than R2 billion comes from African countries excluding South Africa.
In Ghana alone, 58 South African corporations were doing business there, as of April 2007.

Streaming in

According to Thomson, managing director of Exhibition Management Services, bookings and enquiries for exhibition space at WAMPEX 2008, to be held in Accra, Ghana from 3 – 5 June 2008, are streaming in.
“There is enormous interest in the upcoming exhibition, as there really is no other business vehicle to reach the West African mining industry,” he says.
“Unlike other trade shows, at WAMPEX, both buyers, sellers, government and even the mining companies are all exhibitors. It is the definitive networking opportunity, where all role-players including those who issue licences and permits, are present.”
“WAMPEX has always been regarded as a key event on the mining industry's calendar,” says Joyce Aryee, CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines.
“It sends out a strong message that this is a region where business can be done with ease and confidence.”
“Any supplier not there will miss out on exploiting one of the world's best industrial-growth opportunities,” says Thomson.

(ends)

For more details about WAMPEX contact:

John Thomson
Exhibition Management Services
Tel: 011-783-7250/1/6/9
Fax: 011-783-7269
email: marketing@exhibitionsafrica.com