The IGF attended Investing in African Mining Indaba February 5–8, 2018, in Cape Town, South Africa, hosting two sessions throughout the event.
The Hidden Cost of Tax Incentives: A Special Side Event
Monday, February 5, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Cape Town (Formerly Strand Tower Hotel) – Corner of Strand Street and Loop Street
African governments are under pressure to offer tax incentives in order to attract mining investors. But these incentives may significantly reduce government revenue, especially when investors use them in ways that exceed the tax benefit initially intended by government.
The IGF, in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Development and Co-operation (OECD), presented guidance for governments on how to anticipate and limit the cost of mining tax incentives, as well as new empirical research on the prevalence of tax incentives in the mining sector. This presentation explored a broader program to design mining sector-specific solutions to some of the most pressing tax base erosion and profit shifting challenges facing resource-rich developing countries.
- 11:00 a.m.–11:15 a.m.: Introduction to the IGF-OECD BEPS in Mining Program, Howard Mann, International Senior Law Advisor, IISD
- 11:15 a.m.–11:45 a.m.: The Hidden Cost of Tax Incentives in Mining: Presentation of informal working draft, Alexandra Readhead, Technical Advisor, BEPS, IGF
- 11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.: Panel discussion on tax incentives in mining
- 12:15 p.m.–12:55 p.m.: Plenary discussion – Facilitated discussion
- 12:55 p.m.–1:00 p.m.: Next steps and wrap up, Howard Mann, International Senior Law Advisor, IISD
IGF Sustainability Roundtables on Local Content Policy
Monday, February 5, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Rooftop Terrace, CTICC
What are the key challenges facing governments as they try to operationalize local content policies? What is best practice to date? This event featured parallel interactive roundtables focused on six key subject areas: defining local content; building supplier capacity; skills development; economic diversification; different policy options; and the impact of new technologies. Moderators for each roundtable summarized the key points in plenary. This event also featured the launch of the draft IGF’s member guidance on local content policies.
- 2:00 p.m.–2:15 p.m.: Welcome, and launch of the IGF Guidance for Governments: Local Content Policy
- 2:15 p.m.–2:30 p.m.: Overviews by the moderators: roundtable issues
- 2:30 p.m.–3:15 p.m.: Interactive roundtables (parallel sessions)
- 3:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m.: Moderators’ report in plenary: key points
- 3:45 p.m.–4:00 p.m.: Session close; networking space
Moderators opened the session, each presenting a brief overview of their subject area:
- Defining “local” (2 tables), moderated by Jeff Geipel, Mining Shared Value Managing Director, Engineers Without Borders, and Emily Nickerson, Mining Shared Value Director of Programs, Engineers Without Borders
- Building supplier capacity (2 tables), moderated by Andrew Cheatle, Mining Executive, and Jerry Ahadjie, Principal Planning & Policy Officer, Ghana Minerals Commission
- Economic diversification (horizontal, downstream, post-mine) (2 tables), moderated by Nicky Black, Director, Environmental Stewardship and Social Progress, ICMM, and Johannes Danz, Program Manager of Extractives and Development, BGR
- Technology challenges (1 table), moderated by Howard Mann, Senior International Law Advisor, IGF
- Skills training, human resources development (1 table), moderated by Robin Weisman, Corporate Director at B2Gold Corp. and INV Metals Inc.
- Policy options: mandatory vs voluntary requirements; reporting requirements (submitted plans); negotiated community agreements (2 tables), moderated by Nicholas Cotts, VP External Relations and Social Responsibility, Newmont Mining Corporation, and Isabelle Ramdoo, Senior Linkages and Investment Advisor, African Minerals Development Centre/UNECA
Participants then broke into the roundtables, with moderators presiding at each. The discussion centered on challenges the participants have faced, on ways they have addressed the issue, or on ways they may have helped others address the issue. Moderators facilitated those discussions, and brought the highlights back to plenary.
Team members were also on hand at the IGF stand in the main exhibition hall in CTICC from February 5 to 7 to answer your questions and discuss IGF activities. Thank you to those who stopped by for more details on specific programs and activities, and how you can get involved with the IGF. We invite you to read the meeting report online.
Investing in African Mining Indaba is dedicated to the successful capitalization and development of mining interests in Africa. This event brings together investors, mining companies, governments and other stakeholders from around the globe to learn and network with the goal of advancing mining in Africa.
Please visit the event website for full details about this unique event.