The GM co-organized workshop

In December 2005, the GM in collaboration with the NGO Resources and Research for Sustainable Development (RIDES), the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and Chile’s National Forestry Commission (CONAF), organized a workshop entitled, “Engagement of the Corporate Mining sector in support of the Puna Americana”, to facilitate the exchange of views between the PAS Puna and the mining sector operating in the Puna Americana.

 

The Workshop was attended by representatives of the mining sector, government officials and civil society organizations from the five countries.

 

The mining sector stressed that precisely because of industry’s economic importance at national level it places great importance on the environment and Corporate Social Responsibility. Moreover, in view of the mining sector’s long-term investment in the region, it is receptive to the issue of sustainability in social, environmental and employment-related terms.

 

The paramount importance of multi-stakeholder dialogues in strengthening the links between the PAS Puna ecosystem-based vision and the mining industry’s vision was highlighted and the local communities committed themselves to working with the industries, in a long-term integrated development perspective.

 

The workshop produced a series of recommendations with a view to continuing the dialogue with the mining sector and defining a common approach to operational engagement.  A publication on the mining sector experience and the outcomes of the workshop are available in Spanish.

The GM and ECLAC were called upon to develop strategies for future meetings to strengthen the multi-stakeholder dialogue and to facilitate a PAS Puna side event at the 5^th Session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the UNCCD (CRIC.5), in Argentina, in March 2007, to illustrate the contributions of mining companies to the sustainable development of Puna Americana.