A Country Mining Vision Guidebook: Domesticating the Africa Mining Vision

After an intense week of presentations, discussions, writing and revising sessions the Book Sprint in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, was concluded last Saturday. The resulting book entitled “A Country Mining Vision Guidebook: Domesticating the Africa Mining Vision” complete with ten sections and numerous illustrations was produced in a 5 day Book Sprint facilitated by Barbara Rühling with assistance from facilitator in training Laia Ros.

The group on the last day

The two facilitators together with twenty two participants, two logistical support staff members, and one illustrator, not only produced a book, but also exchanged ideas and shared their knowledge and regional experience over the course of the week. This group was the biggest at a single Book Sprint so far, and the facilitators covered many miles on the vast Kuriftu resort to keep track of the ongoings between the different working groups.

The end of the rain season in Ethiopia brought fresh and sunny weather during daytime and a few dramatic rainstorms at night. Some shorter power cuts and more prolonged internet outages tested the participants’ patience while using the online collaborative writing platform PubSweet. However, the group maintained its good humor and worked around the internet outages. The free sauna and massages at the resort’s spa may have played their part to ease the pain!

The African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) of UNECA is planning to update the book regularly as the experience with the Country Mining Vision in different African member states grows. The first version of “A Country Mining Vision Guidebook: Domesticating the Africa Mining Vision” will be released this week.

Kuriftu Crater Lake

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/101584348@N06/sets/72157647289829397/