1.0 Introduction

Africa is endowed with variety of extractive resources. However, the processes for the extraction of these resources are not contributing to the developmental aspirations of the continent and its people especially communities who settle on such resource bases.

Founded in 1998, AIMES is a network of organisations, groups and individuals engaged in advocacy to address this imbalance focusing in particular mining.

It offers a framework for collaboration to strengthen collective actions that advance community interest, environmental sustainability and development in relation to the extractive sector.

The relationship between and among participating members is based on issues and common activities.

2.0 Purpose

AIMES seeks to:

•    Create platforms which promote strategies for dialogue, consensus, solidarity and information sharing among participating members and their partners.

•    Promote and enable the visibility and voice of African Civil Society Organisations around mining, environment and development issues at the national, regional and international levels.

•    Influence the adoption of mining sector policy frameworks, as well as state and corporate practices and behaviours that promote and ensure community interest, environmental sustainability and national economic development.

3.0 Membership

1.    Membership of AIMES is open to individuals, organisations and groups, who share the political agenda of the network, and are ready to work for the realisation of the purpose of the network.

2.    Individual membership is open to persons such as researchers, academics, and other professionals etc and who themselves do not belong to organisations which could be members of the network

3.    Participating members can nominate, recommend or invite individuals, organisations and groups to apply and who shall be members after approval at the annual strategy meeting.

4.    Non-African individuals and organisations who share the political agenda, values and purpose of AIMES can be admitted as associate members.

4.0 Structure of AIMES

a. AIMES Annual Strategy Meeting (AASM)

1.    The annual strategy meeting shall be a platform for information sharing, consensus building, capacity building, reviewing progress, and adoption of campaign themes, policy positions and strategies.

2.    The annual strategy meeting also serves as a platform to manage diversity and agree on Working Groups.

3.    The annual strategy meeting shall take place once a year at a time and place of its own choice.

4.    Extraordinary strategy meetings may be convened depending on the political moments and resource availability.

5.    The host of the next annual strategy meeting shall be nominated during the meeting, failing which it shall be nominated upon consultation carried out by the secretariat.

b. Working Group

1.    The annual strategy meeting shall compose one or more Working Groups which will assist the secretariat in carrying out the decision of the meeting

2.    The working group will work with secretariat to help point out pressure points and sites at the regional and international levels for collective action.

3.    Conduct any other task assigned to it by the AASM and the secretariat

c. Secretariat

The secretariat shall:

1.    Coordinate implementation of decisions of ASM

2.    Propose an agenda for ASM

3.    Work with the host to organise ASM

4.    Facilitate the strategic direction of AIMES.

5.    Where necessary convene meetings of Working Group

6.    Third World Network is the current secretariat

c. Funding for ASM

1.    As a principle of shared agenda, member organisations of AIMES shall take responsibility for their travels to and from ASM

2.    Where necessary, the secretariat shall pay for the travels of some participating members

3.    The host of an ASM takes responsibility for cost of accommodation and national level participation

4.    The host shall work with the secretariat to prepare a budget and fundraise for ASM

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