p In one of its documents the UN Economic Commission for Africa pointed out that there was hardly a single African country which had the necessary apparatus, planning techniques, technical personnel and research equipment for developing mineral resources.  [174•4  This is a very serious assessment. Experience shows that many African countries had to begin from scratch and it is hardly possible to overestimate the assistance which they received from the USSR.

p For instance, the Soviet Union helped Algeria to set up the Central Combined Research Laboratory for the Survey and Development of Oil and Gas Deposits with the latest equipment at its disposal. When in I960 Algeria nationalised the mining industry and foreign specialists began leaving the country, Soviet geologists helped it to set up the National Society for Prospecting and Exploiting Minerals (SONAREM). Later the Algerian Government set up a Central Geological Base with chemical, spectral and mineral and petrographic laboratories outfitted with Soviet equipment.

p The Central Mineral Raw Materials Laboratory in Egypt is also outfitted with Soviet equipment. On top of that, Soviet organisations supplied Egypt with 20 mobile 175 laboratories for analysing and taking samples of raw materials in the field.

p In Guinea geological surveys were made solely by foreigners in the first years of its independent development. Since the establishment of Soviet-Guinean cooperation a polytechnical institute was founded in the country. Since that time Guineans have gained experience in geological surveying. In 1971 the Guinean National Geological Organisation assumed responsibility for prospecting for mineral resources. At the same time Soviet organisations continue actively to assist the Republic in this sphere, and among other things helped in the establishment of the Central Geological Laboratory.

p The founding in 1969 of SONAREM equipped .with Soviet technology was an important step towards the creation of conditions for the development of a mineral raw materials base in Mali.

p The success of national geological organisations in investigating and developing mineral resources largely hinges on the availability of national personnel and their skill and experience. Hence the Soviet Union attaches considerable importance to the training of local mining specialists. Working shoulder to shoulder with Soviet specialists, their African counterparts take over their experience and knowledge and use them in their country’s interests.

p The Soviet Union has already provided substantial aid to a number of African countries in surveying and developing natural resources. An important contribution to the further development of cooperation in this field was made by the publication in the USSR in 1973 of the work Geology and Useful Minerals in Africa. This book was written for Soviet geologists already working and those who will work in Africa, and also for the young African geologists studying in the USSR.

There are good prospects for increased cooperation of Soviet geologists and specialists in African countries in investigating the continent’s natural resources and it will evidently occupy an important place in the Soviet Union’s eroanding economic links with African countries.