The 3rd African Forum on Mining has commenced today at the African Union Commission Headquarters in Addis Ababa, setting the stage for three days of discussions focused on the theme: "The Africa Mining Vision at 16: Achievements, Challenges, and Opportunities." The forum, running from March 19-21, 2025, has convened key stakeholders to evaluate the progress of the Africa Mining Vision (AMV), address ongoing challenges, and explore the future potential of the continent's mining sector.
The opening session featured keynote addresses from high-ranking officials, including Matthias Naab, Director of the UNDP Regional Service Center in Addis Ababa, and Gianluca Azzoni, Head of the Policy & Cooperation Section at the EU Delegation to the African Union (AU).
Naab, in his opening remarks, welcomed attendees and underscored the enduring significance of the AMV, adopted sixteen years ago as a transformative blueprint for leveraging Africa's mineral wealth for broad-based socio-economic development, industrialization, and environmental sustainability. He highlighted the notable milestones achieved since the AMV's inception, particularly the establishment of the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) in 2013. Naab emphasized the AMDC's pivotal role in assisting member states with policy formulation, strengthening governance frameworks, and promoting sustainable mining practices, attributing these successes to the collaborative spirit among governments, regional economic communities, the private sector, and development partners.
The UNDP Director also acknowledged the long-standing and robust partnership between the African Union and UNDP, recognizing UNDP's unwavering support in advancing the AMV agenda. He recalled the joint organization of the inaugural African Forum on Mining in Accra, Ghana, in 2019, which effectively placed the AMV at the center of continental dialogue. Naab further highlighted UNDP's support during the AMDC's transition and in the subsequent development of the AMV Action Plan and the AMDC Strategic Business Plan.
Expressing his appreciation for key partnerships, Naab specifically recognized the core financial support provided by the European Union through UNDP, which he stated has been instrumental in the AMDC's accomplishments. He also acknowledged the significant contributions of strategic allies such as the Organization for African, Caribbean and Pacific States, UNECA, the African Development Bank (AfDB), AfrExIm Bank, Regional Economic Communities, AUDA-NEPAD, and Civil Society Organizations. The Open Society Foundation, with support from International IDEA, was also thanked for their crucial role in making the 3rd African Forum on Mining a reality.
Naab further highlighted the re-establishment of the AMDC in 2022 at the AUC headquarters, now operating with dedicated staff under the leadership of Interim Director Dr. Marit Kitaw. He noted the successful convening of the 2nd Africa Mining Forum following the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current forum, he stated, will serve as a platform to showcase the achievements and outreach of the AMDC and the strategic partnerships it has cultivated to effectively deliver on its mandate across the African continent.
He emphasized the AMDC's crucial role in advancing key continental initiatives, most notably the recent African Green Minerals Strategy (AGMS), which is vital for ensuring that Africa's mineral resources contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth. Other key achievements include progress in harmonizing geological and mineral information systems across the continent and bolstering the role of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM), empowering particularly women, within gemstone and jewelry value chains. The AMDC has also been a strong advocate for Africa's mineral development and minerals-based industrialization on global platforms.
Despite these advancements, Naab pointed to the persistent challenges confronting the African mining sector, including weak governance structures hindering equitable benefit-sharing, environmental degradation resulting from unsustainable practices, limited capacity for industrialization and value addition, illicit financial flows, and widespread informality within the mining sector.
Looking towards the future, Naab emphasized the significant opportunities presented by the global transition towards green energy and the accelerating digital economy. He affirmed that the African Green Minerals Strategy provides the necessary framework to guide this green growth, recognizing the strategic importance of Africa's minerals for both the continent's development and the global economy. He stressed the imperative to ensure that the growing demand for these minerals translates into tangible benefits for African populations, fostering inclusive and sustainable growth.
Naab concluded by underscoring that the realization of the AMV necessitates collective action and robust partnerships among governments, the private sector, civil society, and regional organizations. He urged all stakeholders to leverage the forum as an opportunity to exchange knowledge, identify innovative solutions, and strengthen partnerships to propel the AMV's implementation forward. He reiterated UNDP's unwavering commitment to supporting the AUC and collaborating closely with partners to further develop the AMDC into a fully-fledged Specialized Agency for minerals development in Africa on a sustainable basis.
Following Naab's address, Gianluca Azzoni, Head of the Policy & Cooperation Section at the EU Delegation to the AU, delivered his opening remarks, emphasizing the critical role of mining in the partnership between Africa and Europe. He highlighted the EU's dedication to a sustainable relationship with the continent, built on mutual respect and a shared vision for the future, which has been cultivated over the past 25 years since the Cairo Summit.
Azzoni drew attention to the EU's Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, a comprehensive initiative launched in 2021 with the goal of mobilizing at least €150 billion in investments by 2027 to support sustainable development across Africa, aligning with the AU's Agenda 2063. He noted the reaffirmed commitment at the 2022 Brussels Summit to bolstering industrialization in Africa and fostering the development of sustainable and resilient value and supply chains.
Azzoni stressed the importance of transitioning the Global Gateway from its initial phase to full-scale implementation, citing examples of the EU's ongoing efforts, including the establishment of four bilateral partnerships with African nations aimed at promoting sustainable raw material value chains. These partnerships are designed to support local value creation while ensuring the EU's secure and sustainable access to critical raw materials, all while adhering to stringent environmental, social, and governance standards.
He highlighted the partnership between Société du Terril de Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Belgian company Umicore as a significant example, focusing on the export of Congolese germanium to Belgium for processing, with future plans for investments in processing capabilities within the DRC.
The EU representative also underscored the commitment to supporting good governance, transparency, and social protection throughout the critical raw materials value chain, emphasizing the EU's position as the largest donor to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). In Africa, the EU actively strengthens governance frameworks and technical capacities through initiatives such as the PanAfGeo+ program, which provides training to African geoscientists in responsible mining and environmental protection.
Azzoni proudly acknowledged the EU's institutional support for the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC), extending congratulations to Dr. Marit Kitaw and her team on receiving the African Union Summit's endorsement for the Green Minerals Strategy.
Looking to the future, Azzoni highlighted the recent announcement of the first clean trade and investment partnership between the EU and South Africa, aimed at securing raw materials, clean energy, and clean technologies for Europe's green transition while offering South Africa a financial package to enhance cooperation in various sectors. He noted that this agreement will serve as a model for future partnerships under the Africa-Europe Investment Package.
Concluding his remarks, Azzoni reiterated the EU's unwavering dedication to continuing its partnership with Africa and working collaboratively to achieve shared goals within the mining sector and beyond. The 3rd African Forum on Mining will continue its deliberations in Addis Ababa until March 21, 2025.