The inaugural edition of the DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum, is scheduled to take place from 20th to 21st September 2023 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to Samukel Madlabane, the Mining events director of VUKA group, the edition of the forum is timely and the conditions are right for the crucial launch.
“The birth of this timeous conference is the perfect storm, the conditions are just right,” Madlabane stated.
Also, the DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forumlaunch event willform part of the already impressive mining portfolio of the VUKA Group (formerly Clarion Events Africa), with long-running flagship events, such as DRC Mining Week, which was held in Lubumbashi, DRC.
The theme of the forum is dubbed Creating wealth for DRC and Africa’s battery metals industry value chain which the country aims to leverage because of the demand in mineral.
The forum is also expected to contribute to the establishment of an inclusive and equitable battery metals industry, support large-scale sustainable growth, local beneficiation and socio-economic development.
According to Madlabane, the world needs to go through a transition that will be driven largely by battery metals which are produced in DRC and Africa.
“In an effort to curb the effects of climate change, the world needs to go through an energy transition that will be driven largely by battery metals. With the DRC endowed with these minerals, the country needs a platform for dialogue on how to leverage the demand,”
Other than for investors, the DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum will prove to be a must- attend forum for the cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, graphite, manganese, rare earths and 3T producers as well as battery makers, traders, investors and NGOs in Africa.
Driving Energy Sustainability and Supporting DRC- Africa Battery Metals
The DRC- Africa Battery metals forum is the prime engagement for battery manufacturers, traders and investors. The forum is also the meeting place for governments, mining companies, key stakeholders, technology providers and end-users to facilitate in defining and building a new industry in DRC.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has lately given the continent renewed hope by unlocking new opportunities, such as local beneficiation.
According to a Bloomberg study, it would be financially more reasonable to produce batteries in the DRC and in other African countries rather than producing them in China.
The two-day conference will centre on the inter-ministerial dialogue of local transformation and building local economy, DRC and Zambia partnering in battery production, mining operators’ opinions and what it means for the continent.
Additionally, the forum is also expected to touch on Energy transition metals, strategic issues, compliance and production standards, socio-economic plan for sustainable growth, Developing incredible investor incentives and transparent value chains and governance
The forum will also engage in the constructive dialogue with DRC Minister of Industry, Julien Kahongya and DRC Minister of Mines, Antoinette Kalambayi confirming their full support.
Other Industry leaders that have pledged their support include AVZ Minerals Limited, Fair Cobalt Alliance, Tantalex Lithium Resources, Tenke Fungurume Mining and CMOC Kisanfu Mining among others.
However, there are still various sponsorship opportunities for sector leaders available to promote their sustainable mining industry practices to government officials, key leaders and decision-makers.