- The Mining Indaba Professional conference 2022 is set to take place from May 9th to May 12th in Cape Town, South Africa
- The Indaba Conference will take at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, where African countries will lure investment into the mining sector that has remained resilient during the pandemic
- US Department of State will travel to the Indaba Conference 2022 with a delegation to reset and mend relationships between African countries and the United States
The 2022 Mining Indaba Professional Conference
The Mining Indaba Professional conference 2022 is set to take place from May 9th to May 12th in Cape Town, South Africa. The Conference focuses on the mining and energy sectors in Africa, the steps that the countries have taken and the moves they are about to make.
This will be the first meeting in person since 2019 when COVID-19 measures halted cross-border travelling and mass congregation. The 2020 and 2021 meetings have both been held virtually.
The Indaba Conference will take at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, where African countries will lure investment into the mining sector that has remained resilient during the pandemic amid the strong demand for mining commodities.
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The key themes that the Conference will focus on include:
- The transition of African countries from coal to cleaner energy sources as per the conclusion of the last concluded COP26 meeting.
- The pandemic and its effect on mining in the continent.
- The crisis in war-torn Ukraine and its impact on Africa
- Artisanal mining, women in mining, mining codes in different African regions and investing in communities and their mines.
The annual Conference has witnessed a record registration as African heads of state gear up to court investment into the pandemic-hit mining sector.
The 2022 meeting has already attracted four heads of state, over 6500 attendees, over 950 mining executives and 370 executives from junior mining companies, 830+ investors and dealmakers and 39 ministers from all around the continent.
Among the key heads of state in the mining industry that will be speaking at the 2022 Indaba conference include:
- President Hakainde Hichilema, Zambia
- President Mokgweetsi Masisi, Botswana.
- Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa
The heads of states will pitch opportunities in the continent’s rich precious metals and minerals seams.
The mining situation in Zambia
Since assuming office in August 2021, President Hakainde Hichilema has been brutal in fighting corruption and targeting reforms to transform the mining sector in the country. President Hichilema will make a speech titled A New Dawn for Zambia’s Mining Sector on day one, highlighting the country’s massive potential in mining. He is also expected to make a “big announcement” at this year’s 2022 event.
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Ramaphosa to address South Africa’s renewable energy adoption progress
The President of the host country, Cyril Ramaphosa, is expected to address South Africa’s plans to transform the country into Africa’s hydrogen valley as the world moves away from carbon emissions. President Ramaphosa is positioning the country as a hub in the hydrogen market that is expected to be worth US$2.5 trillion by 2050.
Ramaphosa is also likely to offer the country’s journey and challenges of the transition from coal to cleaner energy; coal feeds 80 per cent of South Africa’s national grid.
The Mining sector in the diamond-rich hub
President Mokgweetsi Masisi will showcase Botswana’s rich manganese deposits, demonstrating that the country has more to offer than diamonds alone.
Zimbabwe’s head of state, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, will roll out the potential of mining lithium in the country, attracting investors in the Electric car manufacturing field.
The critical minerals used in electric vehicle batteries have seen burgeoning demand as consumers in the electric vehicle battery supply chain seek longer-term contracts with producers in Africa.
Steven Fox, CEO of political risk consultancy Veracity Worldwide, will also be a key speaker at the Conference. He will give a keynote about the fallout from the Russian invasion and its impact on African mining commodities and metals.
The sanctions on Russian diamonds, coal and lithium could be a huge “plus” for countries in Africa producing these metals, considering that inflation driven by the conflict does not bode well for African debt.
The United States capitalises on the Indaba conference 2022
Jose Fernandez, the US Department of State Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment, will travel to the Indaba Conference 2022 with a delegation to reset and mend relationships between African countries and the United States.
The attempt to re-engage with Africa’s mining sector reflects a growing US demand for critical minerals.
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Mining Indaba conference 2022 date: 9-12 May, 2022
Mining Indaba conference 2022 venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa