Dr. Claude Kabemba

Director Southern Africa Resource Watch

Claude Kabemba is the CEO of the Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW), a leading African think tank on resource governance. With 27 years of experience in research, policy, and advocacy, Dr Kabemba is a recognized expert in the governance of natural resources, particularly the nexus of the geopolitics of green minerals, the global energy transition, ESG and climate change action.

Under his leadership, Dr Kabemba champions responsible natural resource management to ensure Africa’s wealth leads to sustainable prosperity, protects human rights and biodiversity, and supports good environmental stewardship. He is deeply committed to leveraging Africa's resource wealth to promote value addition and industrialization to achieve structural socio-economic transformation. In this regard, he is an advocate for the full implementation of the African Mining Vision (AMV) and its related governance instruments.

Dr Kabemba is passionate about advancing the rights and interests of communities and indigenous people affected by the exploitation of natural resources and climate change. He has championed mining policy and law reforms in several countries and continues to collaborate across society in fostering stakeholder dialogue and cooperation for the promotion of social justice, fairness and inclusion in mining-impacted areas.

He holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand and has an extensive publication record, including books, policy papers, and newspaper articles.