Driving sustainable investment in African Mining

Aboubacar Koulibaly

Head of Country Rio Tinto Guinée

Aboubacar Koulibaly is Head of Country for Rio Tinto Guinée. Before joining Rio Tinto, Mr Koulibaly, a Guinean national, served for more than twenty years in Africa and the United States, working for leading international organisations and in the public sector. His experience includes roles at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for which he served as Country Director in the Central African Republic and in Mali and oversaw UNDP operations in 46 countries. Mr. Koulibaly has also held senior positions within the Guinean public sector, including Minister of economic control and financial oversight. He holds a master's degree in public administration from France's École nationale d'administration (ENA) and has taken part in executive education programmes at Duke, UNC Chapel Hill and Harvard University.


2026 Agenda Sessions

Finance for a diversifying economy: How Ecobank is delivering on Simandou 2040's promise

Guinea is entering a new phase of economic acceleration, driven by large-scale mining developments and the broader national ambitions articulated under the Simandou 2040 framework

In this session, Ecobank Guinea shares a market-driven perspective on how investors, mining developers, mining project sponsors, and strategic partners can access and structure opportunities across Guinea’s mining value chain and adjacent sectors, including infrastructure, logistics, energy, and other supporting industries.

Drawing on its on-the-ground presence and regional platform, Ecobank illustrates how capital can be efficiently connected to credible local and cross-border projects, and what investors should consider when navigating market entry, partnerships, and execution in Guinea.


Rather than focusing on policy or programme governance, the discussion will centre on:
• Where bankable opportunities are emerging in Guinea today
• How mining activity is catalysing broader multi-sector growth
• Practical considerations for deploying capital in a complex but high-potential market
• How financial institutions can act as effective bridges between international capital and local execution

This session is designed for investors, financiers, project sponsors, and strategic partners 
seeking actionable insights into Guinea’s evolving investment landscape, informed by 
the Simandou 2040 context but grounded in market realities 

Monday 09 February 15:30 - 17:00 Serengeti Stage (CTICC2 - Level 3)

Add to calendar 02/09/2026 15:30 02/09/2026 17:00 Finance for a diversifying economy: How Ecobank is delivering on Simandou 2040's promise

Guinea is entering a new phase of economic acceleration, driven by large-scale mining developments and the broader national ambitions articulated under the Simandou 2040 framework

In this session, Ecobank Guinea shares a market-driven perspective on how investors, mining developers, mining project sponsors, and strategic partners can access and structure opportunities across Guinea’s mining value chain and adjacent sectors, including infrastructure, logistics, energy, and other supporting industries.

Drawing on its on-the-ground presence and regional platform, Ecobank illustrates how capital can be efficiently connected to credible local and cross-border projects, and what investors should consider when navigating market entry, partnerships, and execution in Guinea.


Rather than focusing on policy or programme governance, the discussion will centre on:
• Where bankable opportunities are emerging in Guinea today
• How mining activity is catalysing broader multi-sector growth
• Practical considerations for deploying capital in a complex but high-potential market
• How financial institutions can act as effective bridges between international capital and local execution

This session is designed for investors, financiers, project sponsors, and strategic partners 
seeking actionable insights into Guinea’s evolving investment landscape, informed by 
the Simandou 2040 context but grounded in market realities 

Serengeti Stage (CTICC2 - Level 3) Africa/Johannesburg

Can public-private infrastructure models be scaled across Africa?

South Africa’s Olifants Management Model Programme (OMMP) demonstrates how shared responsibility between government, mining and industrial stakeholders can unlock infrastructure delivery by delivering successful water infrastructure across a water-deficient region. Could similar models provide a blueprint for the continent?

Tuesday 10 February 13:45 - 14:30 Sahara Stage (CTICC2 - Level 2)

Add to calendar 02/10/2026 13:45 02/10/2026 14:30 Can public-private infrastructure models be scaled across Africa? South Africa’s Olifants Management Model Programme (OMMP) demonstrates how shared responsibility between government, mining and industrial stakeholders can unlock infrastructure delivery by delivering successful water infrastructure across a water-deficient region. Could similar models provide a blueprint for the continent? Sahara Stage (CTICC2 - Level 2) Africa/Johannesburg