2026 Agenda Sessions

Dual-use dilemma: Balancing reliable mineral access and ensuring responsible supply chains for green

Africa stands at the heart of the global race for minerals, essential for the green energy transition, advanced robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and defense technologies. In this context of high market demands, ensuring reliable mineral access is critical. Moreover, with vast (untapped) reserves, Africa has the potential to shape the future of clean energy and technological innovation through supplying the minerals that are in high demand globally, while also stimulating sustainable development for its population through building responsible and reliable mineral supply chains. It will also address the question: is there an opportunity for African markets, including ASM? This session will be run as an interactive workshop. Looking at the full value chain, it explores the competing demands across sectors; scrutinizes the (complementary) roles and responsibilities of different actors, including governing institutions, up-, mid- and downstream companies, as well as artisanal and small-scale mining; and examines the connection between responsible investment and building secure supply chains.

Joined at the Source: Building Copper- Cobalt Partnerships

Copper and cobalt are geological partners, yet above ground they are managed in silos. In Africa’s Copperbelt, where both are co- located, this fragmented approach undermines value capture, sustainability, and resilience. This session explores how partnerships across governments, industry, and civil society can integrate co-located resources for greater efficiency and fairness. Panellists will debate new models for collaboration and share lessons from cross- commodity and cross-jurisdiction experience offering bold ideas to shape Africa’s role in the future of critical minerals future.