Mining Indaba - Demetrios Papathanasiou

Demetrios Papathanasiou

Global Director - Energy and Extractives Global Practice World Bank

Dr. Papathanasiou leads more than 100 professionals at the Global Units of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice of the World Bank. He coordinates the overall strategic direction of the Practice, advances the knowledge and learning agenda for the Bank’s energy and extractives professionals, and oversees corporate reporting, trust funds, and partnerships for the Practice.

Dr. Papathanasiou has worked for more than 20 years with the World Bank Group on Energy and Infrastructure in Africa, Latin America, East Europe and the Balkans, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific Islands. He has contributed to developing energy policies in several countries and worked on power generation projects using many diverse technologies: thermal, hydropower, solar, wind, and geothermal. He has led large teams on complex utility and sector reforms, as well as sizeable public-private partnership transactions. As the Manager for the World Bank’s Energy Practice in South Asia (2016-2020), he was responsible for a portfolio of more than $10 billion and worked to increase renewable energy projects in the region, expand regional interconnections and exchanges, and modernize networks across the region.

A professional Electrical Engineer, Dr. Papathanasiou holds an MSc in Environmental Technology and a PhD in Energy and the Environment from Imperial College in London, UK.

Agenda Sessions

Leveraging High Demand for Minerals to Support Responsible Mining and Scale up Development in Africa

The mineral intensity of the low carbon economy called for by the Paris Agreement on Climate change together with the ongoing multiple countries’ strategies/drives to secure resilient supplies of minerals and metals for their economic and national security needs, represent for Africa an opportunity to unleash its potential in critical minerals and metals value chains including for its economic diversification and to secure its own needs in the future.

Join us for an exchange on the opportunities, enablers, success drivers, and innovative approaches to potentially inform updated stakeholders agendas aimed at supporting Africa to decisively realize its minerals and metal development prospects in the foreseeable period.

Monday 06 February 13:00 - 14:30 Westin Stage 2

Special Content

Add to calendar 02/06/2023 13:00 02/06/2023 14:30 Leveraging High Demand for Minerals to Support Responsible Mining and Scale up Development in Africa The mineral intensity of the low carbon economy called for by the Paris Agreement on Climate change together with the ongoing multiple countries’ strategies/drives to secure resilient supplies of minerals and metals for their economic and national security needs, represent for Africa an opportunity to unleash its potential in critical minerals and metals value chains including for its economic diversification and to secure its own needs in the future.

Join us for an exchange on the opportunities, enablers, success drivers, and innovative approaches to potentially inform updated stakeholders agendas aimed at supporting Africa to decisively realize its minerals and metal development prospects in the foreseeable period. Westin Stage 2 Europe/London

Energy Transition Metals & Minerals – How Can The African Mining Sector Ensure Security of Supply?

The Energy Transition represents a monumental transformation of the global economy and metals and mined commodities are a key enabler of change. Without the extraordinary expansion of new metals supply, the transition will not unfold. But new supply sources will also bring sustainability issues of their own. For suppliers and investors, the pace of change is unknown, but the opportunities are clear – and yet investment in mining is still to respond in earnest. What can be done to ensure sufficient supply while meeting the broader sustainability goals of the Paris Agreement?

Monday 06 February 14:30 - 15:20 Main Stage

Main Stage

Add to calendar 02/06/2023 14:30 02/06/2023 15:20 Energy Transition Metals & Minerals – How Can The African Mining Sector Ensure Security of Supply? The Energy Transition represents a monumental transformation of the global economy and metals and mined commodities are a key enabler of change. Without the extraordinary expansion of new metals supply, the transition will not unfold. But new supply sources will also bring sustainability issues of their own. For suppliers and investors, the pace of change is unknown, but the opportunities are clear – and yet investment in mining is still to respond in earnest. What can be done to ensure sufficient supply while meeting the broader sustainability goals of the Paris Agreement? Main Stage Europe/London

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