Driving sustainable investment in African Mining

Susannah McLaren

Head of Responsible Sourcing & Sustainability Cobalt Institute

Susannah leads the Cobalt Institute’s Responsible Sourcing and Sustainability strategy, bringing over 20 years of cross-sector experience, including in the extractives and minerals sectors. She serves as Vice Chair of the Board of the Global Battery Alliance and sits on several key advisory bodies, including the DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum, Drive+ and the OECD Multi-Stakeholder Steering Group. She also represents the Cobalt Institute across a range of influential international platforms, the Voluntary Principles Initiative, ICMM, and Eurometaux.
Previously, Susannah held roles at the LBMA and at Shift, gaining deep expertise in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and OECD due diligence. Her earlier career includes a decade with a global engineering firm as Head of Social Sustainability.


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.

Tuesday 10 February 14:00 - 16:00 Okavango Delta Stage (CTICC2 - Level 1)

Add to calendar 02/10/2026 14:00 02/10/2026 16:00 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. Okavango Delta Stage (CTICC2 - Level 1) Africa/Johannesburg

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.

Wednesday 11 February 10:15 - 11:00 Ngorongoro Crater Stage (CTICC1 - Level 2)

Add to calendar 02/11/2026 10:15 02/11/2026 11:00 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.

Ngorongoro Crater Stage (CTICC1 - Level 2) Africa/Johannesburg