DRC Mining Week building on triumphant return last year with an even BIGGER 2023 edition

DRC mining minister an important supporter and patron of long-running event 

Last year’s triumphant, long-awaited homecoming of the DRC Mining Week expo and conference was an overwhelming, record-breaking success, confirming the event’s status as a trusted, indispensable member of the country’s mining community and THE meeting place for mining stakeholders doing business in the DRC and in the Copperbelt. 

In 2023, the sustained global interest in DRC as a mining investment and resource destination will continue with five country pavilions from China, France, Germany, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

“The success of last year’s event is evident from the numbers, with an overall participation of nearly 7000 mining professionals, and the team is working hard on maintaining and surpassing the same quality and experience for the upcoming edition when we return to Lubumbashi from 14–16 June this year,” says Patricia Kazaka, event manager DRC Mining Week at the VUKA Group, the organisers of the event for the past 18 years.  

Particularly the DRC’s mining minister, H.E. Antoinette Nsamba Kalambayi, made a strong impression by her presence and patronage last year, attending every session and various side activities at DRC Mining Week. She said that the “DRC is focussing on developing value chains of its minerals to manufacture electric batteries itself.” 

Some DRC Mining Week highlights from 2022:

•  5900+ attendees over 3 days
  
• 800+ conference delegates
• 200+ sponsors and exhibitors
• 4 international pavilions (France, Germany, South Africa and UK)
• 32 suppliers
• 83 expert speakers in 21 conference and workshop sessions
• 113 mining houses and exploration companies represented
• 634 business meetings over 3 days

“None of this would have been possible without the trust of our key partners and sponsors who have been supporting the event for years,” says Patricia Kazaka, “and we are proud to say that all of our main partners have already confirmed their return to this year’s edition.”

Programme themes and VIPs

The theme of this year’s event is: “Recognising DRC mining’s triumphs and victories” and will include high-level conference sessions to allow delegates to get up to speed on the latest developments in the DRC’s mining sector with expert speakers from the public and private sectors. 

Programme themes will include: trade and investment, environmental and climate change and policies and regulations. Other event highlights will be the Women in Mining session, an empowering network to inspire and support women establishing themselves in the sector, as well as the power and energy-focused sessions, looking into off-grid and sustainable solutions supporting mining activities going forward. 

The following ministers and government representatives have already been confirmed for this year’s programme:

• H.E. Antoinette Nsamba Kalambayi, Minister, Ministry of Mines, DRC
• Excellence, Jacques Kyabula Katwe, Governor of Haut Katanga, DRC
• H.E. José Mpanda Kabangu, Minister, Ministry of Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, DRC
• H.E Benoit-Pierre Laramée, Ambassador of Canada to the DRC
• H.E. Ruffin Benam Beltoungou, Minister, Ministry of Mines and Geology, Central African Republic

Longstanding industry support

The event boasts the longstanding and loyal support of many mining and industrial sector leaders, including Standard Bank, who returns as the lead sponsor, while Ecobank, Glencore and EquityBCDC are diamond plus sponsors and AirTel, FBNBank, MES and ARSP are diamond sponsors. Official industry partners that support the event include the DRC Chamber of Mines, FEC and the DRC’s Ministry of Mines.

• “Standard Bank is convinced that the Congolese economy will show a positive growth rate and the bank is willing to support this growth.” – Marie-Gabrielle Opese, Deputy CEO, Standard Bank, DRC

• “DRC has experienced a ‘real recovery’ in the production of mining resources in the space of a few years, the annual production of the DRC has gone from 10 thousand tons to nearly 1 million.” – DRC Louis Watum, President, Chamber of Mines, DRC 

• “The DRC Mining Week 2022 was really great with an amazing variety of participants. I participated in several editions but this one was really special; we felt the desire of the delegates to get involved differently in the mining sector of the DRC and for Glencore it is a must to take part in this event. As a major copper producer in the DRC and Africa and the world’s leading producer of cobalt, we had to be there.” – Marie-Chantal Kaninda, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Glencore DRC

About DRC Mining Week

DRC Mining Week is organised by The VUKA Group (formerly Clarion Events Africa), a leading Cape Town-based and multi-award-winning organiser of exhibitions, conferences and digital events across the continent in the infrastructure, energy, mining, mobility, ecommerce and CX sectors. Other well-known events by The Vuka Group include DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum, Nigeria Mining Week, Enlit Africa, Africa’s Green Economy Summit, Smarter Mobility Africa, ECOM Africa and CEM Africa.

Mining Review Africa, the leading monthly magazine and digital platform in the African mining industry, is the event’s premium media partner.

DRC Mining Week dates and venue:

– Live event: 14–16 June 2023
– Expo and conference: 14–16 June 2023
– Location: The Pullman Grand Karavia Hotel, Lubumbashi, DRC

Website: http://www.drcminingweek.com    
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/drcminingweek   
Facebook:  DRC-Mining-Week
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4922857