JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The twenty-sixth Investing in African Mining Indaba – scheduled to take place in Cape Town from February 3 to 6 next year – will offer delegates new insight into issues facing Africa’s resources sector.

“We’re building on the success of the 2019 Mining Indaba in terms of the high level of government participation and the substantial increase in the number of investors attending the event. We believe that mining executives can fit in a month’s worth of meetings in four days,” Mining Indaba head of content Tom Quinn stated in a media release to Mining Weekly.

“Overall, the focus of the event will be on investment in the digital economy of mining. Investment in African mining is, after all, the primary purpose of Mining Indaba. We saw more investors attending the event than at any other event – over 600 – in 2019. In addition to the VIP Investor Lounge, the Junior Mining Showcase, and the Investment Battlefield, we’re improving the business matchmaking platform so that it’s faster and easier for investors and mining companies to connect,” said Quinn, who highlighted these new additions to the programme:

• General Counsel Forum: This forum will bring together Africa’s finest legal minds (general counsels, in-house legal teams and established law firms) to debate and share knowledge on Africa’s complex resources sector. It will focus on how companies can navigate the opportunities and challenges in the sector by strengthening portfolio management, examining falling productivity against increasing costs, and mergers and acquisitions market updates. The forum will take place on February 6, in partnership with Africa Legal.
• Extended Mining 2050 programme: The impact of technology on the future of mining operations will now be discussed over two days instead of one, under the theme of optimising growth in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Key topics include green and sustainable technology, waterless mines, artificial intelligence, robotics and job creation, using blockchain technology for sustainability, and mitigating digital risk.
• Resource nationalism and investor risk is a main-stage topic, with sector leaders analysing and assessing exposure in current African markets and possible strategies to mitigate risk.
• Climate change and the industry’s role in decarbonisation is a frontline issue for investors and the topic will be discussed during main-stage sessions and the dedicated sustainable development day.

Attendees will again be provided with unmatched access to the entire mining industry value chain and influential market participants, Quinn assured.