In February 2023, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) organized a workshop that brought together about 50 participants from industry, government, and civil society, from Africa and Europe.
The roundtable discussions served to obtain feedback on the methods for developing fact sheets on African critical raw material projects. The purpose of these fact sheets is to serve as preliminary “teasers” that encourage more in-depth discussions on partnerships among project developers, investors, financing parties, offtake partners, and policymakers from both Africa and Europe.
The workshop was facilitated by roundtable experts from BGR, AWIMA, HCF International, and DMT/DMT Kai Batla. The General Session was opened by the Director of EU DG Grow, Mr. Joaquim Nunes de Almeida, who highlighted the importance of responsible investment in critical raw materials. The Secretary General of the Mining Industry Association of Southern Africa (MIASA), Mr. Vusi Mabena, closed the workshop with a call for continued collaboration between Africa and Europe in developing sustainable and responsible investments in critical raw materials.
Different AfricaMaVal project partners provided input in the General Session, followed by a Technical Session comprising roundtable discussions on exploration and mining project evaluation. The Technical Session was the core of the workshop, where participants engaged in in-depth discussions on how to evaluate critical raw material projects for responsible investment in Africa.
The focus of the technical discussions was on developing a joint understanding of the criteria for evaluating critical raw material projects for responsible investment. The discussions covered various factors such as project economics, ESG (environment, social and governance) factors, infrastructure, and financial instruments. The participants shared their experiences and best practices, and the roundtable facilitators provided expert guidance to ensure that the discussions were productive.
In conclusion, the workshop was a success, as it brought together stakeholders from Africa and Europe to develop a joint understanding of the criteria for evaluating critical raw material projects for responsible investment. The discussions were fruitful, and the participants left with a renewed commitment to sustainable and responsible investments in critical raw materials. All AfricaMaVal project partners are committed to continuing the dialogue and collaboration to achieve sustainable and responsible investments in critical raw materials in the spirit of Africa-EU partnerships.