Entebbe, Uganda – 5th and 6th of June 2023.
The AfricaMaVal consortium partners recently convened in Entebbe, Uganda, alongside advisory board members, the stakeholders network and the African Minerals Development Centre (Dr Marit Kitaw, interim Director) as observer, to discuss the project achievements and way forward to ensure responsible sourcing of critical raw materials.
The opening of the meeting received guests and officials such as Caroline Adriaensen and Jean-Baptiste Fauvel from the Ugandan EU Delegation, Maximilien Chaperon from the Economic Department of the French Embassy in Uganda, and Vincent Kedi, a representative from the Ministry of State for Minerals. The event kick-started with a round table dedicated to critical raw material value chain in Uganda.
Those insightful two days gave us the chance to recognise and appreciate the accomplishments of the project throughout its initial year. Discussions confirmed that all activities have been launched and are on progressing as planned. After settling the methodology of the project during the inception phase, the focus shifted to the 10 country case studies since November 2022. Studies delved into each country’s mineral resources potential, the involvement of downstream and upstream actors, the assessment of fiscal and political risks, as well as the evaluation of mining regimes with respect to EGS objectives and artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) profiles. However, it is important to note that AfricaMaVal’s focus goes beyond those 10 specific case studies countries. It is a PanAfrican project and all African Union countries are being thoroughly considered for the development of responsible value chains.
With the objective in mind to support the responsible sourcing of raw materials while reinforcing Europe’s industrial leadership, significant attention is currently being given to the building of the B2B networking Platform which is due in November 2023. Partners started to build up the CRM business network, engaging either actors across the whole value chain or funding parties through a Liquidity Action Plan.
Also, all partners are currently working on the list of at least 100 investment opportunities in Africa all along the value chain of CRM including also recycling, ASM, infrastructures or green energy projects. This comprehensive list will serve as the main and final deliverable of the project. An assessment committee will be set up in the coming months and the first investment projects should be screened at the end of this year for a first batch of submission early 2024.
The year 2024 will be strategically significant for the AfricaMaVal initiative. It will witness the restitution of Country Case Studies, the release of country profiles outlining ASM and mining regimes, as well as the organisation of road shows across the different Regions of Africa to introduce the project, showcase the B2B networking platform, and explore potential investment projects. To mark the midway point of this pivotal year 2024,assess again the project’s achievements and make any necessary adjustments to the activities moving forward, the consortium will reconvene again in approximately one year’s time.
Our AfricaMaVal initiative is paving the way for sustainable mineral sourcing practices in Africa, fostering collaboration between Europe and Africa, and promoting responsible development that aligns with global ESG standards. With its multi-faceted approach, the initiative is poised to make a positive impact on the economies and communities involved, contributing to a more prosperous and sustainable future for all stakeholders.