DRC Mining Week: Two Decades of Impact at the Heart of Congo’s Mining Industry

In an exclusive interview with Posture d’Afrique Magazine, Samukelo Madlabane, Events Director – Mining Sector at VUKA Group, reflected on the ambitions and evolution of DRC Mining Week, which has grown into one of the leading gatherings for the extractive industry in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 

Twenty years after its launch, the VUKA Group executive believes the forum has become far more than an annual event.

“DRC Mining Week has evolved into much more than an annual gathering. It has established itself as a strategic platform for dialogue, investment, partnership development, and the structuring of the mining sector in the DRC,” he said.

According to him, the forum’s strength lies in its ability to bring together governments, mining operators, investors, suppliers, financial institutions, and international partners around key industry challenges.

 

“Over the years, it has helped position the DRC not only as a major producer of copper and cobalt, but also as a central player in global discussions on critical minerals,” Madlabane noted.

 

The executive also highlighted the forum’s tangible outcomes, particularly in terms of partnerships, investment opportunities, and public-private dialogue.

“The most tangible results are the relationships and partnerships built through this platform,” he explained.

For Madlabane, DRC Mining Week also plays an important role in advancing discussions around governance, transparency, and responsible mining practices.

 

“Governance and transparency improve when stakeholders are able to engage directly, raise sensitive questions, and hear from governments, operators, civil society, investors, and technical experts within the same platform,” he stated.

Against the backdrop of the global energy transition, Madlabane believes the DRC must strengthen its position within the value chain of strategic minerals.

 

“The DRC should not only participate in the energy transition it should help lead it,” he affirmed.

The VUKA Group official also stressed the need to increase the participation of local SMEs and Congolese entrepreneurs, while making future editions of the forum more results-oriented.

“The objective is for DRC Mining Week not only to create discussions, but to accelerate concrete partnerships and measurable progress,” he concluded.

 

Edouard Funda

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