CAPE TOWN, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 on Wednesday kicked off in Cape Town, South Africa, with a call to unlock the full value of Africa's mineral resources through greater regional cooperation, investment and industrial development.
The opening ceremony took place at the Cape Town International Convention Center, with the event running from Wednesday to Friday under the theme "Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa's Full Mineral Value."
Uganda's Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Monica Musenero Masanza said Africa needed to rethink its relationship with mineral resources and look beyond extraction to capture more value across the mineral value chain.
She said mining accounted for only a small share of the total value associated with minerals, arguing that Africa needed to better understand and develop the wider value chain.
Egypt's Deputy Minister of Industry Mohamed Zada said Africa possessed substantial mineral resources but needed to turn that endowment into broader industrial development.
He said 30 percent of global mineral reserves were located across Africa, while the continent also had an estimated 8.6 trillion U.S. dollars' worth of underdeveloped mineral resources.
He stressed that African countries needed to cooperate more closely to make better use of their resources and strengthen their collective position in global mineral markets.
Zada added that African countries also needed to address barriers to investment, funding and financing through regional cooperation, while strengthening links between resource development and downstream industrial projects.
AMW 2026 brings together mining industry leaders, government officials, investors and project developers to discuss mineral development, investment and value addition across Africa.
The three-day event features an exhibition, strategic and technical conference sessions, dedicated industry forums, roundtable discussions, country and regional spotlights, and investor-focused project presentations and networking opportunities. ■
