International Seminar in Kinshasa Strengthens Dialogue on Artisanal Mineral Supply Chains in Africa
Kinshasa Hosts International Seminar on Artisanal Mineral Supply Chains in Great Lakes and Sahel Regions
At the conclusion of an international seminar held from January 12 to 13 in Kinshasa, stakeholders involved in artisanal mineral supply chains across the Great Lakes and Sahel regions of Africa shared experiences, challenges, and proposed solutions to improve practices in this critical sector.
“After two days of productive discussions, we are confident that the exchanges will enrich our daily work. Each of us can now incorporate insights gained here into our respective roles,” said Mr. Henry Munzombo, representative of the Minister of Higher Education, University Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation.
Professor Gabriel Kamundala of the University of Zurich, one of the seminar’s organizers, emphasized that the event aimed to create a collaborative platform for dialogue between researchers, policymakers, and the communities directly involved in mining activities.
“Over these two days, we reflected on current practices and identified new research directions. The seminar achieved its goal by fostering ongoing exchanges between stakeholders, enabling us to learn from experiences elsewhere, identify complementarities in research, and explore practical solutions,” Professor Kamundala explained.
Muriel Côte, a lecturer at Lund University in Sweden, highlighted the value of the discussions. “We cleared significant ground and built connections that I hope will endure.
The real strength of this seminar was providing all stakeholders with a broader perspective on artisanal mineral supply chains,” she said.
The seminar, titled “Cross-Perspectives on Work in Artisanal Mineral Supply Chains in the Great Lakes Region of Africa and the Sahel,” sought to foster an inclusive and vertical dialogue between researchers, policymakers, and artisanal miners.
Its objective was to share scientific knowledge, field experiences, and policy insights to improve transparency, sustainability, and collaboration across the sector.
By bringing together diverse actors from academia, government, and mining communities, the Kinshasa seminar reinforced the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in shaping responsible and effective artisanal mineral supply chains across Africa.
