International Forum Russia-Africa Expo 2025: Roundtable "The Potential of Africa's Mining Industry: New Opportunities for Cooperation with Russia and China"

As part of the II International Forum 'Russia-Africa Expo 2025,' a roundtable titled “The Potential of Africa's Mining Industry: New Opportunities for Cooperation with Russia and China” was held on October 17 in the conference hall of the Financial and Business Association of Euro-Asian Cooperation (FBA EAC). It served as an important platform for strengthening the Russia-China-Africa trilateral partnership in industrial and technological development."

The roundtable was organized by the FBA EAC, with co-organizers including the Council for Financial, Industrial, and Investment Policy of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, the Peace Foundation, The Committee on International Affairs of the Russian State Duma, the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University, the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) named after Patrice Lumumba, and Kapital-info LLC.

The event gathered over 70 participants, including diplomats, business representatives, academics, and international organizations. Among them were delegations from more than 15 African countries, as well as from Russia, China, and Iran.

The Chinese delegation played a significant role in the event. Participants included Sun Yongjun, First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy, and Liu Yan, Second Secretary, along with online representatives from Chongqing Pump Industry: Su Ao, Ji Xiaodong, Yang Jiaquan, Yang Yiguang, and Wang Renjie. China's participation underlined the practical nature of the trilateral engagement and its willingness to jointly pursue mining projects.

The African side was represented by a wide range of participants: Jean-Rick Biaya Kadiebwe (Plenipotentiary Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Embassy in Russia), Sidaty Ould Cheikh Ould Ahmed Aicha (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania), Eric Rubayita (Counsellor of the Embassy of Rwanda), Diarra Hadja Niamé Mariam Fofana (President of the Consultation and Action Program for Women Leaders of Mali), Herry Mané (Chairman of the National Regulatory Authority for Communications and IT, Guinea-Bissau), Pierre Bangrou (Africa International Trade Connection, Côte d'Ivoire), Youmssi Tichoue (Général Import Export SARL, Cameroon), Amadou DEMBA SY (Demba Mining & Frères, Cameroon), DOMYOU NOUBI Bruno Alkis (GIES, Cameroon).

Presentations from African speakers highlighted the continent's eagerness to attract investments, adopt new technologies, and establish stable production supply chains. Special focus was placed on logistics, human resources training, and environmental concerns.

The roundtable was also attended by an Iranian representative, Mehdi Rezazadeh, the founder and CEO of ZedPay Financial System & Services P.J.S.C. This participation underscored the interregional character of the discussion and highlighted the interest in broadening financial and technological collaboration within specific industry initiatives.

In his welcoming address to the participants, FBA EAC President Mr. Li Shuobing highlighted that fostering cooperation with Africa in the mining sector presents new opportunities for the entire Eurasian business community.

Ivan Arkhipov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society, also addressed the audience, emphasizing the importance of strengthening humanitarian and economic ties.

Sergey Korotkov, Adviser to the President of the FBA EAC, presented a statement from Vitaly Vovk, Deputy Director of the Industrial Policy Department of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). Mr. Vovk's statement highlighted that the productive dialogue gives new momentum to industry collaboration and reaffirmed the EEC's willingness to help devise concrete mechanisms for cooperation.

Roman Isakov, a renowned mining expert, drew particular attention with his report on "Technologies and Standards of Russian Mining Companies." In addition, Anatoly Tkachuk, Board Member of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and Head of the Center for International Projects and Programs at the International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, discussed how the RSPP and ICIE frameworks support joint mining ventures.

Additionally, the Russian side was also represented at the roundtable by Daria Michurina (Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs), Yuri Malakhov (Kuzbass Association of Machine Builders), Alexander Kotlyarsky (PROMTEX LLC, First Vice-President of the FBA EAC), Anton Vasilyev (SPARTA LLC, Member of FBA EAC), Alexandra Matveeva (International Bank for Economic Co-operation), Viktor Lazutin (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation), Igor Khmelkov (NOBIS company), and others.

The roundtable was moderated by Louis Gouend, Founder and President of the African Business Club, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Russia-Africa Expo 2025, President of the Cameroonian Diaspora in the Russian Federation, as well as Anna Bezdudnaya, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Head of the Department of Management and Innovation at Saint Petersburg State University of Economics, Executive Director of the Research and Educational Center for Ecological and Economic Studies of the Arctic, Editor-in-Chief of FBA EAC Herald.

The discussion covered a wide range of topics, including the establishment of joint working groups and industrial clusters, the creation of joint ventures, specialist training, financial support mechanisms, the implementation of environmental standards, and the expansion of logistics chains.

Following the event, the participants noted the necessity of coordinating efforts among business communities, scientific centers, and government bodies to implement specific investment and educational projects in the mining industry.

Among the key conclusions and recommendations developed during the discussion were:

- The need for the prompt establishment of expert working groups to prepare pilot project initiatives.

- The intensification of technology and equipment exchange with the direct participation of industrial manufacturers and engineering companies.

- The development of joint educational programs and academic exchanges for the training of qualified personnel.

- The strengthening of institutional support for projects through guarantee mechanisms and financial instruments.