The International Resonance of the FBA EAC Round Table: African Media on the Prospects of Cooperation in the Mining Industry

At the end of October, a roundtable entitled "The Potential of Africa's Mining Industry: New Opportunities for Cooperation with Russia and China" was held as part of the Russia-Africa Expo 2025 Forum. The event was organized by FBA EAC, with the support of various organizations including the Council of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation for Financial, Industrial, and Investment Policy, the Peace Foundation, the State Duma Committee for International Affairs, the Moscow State University's Russian-African Club, Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), and Capital-Info. The event brought together more than 70 business and diplomatic representatives from 15 different countries.

In his welcome speech, Mr. Li Shuobing, President of the FBA EAC, stressed the strategic importance of partnering with African countries. Vitaly Vovk, from the Eurasian Economic Commission, reiterated the EEC's commitment to developing sectoral cooperation, furthering the partnership.

The Chinese delegation was headed by First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy, Sun Yongjun, and Second Secretary, Liu Yan.

The African participants were represented by diplomats and business leaders:

• Jean Rick Biya Kadievwe, Minister Plenipotentiary from the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo

• Sidati Cheikh Ould Ahmed Aisha, Ambassador from Mauritania

• Eric Rubayita, Counselor from the Embassy of Rwanda

• Diarra Hajja Niame Mariam Fofana, President of the Women Leaders Program in Mali

• Business representatives from Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Guinea-Bissau

After the meeting, the participants agreed to establish expert groups and improve coordination between businesses, scientists, and government officials to implement promising projects in the mining industry.

Publications about the event in business and analytical media in African countries show a steady interest in promoting a trilateral dialogue.

Ghanaian publications TheBFT Online and News Ghana, respected business platforms in the region, highlight specific advantages for local businesses in their materials. The focus on the practical aspects of the discussion demonstrates the perception of FBA EAC as an effective platform for business connections.

The business weekly, BusinessPost Nigeria, and the analytical portal, Opinion Nigeria, have prepared detailed analytical reports on the results of the event. These reports confirm the importance of this initiative for the business community in the largest economy on the continent.

The coverage of events in Cameroonian Novosti.cm and Togolese Liberté Togo demonstrates the attention paid to events in different parts of Francophone Africa. The publications in these influential media reflect recognition of the significance of the topics being discussed.

The content on the Agence Centrafricaine de Presse website, the official news agency of CAR, highlights the interests of government agencies. The coverage of the Mali-based organization Program de Conseil et d'Action pour les Femmes Leaders demonstrates the involvement of professional communities.

The HelloAfrica portal, which specializes in Russian-African relations, has presented information to a broad English-speaking audience. This publication in the Guinea Signal confirms the relevance of this topic for key industry markets, where the mining sector plays a central role.

The extensive media coverage of the event by various African media outlets highlights the significance of the dialogue held on the FBA EAC platform between the business community, expert community, and government agencies on the continent.