Source: APO – Report:

The organisers of the DRC Critical Minerals & Industrialisation Forum (DCMI), co‑located with the DRC‑Africa Battery Metals Forum, have announced the first dates of its exclusive, upcoming, high-impact digital webinar series.

While the event was meant to take place in Kinshasa from 7 to 8 October, the event organisers, VUKA Group, postponed the in-person Forum to 2027 to align directly with the DRC Government’s updated national policy frameworks and to allow the revised roadmaps for the $58 billion Master Plan for Industrialisation (Plan Directeur d’Industrialisation, PDI) to mature.

The digital webinar series will kick off on 23 September and run until 2027, providing convenient access to the insights, market intelligence and strategic discussions planned for the live event.

Expert speakers and moderators confirmed to participate in these webinars include:
– Edmond Cibamba Diata, Lawyer, Elite Law Firm, DRC 
– Shantha Bloemen, CEO, Mobility for Africa, Zimbabwe 
– Bryan Mav, Sales Team Manager & Brand Manager, Moderne Construction, DRC 
– Ghislain Kabumba Baderha, Doctoral Researcher, UOB, DRC  
– Jem Kishabaga, Managing Director, Renewable Energy, DRC  
– Prof. Hercule Kalele Mulonda, Technical Director, CCB and Representative of CAEB, DRC 
– Marc Nyunzi Mutambala, Capital Markets Manager, FSD Africa, Kenya  

The first four editions of the digital webinar series will focus on the following:

Webinar 1: 23 September 2026, 10h30–12h00

UNLOCKING THE DRC’S INDUSTRIAL POTENTIAL:  The A-to-Z masterclass strategy  

The DRC masterclass examines how the nation can harness its mineral wealth for sustainable growth and industrialization. Experts will discuss policies to move beyond raw exports, enforce security and strengthen ESG standards. Priorities include local beneficiation, human capital development and tailored financing to balance global markets. By defining collaborative actions and investment pathways, the session seeks to accelerate value addition, enhance competitiveness and position the DRC as a responsible global leader in the minerals value chain.

Webinar 2: 21 October 2026, 10h30–12h00  

FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE & INDUSTRIALISATION DEVELOPMENT

The panel on infrastructure and industrialisation highlights the DRC’s need to move beyond raw material extraction by focusing on local transformation. Building resilient industries will drive job creation and strengthen the economy. Experts will examine how transport, energy and logistics projects accelerate industrialisation, with case studies such as ports, railways and cross‑border initiatives. By prioritising strategic development and leveraging mineral revenues, the DRC can unlock sustainable growth and position itself as a competitive hub within the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Webinar 3: 11 November 2026, 10h30–12h00  

NEW TECHNOLOGIES DRIVING THE GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION

This session explores how technology and ESG‑aligned investment can transform the DRC’s critical minerals sector. With global demand for lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper rising, responsible sourcing and compliance are essential to build investor confidence. Discussions will focus on local processing, advanced metallurgical methods, renewable energy and automation to accelerate industrialisation. By shifting from raw exports to in‑country beneficiation, the DRC can strengthen sustainability, unlock long‑term value and position itself as a competitive player in the global energy transition.

Webinar 4: 25 November 2026, 10h30–12h00  

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: BUILDING A STRONGER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE CRITICAL MINERALS VALUE CHAIN

This discussion explores how strategic partnerships can strengthen the DRC’s critical minerals value chain. By fostering collaboration between governments, regional integration systems and investors, the focus is on building resilience and supporting sustainable growth. Key themes include industrialisation through global partnerships, prioritising sectors for development and aligning with international partners. With effective models of cooperation, the DRC can unlock socio‑economic benefits, enhance competitiveness and establish a stronger foundation for a sustainable and inclusive minerals sector.

DRC’s transition
DCMI unites government, industry and investors to accelerate the country’s transition from raw‑material extraction to high‑value manufacturing, underscoring the nation’s opportunity to convert mineral wealth into infrastructure, jobs and sustainable economic growth.

The DRC’s Ministries of Mines and of Industry and Federation of Enterprises of Congo (FEC) are official partners of the event.

– on behalf of VUKA Group.

Media enquiries:
Gloria Mariane
Email: gloria.mariane@wearevuka.com  

Social Media: 
Website: https://apo-opa.co/3U69IWs
Twitter: https://apo-opa.co/4zwNgWq
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/3ULybjT
Linkedin: DRC Critical Minerals & Industrialisation Forum (https://apo-opa.co/4c60Cz8)

About VUKA Group:
The DRC Critical Minerals & Industrialisation Forum and DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum are organised by VUKA Group (https://WeAreVuka.com) (formerly Clarion Events Africa), a leading Cape Town-based and multi-award-winning organiser of exhibitions, conferences and digital events across the continent in the infrastructure, energy, mining, mobility, green economy and retail sectors. Other well-known events by VUKA Group include DRC Mining Week (https://apo-opa.co/4qv6QhJ), Nigeria Mining Week (https://apo-opa.co/4g9WxMJ), Enlit Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4wHWUmD), Africa’s Green Economy Forum (https://apo-opa.co/4c5ceCl), Carbon Markets Africa Forum (https://apo-opa.co/4qqSAGN), Smarter Mobility Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4hMUUWy), ECOM (https://apo-opa.co/4hHKLdC)Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4hHKLdC) and CEM Africa (https://apo-opa.co/3U9Lk6g).

Mining Review Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4gbCaPb), the leading monthly magazine and digital platform in the African mining industry, is the event’s premium media partner.
 

Source: APO – Report:

More than half of young Africans say they have considered emigrating, most to find better work and economic opportunities, according to the latest Afrobarometer (www.Afrobarometer.org) survey findings.

This reality was the focus of a #VoicesAfrica youth webinar (https://apo-opa.co/4g6Hqne) co-hosted Tuesday by Afrobarometer and the Nuru Trust Network to commemorate International Youth Day under the theme “Youth on the move: Rethinking migration and opportunity in Africa.” The discussion brought together youth advocates, researchers, gender experts, and practitioners to examine what young Africans’ migration aspirations reveal about employment, opportunity, governance, and the future they want to build.

Opening the discussion, Mary Yvonne Ododah, executive director of the Nuru Trust Network, urged stakeholders to look beyond the question of whether young Africans are leaving and focus instead on what would make staying, moving, or returning a real option.

“The bigger question is what would make staying a genuine choice?” Ododah said. “What would make moving a safe choice? And perhaps most importantly, what would make returning and contributing at home a very attractive choice?”

She noted that young people’s desire to emigrate is not a rejection of Africa but an affirmation of hope as they seek jobs, education, business opportunities, and the chance to build a better future.

Afrobarometer findings presented by monitoring, evaluation, and learning officer Kofi Otu Beecham show that 55% of 18- to 35-year-olds across 38 African countries have thought “a little bit,” “somewhat,” or “a lot” about emigrating. Among young potential emigrants, 52% cite better work opportunities as their main reason, while 18% wish to escape economic hardship.

The findings also show that young people are not only looking outward: Job creation is their top priority for investment in youth by their own government, followed by education, job training, and access to business loans.

A panel discussion explored factors behind these aspirations and what governments, civil society, development partners, and regional institutions can do to expand opportunities for young Africans.

Participants highlighted weak employment opportunities, skills gaps, limited access to finance, gender inequalities, weak trust in institutions, and gaps in regional economic integration as some of the factors shaping young people’s choices. They also cautioned against treating migration solely as a security concern for receiving countries, noting that unsafe migration routes can expose young people to exploitation, trafficking, and recruitment by criminal and armed groups.

The speakers further called for greater investment in Africa’s young population and more meaningful partnerships that respond to local priorities. They stressed that regional and continental frameworks must translate into tangible opportunities for the young people they are intended to serve.

The message emerging from the discussion was clear: Migration should be a choice, not an escape route. Creating the conditions for young Africans to thrive at home will require turning their aspirations into concrete opportunities.

– on behalf of Afrobarometer.

For more information, please contact:
Maame Akua Amoah Twum
Afrobarometer communications manager
Telephone: +233208326343
Email: maameakua@afrobarometer.org
Visit us online at www.Afrobarometer.org

Social Media:
Follow our releases on #VoicesAfrica

About Afrobarometer: 
Afrobarometer (AB) is a trusted source of high-quality data and analysis on what Africans are thinking. With an unmatched track record of 440,000+ interviews in 45 countries,

representing the views of more than 75% of the African population, AB is leading the charge to bridge the continent’s data gap. AB data inform many global indices, such as the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer, and the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators. The data are also used for country risk analyses and by credit rating and forecasting agencies such as the Economist Intelligence Unit. All AB data sets are publicly available on the website (www.Afrobarometer.org) and may be analysed free of charge using AB’s online data analysis tool. (https://apo-opa.co/4hGZlSF)

Source: APO – Report:

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The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) delegation leader to the Eastern Cape, Hon Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana, has called on government officials in the Eastern Cape to be vigilant in scrutinising bid processes and avoid institutionalizing poor performance. The delegation was visiting the Eastern Cape as part of Provincial Week to follow up on recommendations made during previous Provincial Week visits to the province.

“Poor performance of contractors who provide sub-standard infrastructure should never be associated with the Eastern Cape and that they should never be used as an excuse for non-performance,” Hon Nkosi Nonkonyana said.

Hon Nkosi Nonkonyana said the practice of hijacking government funding for projects at bid adjudication is pervasive and derails service delivery. “The Provincial Week is an eye-opener and necessitates that parliamentary oversight is enhanced and frequent to municipalities. Parliamentarians are being judged for coming to communities for electioneering when the reality is that projects get funded but are held up in plans and poor performance on the part of contractors who fail to deliver the necessary infrastructure,” he said.

The Eastern Cape delegation visited multimillion rand infrastructure projects in the Chris Hani District, none of which was found to be completed, nor where any to the satisfaction of surrounding communities. The projects visited on Thursday included the Eco-Industrial Park in Komani, a waste water sewer plant and Louis Rex Primary School.

Hon Nkosi Nonkonyana it is concerning to note how many government officials blamed poor performance on contractors, even though they had been appointed on their recommendation, and yet the officials had not monitored the contractors’ performance nor supported small, medium and micro enterprises that were harmed when projects were abandoned.

“It is not enough to just fire contractors for non-performance when they had been paid. There must be a way to recover the funds if projects are not visible … We are not happy with what we found,” the delegation leader said.

“Infrastructure cannot be in planning forever. Without mitigation plans, it is not enough to blame disasters forever when in fact failure had been at conducting due diligence. That is unacceptable. Infrastructure backlog must not happen at the expense of people’s suffering,” Hon Nkosi Nonkonyana concluded.

The delegation was however satisfied with its programme and hoped this visit will enhance service delivery to poor communities. Hon Nkosi Nonkonyana noted there would be a follow-up engagement on issues that had been reported to the Provincial Legislature and the Premier’s office. Both institutions attended the report back session.

– on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Source: APO

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The US-Africa Energy & Investment Forum at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, taking place from October 12–16 in Cape Town, will convene senior government and industry leaders to examine how the United States and African energy producers can deepen commercial partnerships, unlock new capital flows and create a more competitive investment environment. The high-level discussion will focus on technology transfer, project financing and strategies for powering Africa’s next phase of growth while advancing global energy security.

The forum comes at a time of significant expansion in American development finance capacity on the continent. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the government’s primary tool for catalyzing private investment in emerging markets, saw its investment cap raised from $60 billion to $205 billion following Congressional reauthorization in late 2025. Congress also created a $5 billion equity revolving fund to support higher-risk investments in markets with limited access to debt financing. Sub-Saharan Africa is the second-largest region in DFC’s global portfolio, with more than $10 billion in exposure, and the agency expanded its strategic scope in 2025 to include oil and gas infrastructure alongside critical minerals and clean energy.

DFC CEO Ben Black has framed the continent as central to American economic strategy. Speaking at the Atlantic Council in April 2026, Black said the future of global growth and supply chains will run through Africa, citing the continent’s expanding workforce, consumer markets and reserves of critical minerals as drivers of long-term commercial opportunity. In February, the DFC board approved a new slate of strategic energy and mineral investments across Africa, and the agency partnered with U.S. investment firm Orion and Abu Dhabi-based ADQ to launch the $1.8 billion Orion Critical Mineral Consortium, with plans to scale the vehicle to $5 billion.

U.S. government-backed capital will find in Africa an energy economy with immense but lucrative investment gaps. Africa accounts for nearly a fifth of the world’s population yet generates just 4% of global electricity, and the IEA estimates that annual investment in electricity grids alone needs to triple to $40 billion per year by 2030.

Capital is also flowing into upstream oil and gas, LNG infrastructure, critical mineral extraction and refining capacity across the continent. The forum will examine how US commercial partnerships, development finance tools and technology transfer can help close these gaps and convert Africa’s resource base into bankable projects that serve both continental and global energy security.

“The DFC is better resourced than it has ever been, making this an opportune moment for African operators to make their case. This forum is about making sure the capital and the projects actually find each other,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

The US-Africa Energy & Investment Forum takes place as part of African Energy Week 2026, October 12–16 at the Cape Town International Convention Center

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO

Venezuela is opening its hydrocarbon value chain to greater private investment as new regulations create opportunities spanning upstream development, field commercialization and petrochemicals, with the government seeking to attract capital across the sector and establish a more efficient, sustainable investment environment.

Speaking at the Venezuela Energy Week Industry Showcase in Houston on August 19, Minister of Hydrocarbons Paula Henao said the regulatory reforms have expanded opportunities for investors from upstream production through commercialization, while petrochemicals represent another significant area for development and production.

“We have just passed a new regulations reform that has given Venezuela opportunities for investment across the entire value chain from upstream to commercialization,” Minister Henao said, adding, “In the petrochemical sector, we have opportunities for development and production.”

The January reform and July implementing regulations have materially expanded private participation, allowing private companies to undertake primary activities through new contractual structures while giving minority partners in mixed enterprises greater operational responsibilities. The framework also introduces international arbitration and stronger economic-equilibrium protections.

Minister Henao said greater privatization would allow Venezuela to promote its fields to more prospective investors and improve commercialization, creating opportunities for companies seeking exposure to the country’s substantial underdeveloped resource base and its broader energy infrastructure requirements.

“With a stronger privatization of the sector, we have the opportunity to commercialize and promote our fields to more interested parties. This gives us a lot of advantages and maximizes our efficiency,” she said.

 Venezuela is targeting a major production recovery from approximately 1.25 million barrels per day (bpd) toward a longer-term 3-million-bpd objective, requiring investment in mature-field rehabilitation, technology, oilfield services and production infrastructure.

Minister Henao stressed that this investment must extend beyond individual fields, with stronger supply chains needed to sustain production and improve project profitability. The government is therefore seeking capital across the broader ecosystem supporting upstream and downstream operations.

The Houston Showcase forms part of Venezuela’s international investment drive ahead of Venezuela Energy Week, organized by Energy Capital & Power, taking place in Caracas from February 22–25, 2027. The event will bring together government leaders, investors and industry stakeholders from across the global energy value chain.

To sponsor and exhibit visit, https://apo-opa.co/4zwv1As

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Source: APO

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The Chadian authorities should vacate or set aside the conviction of Succès Masra, the former Chadian prime minister and main opposition leader, Human Rights Watch said today. Masra was released from prison on August 15, 2026, after receiving a presidential pardon.

His pardon and those of eight other political opponents led to their release from prison. However, their convictions for conduct that was legitimate political expression still stand and need to be set aside so they can continue to participate in politics. 

“The release of Masra and other political opponents is good news,” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “But to be clear, Masra was arrested on trumped-up charges in an attempt to silence him. The Chadian authorities should go beyond the presidential pardon and ensure that his conviction is set aside.”  

Masra, who served as Chad’s prime minister from January to May 2024, was arrested on May 16, 2025, after running against then-transitional President Mahamat Idriss Déby in the 2024 presidential election. Prosecutors accused him of inciting hatred and violence following the deaths of 42 people in intercommunal clashes on May 14 in Mandakao, Logone Occidental province, in the country’s southwest.

While clashes between herders and farmers are common in southern Chad, intercommunal violence has become more acute over the past several years, resulting in scores of deaths. Masra was charged with inciting hatred and violence through social media posts. Following the Logone Occidental violence, Masra had expressed condolences to the victims, stating that “no Chadian’s life should be taken for granted.”

Masra, who pleaded not guilty, was tried alongside 74 co-defendants, all accused of collaboration in the deaths at Mandakao. While at least 9 of the defendants were released at trial, the remainder received 20-year prison sentences. The 65 co-defendants convicted alongside Masra are still in prison and should also be released, and their convictions should be set aside, Human Rights Watch said. Human Rights Watch was told that some of the co-defendants may have died in detention but was unable to confirm this information. 

Eight leaders from Chad’s main opposition coalition, the Political Actors’ Consultation Group, known by its French acronym GCAP, were pardoned at the same time as Masra. The GCAP leaders were serving eight-year prison sentences following their convictions on charges of rebellion for planning a protest march. Two of the eight GCAP leaders had earlier been released on health grounds. The Supreme Court dissolved the GCAP in April 2026, alleging that it was involved in illegal activity.  

Masra had appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court, but the court upheld his conviction and 20-year sentence in May. While the presidential pardons granted to Masra and the GCAP leaders led to their release, their convictions and financial penalties remain intact. 

Masra and his co-defendants still have an outstanding fine to the total of 1 billion Central African francs (approximately US$1.8 million), imposed at the same time as their prison sentences. The standing conviction also means he retains his criminal record and leaves him ineligible to run for office. The convictions should therefore be set aside or revised in accordance with Chadian law, Human Rights Watch said. 

Masra’s case was significant. He and his supporters from the opposition party Les Transformateurs (The Transformers) faced threats prior to the May 2024 elections, in which Masra ran against then-transitional President Gen. Mahamat Idriss Déby. After Déby was declared the winner, his presidency ended a transitional period that started in 2021, following the death of his father, then-President Idriss Déby Itno, who was killed while fighting an armed group a day after being re-elected to his sixth term.

A government crackdown on freedom of expression and association has at times been very violent. After Idriss Déby Itno’s death, security forces used excessive force, including live ammunition fired indiscriminately, to disperse opposition-led demonstrations across the country. Several protesters were killed. Authorities detained activists and opposition party members, and security forces beat journalists covering the protests.

On October 20, 2022, security forces fired live ammunition at protesters—killing and injuring scores of demonstrators—and beat and chased people into their homes. Hundreds of men and boys were arrested, and many were taken to Koro Toro, a high security prison 600 kilometers away from N’Djamena. Several detainees died en route, some due to lack of water. At Koro Toro, protesters suffered further abuse, including severe ill-treatment by other detainees.

In October 2023, dozens of members of Les Transformateurs were arrested in the lead up to a constitutional referendum to allow Mahamat Déby to run as a candidate after the transition. 

While the presidential pardon decree presented the releases of Masra and the eight GCAP leaders as a gesture toward national unity and reconciliation, the authorities have shown intolerance of debate or dissent, including open discussions about Chad’s past. While the leaders have been pardoned, their arrests formed part of a broader government crackdown against perceived critics and opponents, Human Rights Watch said. 

“The charges against Masra lacked credibility and any evidential basis, and he should never have been arrested and detained in the first place,” Mudge said. “The Chadian authorities should bring this matter to a close, vacate his conviction, and let him exercise his rights and re-engage in politics.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Source: APO

As it approaches 100 days since the Ebola disease outbreak was declared in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns that communities are not receiving adequate support to contain the disease. This outbreak has become the largest and deadliest in the country’s history, and it continues to spread at an alarming rate within communities who already contend with conflict, violence, displacement, and hunger, among other health emergencies, in their daily lives.

Training for health workers and community leaders on case detection, referrals, and infection prevention and control measures must be urgently bolstered within communities affected by the outbreak.

Over the past week, deaths due to Ebola disease have been reported at a rate of roughly one every half hour. Since the outbreak began and as of 16 August, national authorities have reported more than 5,000 confirmed cases and over 2,400 deaths. 

“This epidemic continues to spread, moving faster than the response can keep up,” says Dr Javid Abdelmoneim, International President of MSF. “Treatment centres remain essential for saving lives, but this response needs more than extra beds.”

“It needs better detection, safe isolation for sick people and their contacts, and support to health workers,” says Dr Abdelmoneim. “People seeking care in existing health facilities also need to be protected from infection. Crucially, the response must be built with communities, not around them.”

In Rho displacement camp, near Drodro, Ituri province, community leaders have worked with MSF to encourage people with symptoms to seek testing, isolation and treatment early. They also promote infection prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of community transmission. In the overcrowded camp, which is home to nearly 50,000 people, this collaboration has helped limit the spread of Ebola and reduce mortality.

“We know our communities and how to reach our people,” says Ezrome Kiza Lumani, a community leader living in the camp. “When Ebola arrived, we did not wait. We spoke with families, listened to their fears, and encouraged people with symptoms to seek care. We have a crucial role to play in stopping this outbreak.”

Since the outbreak was officially declared, more than 60 per cent of Ebola disease deaths in DRC have occurred outside – and often far away from – Ebola treatment centres. This means many people are dying at home or in their communities without receiving care, and the virus continues to spread before cases are detected.

Worryingly, case numbers are rising rapidly beyond the epicentre of Ituri, with North Kivu province experiencing particularly high levels of mortality and mistrust in the response.

“With cases emerging in new areas with little or no previous experience managing Ebola disease, Ebola-trained healthcare workers are urgently needed not only inside treatment centres, but also directly in affected communities,” says Trish Newport, MSF’s emergency programme manager in Ituri.

MSF is currently responding across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, and Haut-Uélé provinces. Teams are operating six Ebola treatment centres, as well as isolation units, in affected areas, with more than 400 beds available — representing one third of all beds in the overall response. More than 1,400 MSF staff are supporting the response. Since the start of the outbreak, our teams have admitted more than 2,000 patients, of which more than 800 patients were confirmed to have Ebola disease.

In Beni, North Kivu province, we have worked to move our response within communities. Through supporting existing health facilities that also offer general healthcare services, which are also crucial to saving lives, systematic and symptomatic treatment can start quickly. Across the response to the outbreak in DRC, more must be done to ensure people can receive the care they need closer to home.

“Health workers and community leaders need training to help detect cases early, refer people safely, reinforce infection prevention and control, and protect themselves and others from infection,” says Newport. “The World Health Organization (WHO), other UN agencies, humanitarian organisations, including MSF, and the Congolese Ministry of Health must urgently expand this training and support.”​​​

Community leaders like Emery Guba Mateso, also from Rho displacement camp, are sharing their experiences to encourage people to seek care. He lost his son to the disease and later survived an infection himself.

“As a person who has recovered from Ebola disease, the message I would like to share with the community is: as soon as the first symptoms appear, it is important to seek medical care promptly, because early access to appropriate treatment increases the chances of recovery,” says Guba Mateso.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).