The Strategic Minerals Forum is the latest addition to the Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2027 programme, scheduled for the final day of the three‑day event in Paris.

Running alongside the Exploration & Discovery, Grid Convergence, Commodities & Capital Allocation forums and a Business‑to‑Government day, the new session places mineral development within the same capital‑allocation discussions that shape Africa’s oil, gas and power projects.

Day three opens with a session on financing the mining‑infrastructure gap, highlighting that many of Africa’s largest deposits are inland, far from ports and reliable grids, and that rail and power links are often cross‑border and long‑dated.

The forum will examine the Lobito Corridor as a model, where development finance has supported both railway construction and power studies for mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia, with a view to replicating the approach in other mineral regions.

A second session will focus on advanced technology, noting that AI‑enabled ore sorting, process control and on‑site solar‑battery systems can improve recovery rates and reduce reliance on diesel, as demonstrated by the baseload power plant serving the Kamoa‑Kakula copper complex in the DRC.

The closing investor roundtable will bring capital providers, producers and policymakers together to accelerate production of Africa’s strategic minerals and to align project pipelines with global supply‑chain demands.

The International Energy Agency projects a global copper shortfall by 2035, with the most promising projects to close the gap located in Africa, especially the DRC and Zambia.

The IAE 2027 conference runs from 11 to 13 May 2027 in Paris; interested parties can register or sponsor by contacting the event’s sales team.