At the Russia-Africa Expo-2025, a landmark roundtable titled “The Potential of Africa’s Mining Industry: New Opportunities for Cooperation with Russia and China” was held in Moscow under the auspices of the Financial and Business Association of Euro-Asian Cooperation (FBA EAC). The event highlighted Africa’s growing importance in global mining and industrial supply chains and underscored the trilateral cooperation framework emerging between African nations, Russia, and China.
The roundtable was organized by the FBA EAC in partnership with the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, and several leading universities. It brought together more than seventy participants, including diplomats, business leaders, academics, and representatives of international organizations. Delegations from over fifteen African countries joined counterparts from Russia, China, and Iran, reflecting the broad interest in Africa’s mining sector as a driver of industrial and technological development.
China’s delegation, led by Sun Yongjun and Liu Yan of the Chinese Embassy, reinforced Beijing’s readiness to co-invest in African mining ventures. Representatives from Chongqing Pump Plant joined virtually, signaling China’s interest in engineering partnerships and technology deployment across Africa’s mineral-rich regions. Their participation confirmed the practical focus of trilateral cooperation and the willingness to move beyond dialogue into joint project implementation.
African representatives emphasized the continent’s openness to investment and its commitment to sustainable mining practices. Speakers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritania, Rwanda, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cameroon highlighted opportunities to attract capital, adopt new technologies, and build resilient production chains. They also pointed to persistent challenges such as logistics bottlenecks, workforce training, and environmental safeguards, stressing that these must be addressed if Africa is to fully leverage its mineral wealth.
Russia’s contribution centered on showcasing its mining technologies and standards. Roman Isakov presented innovations from Russian mining companies, while Anatoly Tkachuk outlined mechanisms developed by the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs to support joint projects. Other Russian participants, including representatives from PROMTEK LLC, SPARTA LLC, IBEC, RF CCI, and NOBIS Company, reinforced the country’s readiness to invest in African mining infrastructure, energy, and industrial technology.
The roundtable concluded with a strong consensus on the need to establish expert working groups to prepare pilot projects, intensify technology and equipment exchange, develop joint educational programs, strengthen financial support mechanisms, and implement unified environmental standards. These recommendations reflect a shared determination to move from discussion to action and to ensure that cooperation delivers tangible outcomes.
As global economic dynamics shift, Africa is increasingly positioned as a strategic mining hub. Russian and Chinese enterprises are prioritizing investments in energy, industrial technology, and infrastructure, competing with other global players for access to resources and partnerships. The challenge now lies in ensuring that commitments made at the Russia-Africa Expo-2025 translate into concrete mining projects that close historical investment gaps and deliver sustainable growth for African economies.