Proposed DRC-Canada Leadership Visit & Confererence, November 2025

From February 8-10, 2024, The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business was delighted to visit the Lualaba Province, sponsored by Elephant Trade Services-DRC. The success of the visit include work towards a 2nd high-level visit to the DRC and a conference.
Read more below on the first visit, as well as outcomes of a Forum with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, working towards a conference in November 2025 and a 2nd Official Visit to Lualaba immediately thereafter.  

DRC-Canada Leadership Visit to Lualaba: The Catalytic Role of Mining for Trade & Investment - 2024
''The Democratic Republic of Congo is widely considered to be the richest country in the world regarding natural resources; its untapped deposits of raw minerals are estimated to be worth in excess of U.S. $24 trillion.''  
 
Sponsored by Elephant Trade Services, the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business was privileged to welcome leading dignitaries, members and guests to our first-ever program in the Lualaba Province, to which we were warmly received by Governor Fifi Masuka Saini.
Governor Fifi Masuka Saini and Paula Caldwell St-Onge (left) and the Opening Dinner (right)
Chamber members, as world-class service providers and partners, can serve as key to the development of Lualaba and the DRC as a whole. This reality was underscored during the program, which included the Canada-Lualaba Business Forum on Day 2, at the prestigious Katebi Beach Lodge overlooking Lake Nzilo.
The Chamber was honoured to recognize the attendance of Canada's recently-appointed Ambassador to the DRC, H.E. Maryse Guilbeault, during what was Her Excellency's first visit to the Lualaba Province as Ambassador.
         
In addition to program sponsor, Elephant Trade, Chamber members included Lambano Full Services (who hosted a site visit) Toronto’s MineAfrica Inc, Goma-based Bishworld SARL and Collège Boréal, from Canada’s mining capital of Sudbury.

Gabriel Tshitende, CEO of Elephant Trade SARL addresses delegates     
The DRC-Canada Leadership Visit to Lualaba was one of several key outcomes of  the Africa Accelerating conference opened by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in October.

Sponsored by Elephant Trade

 
COVER PHOTO: DRC Deputy Prime Minister Vital Kamerhe Lwa Kanyiginyi Nkingi with Canadian Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, Hon. Mary Ng, at Africa Accelerating in Toronto

Day 1: Thursday 8 February 2024

High-Level Welcome & Meeting with Governor Fifi Masuka Saini
Investor Briefing: Lualaba’s Growth through Investment
Opening VIP Dinner with the Governor & Cabinet of the Lualaba Province

Day 2: Friday 9 February 2024

Canada-Lualaba Business Forum
Site Visits & B2B Engagements
Evening Hospitality

Day 3: Saturday 10 February 2024

Group Breakfast and Departure to Lubumbashi

 ‘’Thank you, Mr. Gabriel Tshitende, for your leadership as CEO of Elephant Trade Services, which has enabled all we see today. We are now positioned to achieve even more growth in Canada-Africa trade and investment, with the dramatically increased profile you have afforded the DRC, through our world-class networking and information-sharing events.”

- Paula Caldwell St-Onge, Chair of the Board of Directors,
The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business

The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business announces Ateau Zola as Vice President and Special Envoy to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Read More

‘’The challenges the Democratic Republic of Congo has faced are not unique to the DRC. With proven reforms we've researched, there is no reason the Democratic Republic of Congo could not become one of the most economically free and prosperous nations on earth.’’ 

- Fred McMahon, the Dr. Michael A. Walker Chair in Economic Freedom at the Fraser Institute, Canada’s top-ranked think tank

Collège Boréal and local companies engage during the Canada-Lualaba Business Forum

We are grateful to all who participated from both sides of the Atlantic, including the Governor, Provincial Ministers, CEOs, the Chamber's leadership, top members and leading DRC companies - all convening in the dynamic city of Kolwezi, to underscore the vital role of Canada's private sector as a partner to the Lualaba Province and wider DRC.        

Members with an interest in the DRC and joining us for future visits may email: drc@canadaafrica.ca. As always, we on standby to assist with any meetings  during or between official visits.  


The Katebi Beach Lodge (above) and the nearby Kamoa-Kakula complex (below)

Visit Lualaba: Les touristes de ROVOS RAIL émus par la vision de Fifi MASUKA pour l'intérêt de ce secteur    

 

Above: Louis Watum (Ivanhoe Mines & President, DRC Chamber of Mines) and Paula Caldwell St-Onge (Chair of the Board, Canada-Africa Chamber) during the DRC Members' Luncheon at the National Club in Toronto on 11 October 2023

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