The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business 20th Annual Mining Breakfast and MineAfrica's 17th Annual Investing in African Mining seminar with Premier Sponsor SGS and Herbert Smith Freehills took place bright and early (and cold!) on Tuesday March 5 at The Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.
The sold-out breakfast - the biggest African mining event in North America - featured opening remarks by Russ Calow, Vice President Global Analytical Services, SGS, Paula Caldwell St-Onge, Director General, Pan Africa Bureau, Global Affairs Canada and H.E. Amb. Albert Muchanga, Commissioner, Department of Trade and Industry, African Union Commission.
Click here to go directly to the photo gallery.
New Chamber Chairman Sebastian Spio-Garbrah and new Chamber President Garreth Bloor were introduced and long-time president Bruce Shapiro announced his retirement from the Chamber.
Following breakfast Joe Lombard, Global Managing Director, Metals, Hatch and Peter Leon, Co-Chairman of Africa Group, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP (Johannesburg Office) handled the introductions of the opening and keynote speakers respectively, H.E. Assefa Kumssa, State Minister, Mines and Petroleum, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Harry Anagnostaras-Adams, Managing Director, KEFI Minerals plc.
Mr. Anagnostaras-Adams provided a balanced and inspiring talk on the untackled potential of Africa, its lack of investor appetite, exploration and mine development, and despite this, the wonderful opportunity it presents. Download his presentation.
The networking break between breakfast and the seminars evidenced the hot interest in African mining despite the chilly Toronto temperature.
Seminars featured country overviews by African Mining Ministers, project updates by mining companies, updates on recent trends in African mining by expert advisors and African Union Commission and African Chambers of Mines representatives.
A big thank you to our Premier Sponsor SGS, who, we are delighted to announce, has renewed their sponsorship for 2020 for the eleventh consecutive year (as has Falcon Drilling for the seventh consecutive year). 2019 Corporate Sponsor was Herbert Smith Freehills. Other 2019 sponsors included Lycopodium Minerals Canada Ltd., Osino Resources, Hatch and Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board. Global Affairs Canada and The Mineral Resource Analyst Group were partners.
The Chamber was also a partner (along with Global Affairs Canada) in MineAfrica’s 9th Annual Panel Discussion with sponsor Herbert Smith Freehills on "Resource Nationalism in Africa" on Sunday March 3, 2019 at the Radisson Admiral Harbourfront Hotel.
We were also pleased to be part of the African Market Close at the Toronto Stock Exchange on March 5 and part of the MineAfrica pavilion at the PDAC Trade Show from March 3-6.
Click here to read the full PDAC report (on MineAfrica's website) with links to the photo gallery, presentations and programs.