Context and Strategic Role
Now in its third year, the DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum (DBM) has emerged as a leading platform for shaping Africa’s role in the global energy transition. Relocated from Kinshasa to Kolwezi—the heart of the DRC’s mining belt—the forum brings together government officials, mining companies, investors, researchers, and civil society actors to debate the
continent’s critical minerals strategy. According to Audrey Bading Mve of VUKA Group, the forum’s mission is to transform natural resource wealth into “industries of the future,” making it a unique venue for aligning public and private agendas in the battery metals sector.
Core Themes and Evolving Agenda
Unlike broader mining conferences, DBM focuses narrowly on battery metals and associated value chains, with an emphasis on sustainability and local value addition. Discussions in 2025 highlighted cobalt’s global dominance, copper’s essential role, and emerging opportunities in lithium and nickel. The agenda also covered regulatory frameworks, environmental standards, and technical innovations such as new leaching methods for cobalt and efficiency improvements in processing. The evolution of the forum—from awareness-raising in Kinshasa to hands-on engagement in Kolwezi—reflects growing recognition of the DRC’s strategic importance and the need for actionable, locally grounded solutions.
Implications for Africa’s Critical Minerals Strategy
The DBM Forum illustrates how Africa, and particularly the DRC, is repositioning itself not just as a source of raw materials but as a potential hub for refining, manufacturing, and technological development. By engaging a diverse range of stakeholders—from ministries and global investors to universities and local communities, the event has become a laboratory for collaboration across borders. If its vision is realized, Africa could capture more value from its mineral wealth, strengthen its role in global supply chains, and set higher standards for responsible sourcing. The broader implication is clear: the forum is helping define Africa’s pathway from resource extraction to industrial transformation.