Groundbreaking global mining convention kicks off in Yaounde.

Organised by the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, MINMIDT, CIMEC has been placed under the patronage of the President of the Republic, Paul Biya. 

CIMEC, which is in its 4th edition, will run till Friday May 24. It has been placed under the theme: “The transition from geological potential to mining and production as a means to enhance economic growth in the Subregion”. 

The Yaounde convention will hold simultaneously with the Council of Mines Ministers of the Organisation of African, the Caribbean and the Pacific States, OACPS.

With at least 50 ministers expected to take part in the event, CIMEC presents a unique opportunity to present the new status of Cameroon as a mining producing country, following the commencement of some four mining projects in 2023, notably the Colomine Gold Mining, Mbalam, Kribi-Lobe and Bipindi-Grand Zambi Iron Mining Projects. 

The first commercial production and exportation of iron ore is expected this year.

In addition to the above-mentioned projects, Cameroon boasts of 11 other mining projects, classified under short, medium and long terms, some of which are subject to restructuration, with a view of their effective take off in the near future. 

The Yaounde mining convention is set to witness the participation of investors, lawyers, bankers, engineers, civil society actors and mining professionals. Delegations are expected to come in from China, Ghana, Brazil, Canada, Congo and South Africa, among others. 

CIMEC has been likened to other renowned international mining fairs like the Indaba Fair in South Africa, and the PDAC in Toronto-Canada, which pull thousands of participants around the world. 

During a presser last February 15, to announce the dual event, the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry, had emphasised that CIMEC will make Cameroon a “welcoming and an international benchmark exchange and negotiation platform in the mining sector”. 

Cameroon’s strong mining potential, the bilingual nature of its population and its unique and privileged geographical position also position Yaounde as an advantaged hub for negotiations and financing within the mining sector. 

The Yaounde convention will be marked by exhibitions, conferences, sealing of mining deals, roundtable discussions on different financing mechanisms and highlighting the opportunities available in the Cameroonian mining sector, especially with over 150 research permits having been granted by government for investigative work on the country’s subsoil. 

In this light, the North West, South West and Far North Regions have been projected as fertile areas for geological studies. 

On the other hand, OACPS Council of Ministers is geared towards studying the report and recommendations made during the OACPS meeting of experts on vital minerals necessary for energy transition. 

The meeting of experts was organised in Lusaka-Zambia, with a view of producing a document outlining the position and options of the OACPS regarding the proposed European Union, EU, regulation on guaranteeing a secure and sustainable supply of vital raw materials.