DRC Mining Industry Shows Overwhelming Support for DRC Mining Week in Lubumbashi in June

Lubumbashi, Congo (Kinshasa), June 24, 2016 --(PR.com)-- The attendance at the DRC Mining Week in Lubumbashi in June more than doubled this year with a record number of more than 1500 visitors from 35 countries at the conference and exhibition in the country’s mining hub. Some 94 local and international companies showcased their technology and services for the sector in the indoor and outdoor exhibition areas. The exhibition included a large South African pavilion brought to the event by the South African Department of Trade and Industry.

“Creating the DRC Mining Week and combining the longstanding mining events iPAD DRC and Katanga Mining Week have proven hugely successful,” says the event director Elodie Delagneau, adding: “the visitor numbers and the support from the industry show that we have once again provided a forum that is meeting the needs of the mining sector.”

DRC Mining Week provided four days of high-level networking, free training and the latest technologies, including a Power Focus Day, two-day conference, busy technical workshops, indoor and bigger outdoor expo, the Mining Industry Awards, CEO roundtables, B2B speed-networking and site visits.

High-level attendance
The newly-appointed Provincial Minister of Mines from Haut Katanga, H.E. Kitobo Samsoni, made a welcome appearance and attended the closing session of the strategic conference. The current governor of Katanga Province, Jean Claude Kazembe, attended the opening session and handed over the Lifetime Achievement during the DRC Mining Industry Awards to Mr Louis Watum, Managing Director of Ivanhoe Mines.

Ivanhoe also won the Clean Energy Project of the Year while Tenke Fungurume was named Mining Company of the Year for the second year in a row. The Banro Foundation won the Community Development and Local Content category.

It is the third year that mining pioneers and leading companies in the DRC were rewarded at what have become coveted DRC Mining Industry Awards.

DRC Mining Week also hosted a very successful press briefing with more than 20 journalists who were addressed by a high-level industry panel of pioneers including:
- Jean-Félix Mupande, Managing Director, CAMI
- Vika Di Panzu, Managing Director, Kat Energy
- Simon Tuma Waku, Vice President, FEC
- Blaise Mwanda, Attaché Commercial, ENGEN
- Louis Watum, Managing Director, Ivanhoe
- Guy Nzuru, General Manager, Ivanhoe
- Donat Madilo, Senior VP, Commercial and DRC Affairs, Banro

Impressive industry support
As with past iPAD events, the DRC Mining Week secured the impressive support of the industry through the platinum sponsorships of Banro Corporation, Engen, Standard Bank and Tenke Fungurume Mining, while Aggreko, ERG, Ernst&Young, FBNBank, NEC, Tiger Resources Limited, Total and Vodacom were gold sponsors.

DRC Mining Week is organised by Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd, based in the UK.