Africa Must Turn Minerals into Prosperity, Says Mining Minister Wongo

(ABUJA, NIGERIA) – Africa’s vast mineral wealth must be turned into lasting prosperity, peace and opportunity for present and future generations, South Sudan’s Mining Minister Losuba Wongo told a continental summit in Nigeria.

Losuba was speaking at the opening of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit in Abuja. The summit ran under the theme “One Africa, One Resource Vision” and gathered leaders, investors and policymakers from across the continent to discuss opportunities in the extractive and energy sectors.

The Minister stressed the importance of harnessing Africa’s natural resources to drive economic growth, create jobs and strengthen regional partnerships. He added that the summit provided a platform for countries to showcase investment opportunities in mining, oil, gas and renewable energy.

South Sudan’s high level delegation was led by the Minister and included Undersecretary Deng Makuok Duyak. They had arrived in Abuja on 23 June to attend the Africa Minerals Strategy Group Ministerial Steering Committee Meeting, which brought together ministers and industry leaders to strengthen cooperation and chart a unified path for Africa’s mineral development.

Top of the agenda were sustainable mineral development, regional collaboration and adding value to Africa’s natural resources. The Minister stressed the importance of unity among African nations in using mineral wealth for economic growth and industrialisation.

The Ministerial Steering Committee serves as a platform to align policies, share expertise and promote investment opportunities across the continent’s mining sector. The Africa Minerals Strategy Group continued its sessions with expectations of delivering actionable strategies to drive sustainable growth in mining across Africa.

On 26 June, Minister Wongo witnessed the ratification and swearing in ceremony of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group at the State House in Abuja. The ceremony was held in the presence of Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who signed the Instrument of Ratification of the AMSG Charter and serves as Chairperson of the AMSG Heads of State General Assembly.

On the same occasion, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development Henry Oladele took the post of Chairperson of the AMSG Ministerial Steering Committee, and Moses Michael Engadu became the First Secretary General of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group.

South Sudan’s presence at the formal ratification process shows the country is taking a central role in advancing the African strategic agenda on sustainable mining practices aimed at getting the most value from Africa’s mineral resources to improve the lives of its people.

Following the summit, the Minister, accompanied by the Undersecretary and the delegation, returned to Juba on 27 June. They were received at Juba International Airport by staff from the Ministry of Mining.