At this year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba, Juan Ignacio Diaz, CEO of the International Copper Association, joined industry leaders for a panel discussion focused on strengthening partnerships across Africa’s copper-producing regions and reinforcing the continent’s essential role in the global copper market.
The discussion highlighted that copper demand is no longer cyclical, but increasingly structural, driven by electrification, digitalisation, urbanisation, artificial intelligence, and the energy transition. Panelists emphasized that Africa is not simply an alternative source of copper, but an indispensable pillar of the global copper system.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia were recognized as home to some of the world’s largest, highest-grade, and fastest-growing copper operations — operations that are foundational to meeting future global demand.
ICA also highlighted continued investments by members including CMOC, Glencore, Gold Mountains Asset Management Ltd., and Ivanhoe Mines in supporting long-term supply and responsible copper production across the region.
The panel reinforced that today’s material decisions are increasingly shaped not only by price, but also by performance, circularity, reliability, carbon footprint, traceability, and responsible production.
ICA thanked fellow panelists Joachim Nzuzi of ERG Africa, Ludovic Monga Banza Kabongo of Gécamines Granulats, Susannah McLaren of the Cobalt Institute, moderator Andrew Britton of Kumi Consulting Ltd, and the Investing in African Mining Indaba team for hosting the important conversation.
As emphasized throughout the discussion, the future runs on copper — and the future of copper runs through Africa.