Africa holds roughly 30% of the world's proven critical mineral reserves - cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese, platinum group metals - yet captures only a fraction of the value, with the majority of output still exported unprocessed. As global competition intensifies to diversify critical mineral supply chains, African governments are increasingly demanding local beneficiation, better infrastructure, and more diverse international partners. This session moves past the mining headlines to the parts of the value chain where the Netherlands has genuine, exportable expertise: water management for mining and mineral processing, circular and dry-processing solutions, and the ports-to-hinterland logistics needed to move minerals to market. Drawing on RVO's active work on Dutch-South African critical raw material value chains, the session identifies concrete, near-term opportunities for Dutch companies to become service providers and value-chain partners in Africa's critical minerals economy. Countries of Focus: South Africa, DRC/Zambia, Mozambique/Madagascar, Zimbabwe

Moderator: Auke Boere, Senior Business Developer Africa at Netherlands Enterprise Agency 
Speakers: 

- Bart Hogeweg, Global Lead, Commercial at IHC Mining 
- Jorgina N.P. Akushika, Mining Sensor applications Project Manager at Spectral Industries  
- Bokke Vetlkamp, Int'l Business Development at C. Steinweg Handelsveem B.V.