As the world races for critical minerals, AMI 2025 is a reminder that the voices of Congolese mining communities must not be sidelined. True development will only come when global demand translates into local benefits.”

The 9th Edition of the Alternative Mining Indaba of the DRC (AMI 2025) will take place in Lubumbashi from 29–31 October 2025 under the theme: “Strategic Minerals of the DRC: Between Global Geopolitical Issues and Local Socio-Economic Impacts – Making the Voice of Congolese Mining Communities Heard.” The event comes at a time when the global energy transition has sharply increased demand for critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, copper, graphite and rare earths. With the DRC holding over 60% of global cobalt reserves and attracting significant foreign direct investment, international competition over supply chains is intensifying, placing the country at the centre of global geopolitical and economic debates.

AMI 2025 will provide a platform for civil society to engage on the opportunities and risks presented by this growing demand and to defend the interests of mining communities. Discussions will explore the DRC’s policy and industrialisation strategies, the role of international agreements, the distribution of subnational revenues, and the broader socio-economic and environmental impacts of mining. Parallel sessions will include a Junior AMI on mining taxation and a Kivu Interprovincial AMI focusing on security challenges in conflict-affected provinces.