His excellency Hakainde Hichilema, president of the Republic of Zambia, will deliver a keynote address as the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 (MI26) finally gets underway.
President of the Republic of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, to deliver a keynote address at Mining Indaba. Supplied by Investing in African Mining Indaba
Mining in Zambia remains the backbone of the economy, driven mostly by copper production. As global demand for copper and critical minerals accelerates, Hichilema’s address will spotlight Zambia’s reform-driven approach to unlocking sustainable growth, investor confidence and technology-led competitiveness.
His participation underscores Zambia’s intent to position itself as a leading destination for responsible mining investment and as a strategic partner in Africa’s role in the global energy transition, as well as Zambia’s renewed positioning at the centre of Africa’s evolving mining and investment landscape.
Hichilema’s participation comes at a pivotal moment for Zambia’s mining sector, as the country advances a reform agenda focused on building strong foundations through regulatory certainty, transparency, enhanced institutions, and the deployment of game-changing mining technologies to unlock long-term growth. Recent years have seen Zambia prioritise digital licensing systems, improved geological data management, and modernised regulatory frameworks designed to reduce friction for investors while strengthening state oversight.
These reforms are increasingly reflected in global investor sentiment, signalling growing confidence in the country’s policy environment, governance standards, and commitment to predictable, rules-based engagement with industry.
At MI26, president Hichilema is expected to outline Zambia’s vision for scaling copper and critical mineral production through technology-led efficiencies, responsible investment and deeper alignment between government strategy and private capital, placing particular emphasis on how innovation, from data-driven exploration to cleaner processing technologies, is reshaping Zambia’s competitiveness at a time of intensified global demand for energy transition minerals.
Mining Indaba provides a platform for direct dialogue between African governments and the global mining and investment community. Hichilema’s participation reinforces Zambia’s intent to engage openly with investors, partners and multilateral institutions on the practical steps required to deliver sustainable growth, value addition, and long-term resilience in the mining sector.
Source: Supplied by Investing in African Mining Indaba