By Celestine Okorie, Correspondent South Africa

Africa Oil & Power (AOP)  has announced that it will host its fourth flagship Cape Town event, the Africa Energy & Mining (AEM) 2022 Conference and Exhibition on 29-31 March 2022, under the theme ‘Investing in the World’s Future Energy Value Chain.’ The event represents the only hybrid mining and energy event focused on Africa – with both in-person and online attendance – and will bring together public and private sector executives for three days of networking and deal-making.

Focusing on Africa’s energy transition and prioritizing a post-COVID-19 industry recovery, AEM will create an enabling environment for business by bringing together industry leaders, top government representatives, key international companies and stakeholders, as well as private sector executives from all facets of the continent’s energy and mining sectors. The event continues AOP’s pan-African flagship Cape Town series, but with a more inclusive program welcoming mining, oil and gas, power, renewables, and new industry segments such as energy storage and hydrogen.

“Africa is the final energy frontier and we are seeing a considerable amount of investment being directed towards large-scale resource developments across the continent,” says Chairperson, AOP, Kelly Mealia. “AEM 2022 represents the optimal investment conference for the entire African energy and mining value chains. By integrating multiple sectors into one conference, AEM is focusing on the potential of collaboration and synergies in fast-tracking growth and success for petroleum, mining, power and renewables.”

AEM 2022 is proud to play host to the first-ever Women in Industry Assembly, a forum dedicated to celebrating the role of women in Africa’s advancing energy and mining sectors. “Women have an integral role to play in the expansion and transformation of the African energy and mining sectors,” says Programme Director, AOP, Yolisa Nyoka. “AEM 2022 is the single most important forum for the celebration of and engagement with women industry leaders.” The Women in Industry Assembly will include an invite-only investor breakfast and dedicated conference sessions.

By building on integration opportunities among the renewable energy and mining sectors; and recognizing the role that the mining industry has to play in facilitating a continent-wide energy transition, AEM 2022 will drive investment and deal-making in the energy and mining value chains across Africa.

“Foreign investment will play the most vital role in supporting economic growth and eliminating energy poverty in Africa for years to come,” notes Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk. “AEM 2022 will present foreign investors with the valuable opportunity to identify meaningful investment opportunities that will not only initiate long-term and sustainable project developments, but will generate multiple economic benefits through job creation, local content, and industrialization.”

Key discussion points will include Africa’s energy transition; renewable energy in mining; energy storage, battery metals and the future of African mining; synergies between mining and energy in the post-COVID environment; the role of oil and gas in Africa’s economies; Africa as a global LNG leader; the future of African power grids and utilities; funding for gas-to-power projects; independent power producers, privatized power and Africa-wide electrification; and the hydrogen revolution and electric vehicles.

“AOP recognizes the mutual value creation and synergies of the energy sector and the mining industry and AEM 2022 provides the pan-African networking and deal-making platform for increased integration between these sectors,” said Senior Director at AOP, James Chester.

The conference will be hosted in partnership with South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources & Energy, the African Energy Chamber, the South Africa Oil & Gas Alliance, the South Africa-China Economy and Trade Association and Russia’s AFROCOM and will take place in accordance with all government and COVID-19 protocols.