17-18 March 2026 | Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
The PanAfGeo+ INVEST Kick-off Meeting officially took place on 17-18 March 2026 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, bringing together partners and stakeholders from across Africa and Europe to launch a new phase of collaboration on critical raw materials, geological knowledge, and sustainable investment. The meeting marked the official start of the PanAfGeo+ INVEST component and provided an opportunity to present the programme’s objectives, governance structure, work packages, and Country Window activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, and South Africa.
The opening session highlighted the strong commitment of the European Union Delegation in the DRC, the Ministry of Mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and institutional partners to strengthening Africa–Europe cooperation in geosciences and responsible mineral resource development.
PanAfGeo+ builds on the achievements of previous phases of the programme (2016–2024), which engaged 22 African countries and trained more than 1,700 geoscience professionals across the continent. The initiative also extends the AfricaMaVal programme, which identified around 100 investment opportunities through collaboration between African and European partners.
With a planned budget of approximately €51 million between 2025 and 2029, PanAfGeo+ aims to support sustainable management of geological resources, strengthen geoscientific capacity, and improve the enabling environment for investment linked to critical raw materials.
Throughout the two-day meeting, participants discussed:
- EU mining investment facilitation
- Strategic intelligence and analytical services
- CRM project pipeline development
- Communication and dialogue in geoscience
- Country Window activities in the DRC, Namibia, and South Africa
The discussions highlighted the importance of collaboration between African institutions, European Geological Surveys, development partners, and technical experts in strengthening geological knowledge and supporting sustainable mineral development.
A dedicated session on communication and dialogue in geoscience, coordinated by EuroGeoSurveys (EGS), emphasised the importance of visibility, coordinated communication, and promoting dialogue between African and European partners under a unified PanAfGeo+ identity.
The second day focused on implementation and coordination, including governance structures, financial procedures, stakeholder engagement, and recommendations from the Advisory Board. Participants also explored the future PanAfGeo+ INVEST Forum, designed to support knowledge sharing, matchmaking, dissemination of project results, and investment dialogue across the critical raw materials value chain.
Participants further underlined the importance of improving geological data accessibility, reinforcing African institutional ownership, and strengthening long-term Africa–Europe cooperation in support of sustainable development and responsible resource governance.
The momentum of the initiative continues with the launch of the PanAfGeo+ Country Window DRC activities immediately following the kick-off meeting.
The PanAfGeo+ programme is funded by the European Union under the Global Gateway strategy and implemented through partnerships between African and European geological surveys and institutions.
