On 28 April 2025, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, officially opened the Second Malawi Mining Investment Forum at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe. The forum brought together government leaders, industry captains, investors, and policymakers to chart the next phase of Malawi’s mining transformation.
On Day 2, His Excellency Moses Micheal Engadu, Secretary-General of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), delivered the keynote address titled:
“The Courage to Persist: Advancing Malawi’s and Africa’s Mining Agenda and Future.”
H.E Engadu underscored the urgent need for a Unified African Approach to Critical Minerals, calling for African nations to speak with one voice, negotiate from a position of strength, and ensure that Africa’s critical mineral wealth benefits its people.
In his address, Secretary-General Engadu, highlighted the new geopolitics of critical minerals, reminding the audience: “Those who control critical minerals will shape the industries and economies of tomorrow.”
Africa holds over 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves. “We cannot remain bystanders,” he urged. “We must act now – lead, innovate, and shape the future.”
Through powerful storytelling, including the parables of the turtle and rabbit, and the hummingbird, H.E Engadu called for strategy, persistence, and unity in building Malawi’s and Africa’s mining future.
He celebrated Malawi’s leadership as the Southern Africa Centre of Excellence for Mining, recognizing the country’s bold vision, resilience, and commitment to positioning mining as a catalyst for sustainable development through the ATM Strategy (Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining). “The Centre of Excellence is not simply a building – it is a movement: a bold movement toward an Africa that takes ownership of its mineral future, empowers its youth, and drives industrialization through collaboration and innovation.”
He invited Malawi to play a leading role at the upcoming Africa Minerals Summit in December 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, where African leaders will seek to adopt an Africa Consensus on Critical Minerals Development.
The AMSG Secretary-General also announced the AMSG Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Initiative, aimed at equipping Africa’s youth with the skills needed for mining, energy, green, and digital economy jobs.
Furthermore, H.E Engadu emphasized the critical importance of investment in exploration and geological mapping, urging Malawi to join the newly established AMSG Mineral Exploration Fund:“Exploration is not a cost – it is an investment in the prosperity of Malawi, Africa, and generations to come.”
In his closing remarks, Engadu reaffirmed:
“Like the hummingbird, we must each do the best we can – consistently, tirelessly, courageously. Each drop matters. Each mine, each policy, each trained youth, each act of collaboration – together they build the future.”
“Let us be courageous like the hummingbird. Let us be steadfast like the turtle. Let us build Malawi’s and Africa’s mining future – one drop, one mine, one skilled youth, one united voice at a time.”
Together, Africa must embody the spirit of resilience, collaboration, foresight, and determination, rising united to secure its mineral future.
The Secretary-General was accompanied by:
- Her Excellency Madam Agatha Engadu, Spouse to the Secretary-General,
- Mr. Patrick Mulindwa Lubega, AMSG Chief of Staff,
- Mr. Faisal Ahmed, Managing Partner, AKW Consultants and Special Advisor to the AMSG Secretary-General on Compliance and Standards, and
- Ms. Michelle Lampka, CEO, Gamma Metals and AMSG Private Sector Forum Member.
Mr. Faisal Ahmed, Managing Partner, AKW Consultants and Special Advisor to the AMSG Secretary-General on Compliance and Standards represented AMSG on a Panel Session on ASM & Illegal Mining Controls – role of the government and stakeholders in controlling illegal mining.
