By Kei Emmanuel Duku
South Sudan’s Minister of Mining, Hon. Eng. Martin Gama Abucha, is currently in Cape Town, South Africa, participating in the prestigious African Mining Week.
The event runs alongside African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025, taking place from October 1-3 at Cape Town International Conference Centre.
According to Energy and Capital Power, the joint conferences operate under the theme ‘From Extraction to Beneficiation: Unlocking Africa’s Mineral Wealth.’
African Mining Week (AMW) 2025 is a pivotal gathering for the continent’s mining sector. It began with a strong emphasis on sustainable development, investment opportunities, and regional collaboration.
During the conference, Minister Abucha is set to participate in the Ministerial Forum where he will share insights into South Sudan’s mineral policy frameworks, investment opportunities, and infrastructure plans, aimed at unlocking the full potential of the country’s mining sector.
Minister Abucha’s presence underscores South Sudan’s commitment to developing its emerging mining industry and attracting crucial foreign investment. While widely known for its oil resources, the country boasts significant untapped potential in various mineral deposits, including gold, copper, and precious stones.
African Mining Week serves as a premier platform for exploring the continent’s full variety of mining opportunities.
Since his appointment as South Sudan’s Minister of Mining, Abucha’s leadership has accelerated geological mapping to identify exploration hotspots and reduce investment risk.
In April 2025, Minister Abucha hosted a delegation of mining investors and government officials from Qatar to discuss opportunities in seismic studies, gold refining, and the extraction of lead and critical minerals. This meeting followed an expression of interest from United Gold Investment Company of Qatar, which aims to establish a gold marketing station. This initiative will help formalize artisanal mining by integrating informal production into the formal economy.
As South Sudan seeks to increase mining investments and drive mineral exploration projects forward, AMW offers Minister Abucha an opportunity to outline the country’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with global public and private stakeholders. The goal is to build a robust and competitive mining value chain.
As the premier gathering for mining stakeholders in Africa, AMW connects global financiers and project developers with African mining opportunities, facilitating collaboration and deal-signing.
While in South Africa, Minister Abucha will seek collaborations with the South African government to leverage South Africa’s mining expertise, investment portfolio, and technology for the development of South Sudan’s mineral industry.
The South Sudanese Minister of Mining is also expected to meet with other partners, including Russia’s ROSGEO, the U.S.-based REE-Magnesium, and Canada’s CVMR companies. These meetings aim to help South Sudan map its mineral resources and gain a better understanding of its geology.
In November 2024, South Sudan’s national oil company, Nilepet, announced the discovery of critical minerals following a geological survey conducted in the first half of 2024. Nilepet also revealed plans to establish a national mining company to support sector growth.
Amid these developments, AMW 2025 offers a timely opportunity for Minister Abucha to engage with global geoscience firms, mining investors, and African stakeholders to forge new partnerships and strengthen existing collaborations. AMW 2025 panel discussions and project showcases will further position South Sudan as an emerging mining destination on the continent.
The Minister’s attendance of the conference is seen as a strategic move to diversify South Sudan’s economy beyond oil, laying the groundwork for a more stable and prosperous future.
As significant strides are being made in establishing peace and stability, South Sudan is eager to unlock its full potential in the mining sector.