Show-time for mining
The 13th Chamber of Mines of Namibia Annual Expo and Conference gets under way at the Windhoek Showgrounds on Tuesday, 4 August, and runs until Thursday, 6 August.
The gates will open at 06:00 to allow exhibitors to put the final touches to their displays, while the public will be admitted free of charge from 08:30.
Speaking at the launch of this year's event, recently appointed Chamber of Mines chief executive Fabian Shaanika said this year's theme is "From Dialogue to Delivery: Assessing Progress in Creating Mining-Led Economic Growth and Employment since NamPPF."
He said the theme is intended to assess the progress made in using mining to drive economic growth and create more jobs. The Namibia Public-Private Forum (NamPPF), launched in October last year, aims to coordinate efforts to accelerate economic growth, he said. The mining industry has been identified as a key driver of Namibia's economic growth, with employment creation remaining a key priority.
The first day of the conference will focus on safety under the theme "Creating a Safety Culture for a Resilient Tomorrow", he said.
The event continues to grow, with the number of exhibitors increasing from almost 200 in 2025 to more than 200 this year. The number of exhibition booths has also increased from more than 300 last year to more than 400 this year.
Shaanika emphasised that entry to the expo remains free.
The conference will begin at 08:00 with welcoming remarks, followed by the Chamber's annual safety performance presentation. Sessions will cover legal compliance in safety, health accountability and leadership. A presentation on the regulator's perspective on legal compliance will follow, before the Institute for Telling Development discusses leadership development in health and safety at 10:45. A panel discussion entitled "Leading Beyond Compliance" will begin at 11:45.
After lunch, a road safety campaign for the C28 road will be launched before Debmarine Namibia shares its journey towards safety maturity. Rössing Uranium will present on "Contract Leadership in the Interface of Change Management", before another panel discusses the role of safety culture maturity and its impact on sustainable safety performance.
Wednesday, 5 August, will begin with the official opening ceremony, scheduled from 08:30 to 12:30. The annual Chamber of Mines Safety Awards will take place during the afternoon.
Other presentations on Wednesday will examine progress made since the launch of NamPPF, including mining sector commitments one year on, developments in Namibia's mining project pipeline, and a presentation by representatives of the Tumas Uranium Project on delivering investment, jobs and regional growth.
At 16:05, Appian will present "Creating Opportunities with Rosh Pinah Zinc, Omico Copper and Beyond." Shaanika will conclude the day's programme with reflections on mining sector commitments and the way forward at 16:45.
Thursday's conference programme includes an infrastructure dialogue entitled "Unlocking Mining Through Integrated National Infrastructure", before the event's main sponsor, RMB, hosts a panel discussion on financing Namibia's mining supply chain to support local growth and industrial development.
Other sessions will examine the European Union-Finland partnership with Namibia, creating lasting value through B2Gold's Otjikoto Mine, a presentation by Namdeb chief executive Riaan Burger on leading through change, marine phosphate mining, and a panel discussion on lessons from the past and building the next 50 years of mining in Namibia.
