planetGOLD at the Mining in Motion Summit in Accra, Ghana

Held from June 2–4, 2025, at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, the inaugural Mining in Motion Summit brought together over 400 delegates from 20+ countries, under the leadership of His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and H.E. John Dramani Mahama. Designed to reimagine artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASM) across Africa, the summit featured a deep-dive program of panel discussions, backed by voices from governments, the World Bank, LBMA, EITI, and local experts.

The Mining in Motion Summit opened with compelling remarks from the King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the President H.E. John Dramani Mahama, and the Prince Oheneba Nana Kwaku Duah, all calling for a transformation in how Africa approaches artisanal and small-scale mining. 

 

A call to reflect, reset, and reshape
Prince Oheneba Nana Kwaku Duah highlighted the summit as a turning point: “a moment to reflect, reset, and reshape the future of mining in Ghana,” with the entire value chain gathered under one roof.

A few standout sessions tackled critical topics such as integrating ASGM into global supply chains, financing models tailored to small-scale miners, and advancing clean technology to reduce mercury use. One of the key takeaways echoed throughout the summit was the growing support for formalizing the ASGM sector, seen as essential for increasing transparency, enabling access to financing, and improving working conditions. 

Another strong message was the need to center community development and ensure that local populations truly benefit from mining activities. The event was also a space for environmental commitments, including the push for mercury-free processing methods.  Representatives from planetGOLD Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea and the Global Project attended the Mining in Motion Summit.

Panel on "Technology & Innovation: Advancing Efficiency and Removing Mercury” 

Assietou Gaye, Regional Coordinator for the Francophone Africa Region of the planetGOLD Programme, moderated a panel on "Technology & Innovation: Advancing Efficiency and Removing Mercury.” The session focused on mercury-free processing technologies and looking at what it takes to scale these innovations in real-world contexts. The panelists explored how digital and AI tools are being used, or could be used, in the sector, and this discussion also covered the importance of building open data systems to create stronger transparency and accountability across the entire value chain.

The panelists for this session were :   

• Mark Robinson (EITI)  
• Hon. Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed (Ghana),  
• Hon. Abdiwahab Omar (Somalia),  
• Isaac Tandoh (Ghana Minerals Commission) 

The Mining in Motion Summit served not just as a convening platform, but as a catalyst for action. With high-level commitment from royalty to regional ministers, and contributions from major institutions, the Summit marked a turning point, one where artisanal mining transitions to formalized, sustainable engine for growth across Africa. The summit stood out as a moment to reflect, reset, and collectively shape the future of mining across the continent.

🔗Download the Post Event Report: https://hubs.ly/Q03s-NrS0