Windhoek: The Chamber of Mines opened the 13th edition of the Mining Expo and Conference at the Windhoek Show Grounds on Tuesday with an inaugural safety conference, ahead of Wednesday's official opening by Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy Modestus Amutse.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the three-day event, running until Thursday, began with the first-ever Chamber of Mines Safety Conference, held under the theme 'Safety for a Resilient Tomorrow,' bringing together industry leaders and health and safety professionals from across the mining sector. The conference is intended to bring stakeholders together to share experiences and lift safety standards across the industry.

More than 200 exhibitors are taking part in this year's expo, with the Chamber confirming 204 exhibitors, up from 195 last year, while exhibition space has expanded from 329 allocations to 372. The exhibition brings together local, regional, and international mining companies, equipment manufacturers, engineering firms, technology providers, and service companies, with free public access throughout the event.

The main conference is running under the theme 'From Dialogue to Delivery: Assessing Progress in Creating Mining-Led Economic Growth and Employment since NamPPF,' and will evaluate progress made under the Namibia Partnership Framework, with discussions focused on mining's contribution to economic growth, investment, and employment.

The Chamber has said the industry has identified opportunities to unlock approximately US dollars 2.6 billion in additional investment and create around 18,000 jobs over the next five years through increased exploration, mine expansions, and new developments.