By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
As earlier announced by Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa), it convened an official side event at the 12th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-12) under the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), with the primary aim of advancing dialogue around the Africa Responsible Minerals & Gender Index (ARMGI).
The plan was disclosed prior to the event in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, Nigeria by the Executive Director, WiM-Africa, Dr Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji.
The 12th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-12) was held from April 28 to April 30, 2026. The event is located at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with hybrid participation options.
Held under the theme: “Advancing Gender-Responsive Mineral Governance and Measurable Host Community Outcomes through ARMGI”, the session is to bring together representatives from African institutions, private sector leaders, development partners, environmental actors and civil society to explore practical pathways for translating mineral governance commitments into implementation results.
According to the statement, the event would spotlight ARMGI as an emerging accountability framework aimed at strengthening gender-responsive mineral governance, equitable benefit-sharing, and measurable outcomes for women and host communities across Africa.
ARMGI is being positioned as a collaborative framework to support accountability, track outcomes, and strengthen alignment between Africa’s extractive sector, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2063, and the African Mining Vision.
It also noted that the side event contributed to the broader theme of ARFSD-12: “Turning the Tide: Transformative and Coordinated Actions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.”
Panel contributions were made institutions including the African Union Commission, private sector operators, sustainability partners and mining stakeholders, with discussions focusing on:
* gender-responsive benefit-sharing;
* women’s inclusion in mineral value chains;
* community-centered accountability;
* responsible minerals and the energy transition; and
*practical pathways for piloting ARMGI.
Dr Asokoro-Ogaji in her remarks said, “Africa’s mineral wealth must be measured not only by production and revenues, but by outcomes for women and communities. ARMGI seeks to help move us from commitments to measurable impact.”
According to WiM-Africa, the session also provided a platform to deepen stakeholder engagement on the development of ARMGI as a continental collaborative initiative.
The 12th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-12) is being held from April 28 to April 30, 2026. The event is located at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with hybrid participation options available.