UK Forges Deeper Mining Partnerships and Boosts SME Support at Mining Indaba 2026

The United Kingdom has significantly deepened its engagement with the African mining sector, unveiling new initiatives at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 held in Cape Town, South Africa. The announcements focus on advancing UK-Africa collaboration on critical minerals and providing robust support for South African Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), with the goal of stimulating investment, job creation, and inclusive growth.

Mining Indaba 2026: A Platform for Partnership

The 32nd edition of the Investing in African Mining Indaba took place from February 9 to 12, 2026, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). Under the theme 'Stronger Together: Progress through Partnerships,' the event saw record-breaking attendance, drawing over 10,500 delegates, including industry leaders, government officials, and investors. Discussions centered on critical minerals, sustainable mining practices, investment opportunities, and economic diversification, emphasizing the need for collaborative relationships across governments, the private sector, and communities.

Advancing UK-Africa Critical Minerals Collaboration

The UK's participation underscored its commitment to strengthening global supply chain resilience, essential for the clean energy transition. These new initiatives build upon the UK Prime Minister's visit to South Africa in November, reinforcing the UK's wider Africa Approach, which prioritizes partnerships based on equality, mutual benefit, and responsiveness to African governments' stated priorities. The UK's Critical Minerals Strategy, launched during the Johannesburg G20 Summit, outlines a clear vision for resilient and diversified supply chains, underpinned by long-term international collaboration.

The British High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson, highlighted the UK's pragmatic and partnership-driven approach, designed to attract private investment and ensure minerals are produced and traded responsibly, transparently, and sustainably. The UK is deploying its expertise in areas such as mining, engineering, professional services, finance, ESG standards, traceability, and community-centered development to support these efforts. Critical minerals are vital for the UK's economic security, advanced manufacturing, and the clean energy transition.

Boosting South African SMEs with New Finance Facility

A key announcement at the Indaba was the launch of a new Impact Finance Facility (IFF), a joint initiative by the UK Government and Anglo American, aimed at expanding access to finance for South African SMEs. This facility is designed to drive inclusive growth beyond the extractive economy and is backed by over R100 million in UK funding, with the potential to unlock up to R500 million in private investment.

The IFF, delivered through the Impact Finance Network (IFN), represents a £2 million investment from the UK Government, confirmed by British High Commissioner Antony Phillipson. Kumba Iron Ore will co-fund R51.2 million into this facility from 2026. The initiative is expected to support the creation of approximately 5,000 new jobs, addressing high unemployment rates in South Africa. The IFF is already engaging with 33 'investment-ready deals', offering mentorship, technical expertise, and coaching to help these SMEs achieve sustainability outside the traditional mining value chain.