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Awesome little tweet SL, just reinforces how important AVZ is on the globally stage as it works closely with the DRC Government to provide some of the highest quality lithium to the battery market.

Here is the full press release translated. Exciting times, can the support of the battery industry and the DRC Government be any more obvious !!!

This month will be a major inflection point for AVZ, bring on the business forum in less than two weeks and no doubt an important signing ceremony for AVZ.

Received by Prime Minister Sama Lukonde on Tuesday 9 Nov 2021, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Antonio MA Pedro, confirms the strategic position of the DRC in the production of electric batteriesNovember 10, 2021 by COMMUNICATION CELL in NEWS



The Prime Minister, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde received, this Tuesday, November 09, 2021, at the primature, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Antonio M.A. Pedro, who was taken to the Head of Government by the Minister of Industry, Julien Paluku Kahongya. The exchanges revolved around the organization, from November 24 to 25, 2021 by the Ministry of Industry, a Business Forum dedicated to the development of a value chain and a dynamic market for batteries, electric vehicles and renewable energy in Africa.

According to the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, (CEA) who confided in the press at the end of the hearing, the DRC has all the assets necessary to position itself as a precursor in the production of electric batteries on the African continent. "It was an opportunity to make a brieffing to His Excellency the Prime Minister, concerning the preparation of a forum which will be a very great event for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and for Africa. Today we have shared the very important indicators that confirm the position of the DRC as a precursor with regard to the production of electric batteries.

According to the figures we already have, which will be shared with the Government when we are going to present the Bloomberg report, the DRC can produce batteries three times cheaper than the USA and China and half as cheaper than Poland . So that means that the DRC is strategically well positioned for the energy transition that concerns everyone, ”said Antonio Pedro.To achieve this ambition, the government of the Republic will have to make additional efforts, particularly with regard to the business climate, pointed out the Deputy Executive Secretary of ECA"We also talked about the efforts that the Government will have to continue to make to improve the investment climate in the country so that these opportunities we are going to talk about can become a reality.

There is a whole structure to support this initial effort that we had with the Government for the organization of the Forum. Implementation is more important than organizing the Forum. The Forum will confirm the position of the DRC but after that, it will be the implementation ”, warned Antonio Pedro who also thanks Prime Minister Sama Lukonde for the assurance given on the involvement of all the Government in this process transformation.Note that the Forum planned from November 24 to 25, 2021 is focused on the theme:"Develop a regional value chain around the electric battery industry, the electric vehicle market and clean energy.".

It is organized in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and will know the participation of different actors, with the aim of stimulating the development of a value chain and a dynamic market for batteries, electric vehicles and renewable energies in Africa. According to the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, this forum is of great importance, because it also allows the implementation of the continental free trade area (Zlecaf) because through the production of electric batteries in Africa and the DRC in particular, trade can intensify on the continent.

Talk about right time, right place for AVZ !!!

IMO, we will see the rise of the DRC to become an absolute powerhouse supporting and taking a critical role in the EV industry, and they don't have to do it alone, just look who is attended the business forum this month. This is all in collaboration with the United Nations including substantial support from the US and several EU Governments.

AVZ Minerals is right in the heart of all this, you could not ask for a better culmination of events to support the rise of Manono !!!

Cheers BJ