Africa-Press – Angola. The CEO of the National Agency for Mineral Resources (ANRM), Jacinto Rocha said that women participation in the extractive industry is growing annually by around 8 percent.
Speaking at the 4th edition of the Women in the Extractive Industry Forum, the manager pointed out that this productive segment currently has 33,735 professionals.
Jacinto Rocha detailed that, of the total workforce, only about 14% are women, and in the areas of engineering and technical operation, this number drops to around 7% to 9%.
Rocha recalled that to reverse this situation, the Angolan government has defined seven strategic actions, starting with the modernization of the digital mining registry to ensure transparency in women’s access to mining titles.
The actions also include investments in specialized training and digital skills, strengthening local content policies to integrate women-led companies into the supply chain, and formalizing and protecting women in artisanal mining.
The CEO also pointed to the creation of the Angolan Diamond Exchange as a hub for inclusion and a commitment to local development to create skilled jobs outside the isolation of the mines.
With these measures, he added, the aim is to reach 30% female leadership positions in the mining sector by 2030.
Jacinto Rocha expressed confidence in the elimination of gender barriers through automation and artificial intelligence and considered the presence of women in the management of cutting and polishing factories encouraging, promoting a culture of inclusion.
He highlighted the growth that the sector recorded between 2020 and 2024, with 15% in diamonds and 147% in iron ore mining, adding that this dynamism will only be sustainable with the appreciation of female talent as a strategic element and agents of change.
The 4th edition of the Women in the Extractive Industry Forum is an initiative of the corporate event production agency for the Extractive Industry, “Mining Eventos,” and aimed to integrate the experience of manufacturers and technology with the needs of local operators, align the strategic vision of national operators with global technological standards, and identify critical digital skills for the training of Angolan women.
Participants in the event included managers, executives, and decision-makers from the mining sector, technicians, and final-year students from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics courses.
