2026 AAMEG AWARDS WINNERS SPOTLIGHTED: CELEBRATING AUSTRALIAN IMPACT AND EXCELLENCE ACROSS AFRICA

• West African Resources – Excellence in Social Development
• South32 – Excellence in Social Development (ASX 100)
• MineScope Services – Excellence in Innovation
• Carl Sakuringwa (Mancala) – Rising Star
• Paladin Energy – Operational Excellence
• Care for Africa – Change Maker for Charity/ NFP
• An inaugural award in the name of industry stalwart, Bill Repard, was awarded to the namesake himself in yesterday evening’s proceedings

The stewardship of an array of Australia-Africa mining and mining services companies was highlighted at the 2026 AAMEG Awards yesterday evening, a showcase of excellence across innovation, operational impact, social development and community contribution.

As the peak body representing Australian companies engaged in Africa’s resources industry, AAMEG is uniquely positioned to identify, elevate and celebrate these achievements. Since launching the Awards in 2019, AAMEG has used its industry reach, relationships and influence to recognise organisations and individuals setting a strong benchmark for responsible and impactful engagement across Africa.

Held alongside Paydirt’s annual Africa Down Under (ADU) Conference, the AAMEG Awards have become an established platform for recognising leadership, transparency, innovation and mutual benefit in Australia-Africa resources sector engagement.

Recognising the Awards’ role as a premier platform to showcase the good being carried out across the African Continent, AAMEG Chair Mark Somlyay was full of praise for the nominee cohort, saying “The calibre of this year’s nominations was exceptional, demonstrating the breadth of positive impact Australia’s resources sector is helping to deliver across Africa.

What impressed me the most this year was the focus on lasting outcomes. We saw efforts ranging from building local capability, creating economic opportunity, improving access to essential services and working in genuine partnership with communities and governments.

Collectively, the nominees showed that meaningful impact is not defined by one single initiative, but by the value and capability left behind. That notion of a positive legacy is what we should all aspire to.”

AAMEG Awards 2026 Winners:

West African Resources was named winner of the Excellence in Social Development Award for its on-the-job trades training and qualification program in Burkina Faso. Developed with the Ministry of General Education, Vocational and Technical Training and local provider CFPEM, the program enables employees to convert practical experience into nationally recognised trade qualifications through Recognition of Prior Learning, while retaining paid employment. By the end of 2025, 128 employees had progressed to final assessment, creating stronger pathways to career advancement, higher earning potential and long-term employability, while building localised capability in communities surrounding WAF’s operations.

South32 was recognised as the Excellence in Social Development winner in a pool of ASX100 companies for its more than US$2.5 million upgrade and expansion of Djuba Basic School in Mozambique. Developed consultatively with local government, traditional leaders and the community, the project delivered six new classrooms, rehabilitated 11 existing classrooms and added a library, sanitation, water, security and infrastructure. The investment is benefiting more than 3,100 students, increasing school capacity by 68%, reducing classroom overcrowding by 16% and enabling the school to extend to Grade 9.

MineScope Services took home the Excellence in Innovation Award for its role in unlocking the value of refractory gold at Endeavour Mining’s Sabodala-Massawa operation in Senegal. Drawing on its technical expertise, MineScope helped evaluate and implement BIOX® technology, integrating the new refractory gold process plant with existing infrastructure to increase gold recoveries by up to 60% compared with conventional CIL processing. The project was delivered on schedule and under budget, extended the mine life by more than 10 years, supported increased local employment and workforce capability, and contributed to gold production increases.

Carl Sakuringwa, Executive Director International at Mancala Group, was recognised as the ‘Rising Star’ for his role in expanding Mancala’s presence in Africa and creating meaningful local employment opportunities in Zambia. With more than 17 years’ mining experience, Carl has played a central role in establishing Mancala’s African operations following the award of a US$63 million project with KCM, while supporting the recruitment of over 100 local team members, in addition to helping create pathways for a further 80 local employees.

Paladin Energy earned the Operational Impact Award for the broad economic and social contribution of its Langer Heinrich Mine in Namibia’s Erongo Region. Since restarting production, the operation has created significant local value through a workforce of around 420 employees, 99% of whom are Namibian, alongside approximately 900 contractors and a supply chain that directed 88% of procurement spend (more than US$250 million in FY2026) to local businesses. Paladin has also invested more than US$1 million in community initiatives spanning youth development, education, healthcare, cancer services, environmental conservation and community safety, reinforcing Langer Heinrich’s role as a long-term contributor to regional capability and economic resilience.

Care for Africa Foundation won the Change Maker Award for its two decades of locally led development in Tanzania’s Tarime District. Over this time, it is estimated that the company’s initiatives have reaching around 40,000 people across nine remote communities. Through programs spanning water, health, education and women’s enterprise, the organisation has delivered 25 water bores, feeds 6,500 schoolchildren daily, helped lift school attendance from 68% to 90% and academic performance from 39% to 86%, while expanding access to specialist healthcare and supporting women to build independent incomes.

Winners were selected by a recognised panel of judges, each with a proven record of delivering success within their organisations and contributing to the growth of the Australia–Africa resources sector. The panel comprised Chris McCombe (General Manager, Sustainable Minerals Council of Australia), Mark Connelly (Company Director & Mining Executive), Karien Erasmus (Director of ESG & Climate Services at RSM Australia), Trish O’Reilly (Former AAMEG CEO) and Amy Sullivan (Senior Manager of Sustainability at Perenti Group).

Finally, an inaugural award was handed out during the evening’s proceedings. The Bill Repard Award was delivered to the namesake himself, in a touching moment shared onstage.

AAMEG CEO, Doug Horak, spoke highly of the Mr Repard’s contributions to the industry, commenting “Bill has been one of the defining figures in the Australia-Africa resources sector for more than two decades.

Through Paydirt, the establishment of Africa Down Under and his steadfast support of AAMEG, he has helped bring industry together and created opportunities for stronger relationships between Australia and Africa.

Importantly, Bill’s contribution has always extended beyond business. It has been about building understanding, trust and shared opportunity between our two continents. It is entirely fitting that this inaugural award carries his name, because the very qualities it seeks to recognise – spanning leadership, commitment and enduring impact – are a direct reflection of Bill as a person.”