LONDON, United Kingdom, May 6, 2026/APO Group/ –The Critical Minerals Africa Group (CMAG) (https://CMAGAfrica.com/) is pleased to announce the appointment of three distinguished leaders to its Advisory Board: Ambassador (ret.) Reuben E. Brigety II, President of Busara Advisors; Chipokota Mwanawasa, Policy Advisor to the President of Zambia and Deputy Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit; and Henry Finnegan, former Chief Operating Officer of TechMet.

 

“Expanding CMAG’s Advisory Board with leaders of this calibre marks an important step in strengthening the depth and range of expertise guiding our work. Africa’s mineral endowment represents one of the most significant untapped industrial opportunities globally—but realising that potential requires alignment between policy, capital, and execution. By bringing together global experience across diplomacy, investment, and operations, we are better positioned to advance a more coordinated, outcomes-focused approach that supports long-term value creation on the continent.” – Veronica Bolton Smith, CEO, Critical Minerals Africa Group

These appointments further strengthen CMAG’s mission to advance responsible mining and develop commercially viable, end-to-end supply chains across Africa—focusing on practical industrial sequencing, from extraction through to processing and value addition. Central to this approach is broadening and diversifying the investor base engaging with the continent, while ensuring projects are structured to deliver tangible outcomes: scalable industries, skilled employment, and more resilient, locally anchored economic growth.

Ambassador (ret.) Reuben E. Brigety II brings decades of experience in diplomacy and African affairs, having most recently served as U.S. Ambassador to South Africa (2022–2025). He previously held senior roles including U.S. Representative to the African Union and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. His expertise in international relations and strategic engagement will support CMAG’s global partnerships and policy positioning.

Chipokota Mwanawasa offers a unique blend of public sector leadership, legal expertise, and private sector experience. As Policy Advisor to President Hakainde Hichilema and Deputy Head of Zambia’s Presidential Delivery Unit, she plays a key role in shaping national development priorities. With a background spanning mining, law, and entrepreneurship, she brings valuable insight into governance, investment frameworks, and inclusive economic growth.

Henry Finnegan is an experienced executive in the critical minerals investment space, having served as COO and a founding member of TechMet, a company focused on building sustainable supply chains for energy transition minerals. TechMet grew to a valuation exceeding $1.2 billion. His background in investment, operations, and international markets will support CMAG’s efforts to align capital with high-impact opportunities across the continent.

They join the inaugural members of CMAG’s Advisory Board:

• Natznet Tesfay, Executive Director, Head of Insights and Analytics at S&P Global, who brings deep expertise in market intelligence, economic forecasting, and resource analysis.
• Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group, a leading communications strategist with extensive experience in stakeholder engagement and investment promotion across Africa.
• Richard Morgan, former Head of Government Relations at Anglo American, whose background in policy and regulatory affairs provides critical insight into government engagement and partnership building.

Together, the Advisory Board brings a powerful combination of expertise across mining, finance, policy, diplomacy, and communications. Their collective guidance will help steer CMAG’s strategic direction as it works to unlock Africa’s critical minerals potential in a way that drives sustainable industrialisation, supports education and skills development, and creates meaningful employment opportunities across the continent.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 6, 2026/APO Group/ –RS South Africa (https://za.RS-online.com), a trading brand of RS Group plc (LSE: RS1), a global provider of product and service solutions for industrial customers, is proud to recognise the achievement of Sharps Electrical, our authorised reseller in Botswana, whose work continues to enable sustainable and reliable power solutions for some of the country’s most iconic luxury safari destinations.

 

Sharps Electrical (https://SharpsElectrical.co.bw) has successfully delivered electrical infrastructure for landmark projects in the Okavango Delta, including Xigera Safari Lodge, Atzaró Okavango Camp, and most recently, Elela Camp. Each of these projects represents a significant technical and environmental achievement, requiring solutions that balance operational reliability with careful preservation of one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive regions.

 

Working in the Okavango Delta demands more than technical capability. Projects must be executed with minimal environmental impact while meeting the exacting standards of world‑class hospitality. Sharps Electrical’s strong local presence and deep understanding of these conditions have been central to delivering power systems that are resilient, efficient, and aligned with sustainability objectives.

 

Reflecting on the nature of this work, José Xavier, Chief Operating Officer at Sharps Electrical, said, “Delivering projects in the Okavango Delta goes far beyond electrical infrastructure. It is fundamentally about trust, consistency, and respect for the environment. Having a reliable supply relationship is critical in such remote and sensitive locations, and RS has consistently supported us with dependable products and service that allow us to deliver to the highest standard.”

 

As a preferred supplier, RS plays a key role in enabling this approach by providing access to high‑quality electrical products that support durable, energy‑efficient, and responsibly engineered installations. This capability allows Sharps Electrical to plan with confidence and maintain continuity across complex projects in remote locations.

“What Sharps Electrical has achieved in Botswana clearly demonstrates what is possible when strong local capability is reinforced by a dependable global supply network,” said Viv Muthan, Head of Export Sales and Operations at RS South Africa. “At RS, we create high quality experiences for our African customers by complementing the local expertise of in‑country partners with reliable, sustainably designed technologies, such as our Better World product range, backed by the RS platform.”

 

RS South Africa’s collaboration with Sharps Electrical reinforces a shared commitment to Make Amazing Happen for our customers. By supporting infrastructure that reduces operational risk and enables responsible energy use, the partnership helps preserve the integrity of the Okavango Delta while ensuring uninterrupted power for critical lodge operations.

 

Together, RS and Sharps Electrical are helping to deliver power solutions that quietly underpin exceptional guest experiences, where luxury coexists with conservation. These projects stand as a testament to what can be achieved when strong local expertise is supported by a trusted global partner with aligned values.

 

RS is proud to support Sharps Electrical as they continue to deliver resilient power solutions across Botswana, helping ensure that some of the country’s most iconic destinations remain reliably powered by RS for the long term.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 5, 2026/APO Group/ –As reported by ESI Africa, Southern Africa is seeing major infrastructure development. Renewable energy capacity is expanding, industrial demand is rising, and electrification is reaching areas that previously had limited grid access.

However, as generation capacity grows, attention is increasingly turning to another part of the equation: how to move that power reliably from source to load.

Daqo tells ESI Africa that, for developers and EPC contractors, the distribution network is no longer simply a downstream consideration. It is becoming an increasingly important part of how projects are planned, coordinated and delivered.

Why distribution is gaining importance

Grid access, system integration and multi-party coordination are increasingly converging at the distribution level.

Renewable projects are often located far from load centres, and the continued growth of distributed energy is changing system behaviour in ways that require earlier and more careful planning.

As a result, distribution infrastructure is increasingly something projects need to design around from the outset, rather than address later in the delivery process.

A growing focus on coordination and supply

One practical consequence of this shift is greater scrutiny of how electrical equipment is sourced and coordinated.

Traditional multi-supplier models introduce multiple technical and logistical interfaces that may cause delays during installation and commissioning, particularly as project complexity increases.

With a portfolio covering medium- and low-voltage switchgear, transformers, power module systems and busbar solutions, Daqo supports a more integrated approach across the electrical distribution chain.

This can help reduce interface risk and improve alignment from design through to commissioning.

Daqo’s global footprint includes more than 10,000 customers and 32 manufacturing companies, with project engagement across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and APAC, enabling coordinated engineering and production at scale.

Prefabricated solutions can help reduce on-site complexity and improve schedule certainty.

Prefabrication and lead time matter more than ever

On fast-track projects, delivery speed and installation efficiency are becoming increasingly decisive.

 

Prefabricated electrical solutions (including prefabricated substations, E-Houses and containerised medium-voltage systems) move engineering, assembly and testing into controlled factory environments.

These prefabricated solutions can help reduce on-site complexity and improve schedule certainty.

At the same time, supply timelines remain under pressure due to sustained demand growth and broader supply chain constraints.

Daqo addresses this through manufacturing lead times of four to seven weeks, integrated production across group companies, and strong vertical integration in key materials and components, all of which support delivery stability and cost control.

Performance in the field remains critical

Equipment that meets the specification on paper must also perform in the field.

Large-scale renewable integration can introduce challenges, including voltage fluctuation and reduced system inertia.

Real-world site conditions, including high temperatures, dust, corrosive industrial environments and long transport distances, place further demands on equipment durability and maintainability.

Daqo’s system-level approach incorporates intelligent monitoring, protection functions and environmental resilience into the design, helping support stable operation under variable grid conditions and compliance with IEC and project-specific standards.

Daqo looking ahead

The projects being developed across Southern Africa today will help define the region’s energy infrastructure for decades to come. Adding generation capacity is essential, but the ability to deliver, integrate and sustain electrical systems in the field will play an equally important role in determining long-term project success.

This shift in focus is already influencing how experienced developers and EPCs approach project planning, and how suppliers are expected to respond.

Enlit Africa returns to the CTICC from 19 to 21 May in 2026

Daqo will be present at Enlit Africa (Stand A5), where the team will engage with project stakeholders on distribution system design and delivery across the region. Meet us at Enlit Africa on 19-21 May 2026 at the CTICC in Cape Town, South Africa. ESI Africa, part of VUKA Group, is the Host Media Partner for the event.  More about Enlit Africa: https://apo-opa.co/4tV6HFt