Western Australia’s newly appointed Minister for Mines, Petroleum and Exploration; and Water, the Hon Daniel Pastorelli MLA, used his address to Africa Down Under to spotlight the growing scale of the State’s trade, investment and technology partnership with the African continent.
Speaking at the 24th Africa Down Under conference, Mr Pastorelli, who was appointed to the portfolio in July, said Western Australia and Africa had built “one of the most enduring and successful resource partnerships in the world”, spanning mining, critical minerals, renewable energy and mining technology.
“Our jurisdictions are working together to support economic development, strengthening supply chains, and helping to deliver the global energy transition,” Mr Pastorelli said.
Western Australia’s partnership with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), formalised through a memorandum of understanding signed in 2014, continues to underpin that relationship, according to Mr Pastorelli, who said the links were delivering tangible outcomes for businesses on both sides of the Indian Ocean.
In 2025, Western Australia’s goods exports to African countries were valued at $1.5 billion, led by aluminium ores, concentrates, civil engineering equipment and precious metals; while goods imports from African countries reached $1.9 billion in same period.
Today, 106 Western Australian companies are operating 196 projects across 27 African countries, mining 23 different commodities.
“I will add, all of these numbers have increased since the last ADU conference, only highlighting the strength of our sectors,” Mr Pastorelli said.
“These projects are helping meet the growing demand for the resources that underpin modern economies. Just as importantly, they demonstrate the depth of the partnership between Western Australia and Africa, and the opportunities that still lay ahead.”
Mr Pastorelli said Western Australia and many African nations shared common challenges around safety, environmental management and sustainable development, creating valuable opportunities for partnership, innovation and knowledge sharing.
Mr Pastorelli said Western Australia continued to lead the world in the development and deployment of advanced mining technologies, with autonomous haul trucks, drill rigs and rail systems improving safety, productivity and operational performance – with many of these operations managed from control centres in Perth despite being located thousands of kilometres away in regional WA.
The State Government is also backing collaborative research-to-industry projects, with funding available for priorities including low-emissions technologies, critical minerals processing and the repurposing of mine waste.
“These are the kinds of innovations that will help keep our sector globally competitive, while strengthening collaboration between Western Australia and our African partners,” he said.
Mr Pastorelli said Western Australia’s economy continued to outperform despite global uncertainty, driven by the strength of its mining industry.
“I say with confidence and pride that you are currently in the strongest state in Australia across all metrics,” he said.
The State’s resources sector generated more than $225 billion in sales last year alone and supports more than 136,000 jobs, while delivering more than $10 billion in royalties and related revenue to help fund hospitals, schools, roads and essential services across WA.
Western Australia currently ranks first globally for commodities including iron ore and lithium, and is among the world’s leading producers of liquefied natural gas, alumina and gold.
“The State’s vision is to ensure Western Australia remains a destination of choice for investment, innovation and responsible resource development,” Mr Pastorelli said.
“That means supporting a sector that is globally competitive, environmentally responsible and well positioned to meet the needs of our changing world.”
