The Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem), through the deputy minister of Mines, Juan Samanez Bilbao, inaugurated the “International Conference on the Mining Environment in Latin America 2026”, an event that seeks to strengthen the management of mining environmental liabilities in our country with the participation of public and private institutions and international entities.
“Today we are brought together by a common purpose: to strengthen our technical, institutional, and human capacities to consolidate one of the greatest sustainable development challenges in our country: the proper management of mining environmental liabilities and the efficient execution of mine closure processes,” said the deputy minister.
He added that the international conference represents a strategic opportunity to increase inter-institutional knowledge and experience, incorporate best practices and innovative technologies, strengthen governance and international coordination, and promote higher standards of environmental compliance.
The event was organized by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation (KOMIR) and MINEM, and brought together experts and delegations from the Republic of Korea, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru.
The MINEM, together with the Peruvian Agency for International Cooperation (APCI) and KOICA, has signed Records of Discussions and agreements to strengthen the mining sector, highlighting projects for the remediation of environmental mining liabilities with technology transfers and technical assistance, being one of the key agreements to improve mine closure processes.
The vice minister expressed his appreciation to KOICA for its commitment to sustainable development, its ongoing support, and the effort it makes in our country. “This ongoing joint effort produces concrete results, helping to strengthen trust among the State, industry, and society,” he added.
For his part, the ambassador of South Korea to Peru, Choi Jong-wook, said that “this conference is a favorable occasion for Korea, Peru, and other friendly countries of Latin America to discuss the common challenges of sustainable mining and environmental management of mines, sharing their policies, technologies, and diverse experiences”.
Attending this event were Kim Young-woo, director of KOICA in Peru; Kwon Soon-jin, director of the Mineral Resources Division of KOMIR, line directors of MINEM, and professionals from the public and private sectors of the mining industry.