Reclaiming Africa’s Mineral Wealth for a Just Transition

In a compelling address at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) roundtable on “Redesigning EU-Africa Partnerships,” Dr. Mithika Mwenda, a staunch advocate for climate justice, underscored Africa’s pivotal role in the global green transition. His message to policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society was clear: “Africa must harness its resource wealth to advance industrialization, foster equity, and lead in shaping a just and sustainable future.”

Held on January 23, 2025, in Brussels, the roundtable convened stakeholders to examine Africa’s critical minerals potential and the EU’s ambition to secure diversified supply chains for its green and industrial transitions. Dr. Mwenda challenged the audience to consider the systemic inequalities embedded in global mineral trade and to embrace transformative partnerships that prioritize Africa’s development.

Africa’s mineral wealth is unrivalled, with the continent holding 30% of global reserves crucial for renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and digital infrastructure. Countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (70% of global cobalt production) and Zimbabwe (11 million tonnes of lithium reserves) are key players in the global mineral market. Yet, despite this abundance, Africa exports over 90% of its minerals in raw form, leaving little economic value within the continent.

The EU, in its quest for critical mineral security, has initiated partnerships with resource-rich countries. However, as highlighted during the roundtable, progress remains limited, with challenges such as limited investment in Africa’s mining sectors and a lack of local value addition hampering industrialization efforts.

The forum’s agenda included sessions on operationalizing strategic partnerships and addressing structural barriers to African industrialization. These discussions aim to shift the narrative from extraction to partnership, ensuring that African nations benefit not only from mineral trade but also from the industrial and technological advancements it enables.

Discussing the strategic priorities for Africa’s Mineral sector, Dr. Mwenda emphasized the need for a strategic reset in Africa’s mineral governance, grounded in the  value addition and fair trade: where  he  stressed  the fact that  African countries must renegotiate contracts to optimize returns and invest in local value chains.   He added  that  mining practices must incorporate robust environmental and social governance (ESG) frameworks, including institutionalized Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes and independent impact audits as  the core of environmental and social accountability.

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The  Economic Commission for  Africa indicates disposes large market of 1.3 billion people that represents a good opportunity for intra-trade and values chain of Critical minerals. However, this opportunity is not maximized the intra-African trade accounts for only 15% of the continent’s total trade.

Commenting on this Dr Mithika Mwenda suggested the coordination of intra-African Coordination by strengthening regional value chains and leveraging frameworks like the Africa Mining Vision and the Africa Green Growth Strategy to build resilient economies.   He also  called  for the redefinition of  EU-Africa Partnerships where Africa must transition from being a raw material supplier to a partner in industrialization. This involves reforming international agreements to support Africa’s autonomy in leveraging its resources.

Opportunities Amid Challenges 

Mo Ibrahim indicates that there is a foreseen increase in global demand, production of minerals and metals such as lithium, graphite and cobalt will need to increase by nearly 500% by 2050. This makes  Africa the most eyed source as the continent disposes of 30% of Globe’s mineral reserves.

The ECFR roundtable presented Africa with a chance to lead in green industrialization. However, seizing this opportunity requires addressing gaps in investment climates, infrastructure, and policy enforcement. For the EU, this means moving beyond viewing Africa as a supplier to embracing co-development models that ensure mutual benefits.

On this view, Dr. Mithika Mwenda called for bold leadership and international solidarity to rewrite the narrative of Africa’s mineral wealth. “Our critical minerals are not just commodities; they are the foundation of our continent’s future. We must ensure their use drives sustainable development, empowers communities, and fosters climate justice.”

These conversations are taking place a month before Mining Indaba scheduled in February 2025  in Cape Town, South Africa.  The Platform envisions promoting responsible mining practices, fostering partnerships with local communities, and ensuring transparency and accountability in the industry. By bringing together key stakeholders from around the world, Mining Indaba aims to drive innovation, promote transparency and collaborate to create a more resilient and prosperous future for the African mining sector.