Strategic Minerals in Africa: Lack of Regulation Hinders Exploitation

Africa holds significant quantities of strategic minerals, including cobalt, lithium, and coltan, essential for electric vehicle batteries and other industries. Major international players, including China, the US, and Russia, are competing for access to these resources, often without adequate regulatory oversight.

Existing frameworks, such as the G20 Critical Minerals Framework and G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan, are largely non-binding and fail to establish effective governance. The EU's Critical Raw Material Act is the only binding legislation addressing mineral governance, yet it does not specifically target African partnerships.

The lack of universal regulations, coupled with geopolitical rivalries, complicates efforts to establish best practices in mineral management. African nations often lack the infrastructure and capacity to influence global markets, resulting in a neo-colonial dynamic in resource extraction. Local producers are attempting to move up the value chain by investing in refining and technology to benefit their populations.