African Leaders Seek Value-Added Mineral Exports Amid US Deals
· World · The Independent, France 24
African leaders are advocating for an end to exporting raw minerals, instead pushing for value-added products like EV batteries and electric cables. Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama have both stressed the need to process minerals domestically to foster economic growth. Meanwhile, former US President Trump's administration has been pursuing mineral deals with African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Zambia. These deals, criticised for a lack of transparency and congressional oversight, aim to secure mineral rights for the US in line with Trump's "America First" vision.
Why it matters
Africa's push for value-added mineral exports could transform its economies, moving beyond raw material extraction to industrialisation and job creation. US mineral deals highlight geopolitical competition for critical resources and raise questions about equitable partnerships and resource colonialism.
Read the original report — The Independent
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