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Towards Value Addition for Africa’s Critical Minerals

Key Issues for Policymakers

Towards Value Addition for Africa’s Critical Minerals

December 3, 2025

Berlin

This policy brief, authored by ACET as a knowledge partner for The Africa Roundtable, examines how Africa can shift from exporting raw critical minerals to capturing greater value through local processing.

Despite holding around 30% of global reserves, most minerals leave the continent unprocessed, limiting revenue, jobs, and industrial development.

The brief outlines the barriers to mineral beneficiation – including financing constraints, limited technical capacity, infrastructure gaps, and insufficient regional cooperation – and highlights the growing global competition for secure supply chains. It argues that regional collaboration is essential for building green value chains that position Africa as a stronger participant in the global green and digital transitions.

Publications

Our collaborative publications aim to stimulate questioning and discussion. They are the result of a deep engagement with the focus topics of our work and enable a fact-based dialogue.

Program Archive

Conference
The Africa Roundtable N°9
New Models for Africa-Europe Critical Mineral Partnerships

In the ninth edition of the Africa Roundtable, we discussed how Europe and Africa build partnerships that turn Africa's raw material wealth into local value creation.

Circle
Rethinking Development Policy
Strategies for a Changing World

We discussed with State Secretary Niels Annen how development policy can be integrated into networked foreign, security, and economic policies.

Circle
Impact of Global Trade Relations on International Development

US tariffs changes are causing new uncertainties in global trade. Together with ONE and Pinelopi K. Goldberg, we discussed how international development policy needs to be realigned.

Salon
Driving Growth: Local Value Chains & Global Trade
Berlin Global Dialogue

As traditional trade relations shift, strengthening local value chains, enhancing trade agreements, and mobilizing private capital are key to building more resilient and mutually beneficial economies.

Digital Salon
Global Perspectives on: Green Finance
What's missing in Green Finance?

Our speaker James Irungu Mwangi shared his perspective on how to accelerate climate action and investment across Africa. Together, we discussed what it will take to mobilize the green finance needed.

Circle
Connecting Global Talent
Building Ecosystems for Labor Migration

Germany is a country of immigration. Building on our Commission's recommendations for action, we discussed ways to better manage and communicate labor migration.

Salon
Advancing Space Partnerships Between Africa and Europe

Europe and Africa have the chance to advance technology and shape the future of the global space economy together through cooperation.

Publications
The Africa Roundtable N°8
Action Recommendations

Amid shifting global dynamics, investing in Africa’s strengths in renewable energy and climate action is more urgent than ever. The action recommendations of the eighth conference.

Salon
The Future of Global Cooperation: Redefining Germany’s Role
Hamburg Sustainability Conference 2025

How can Germany build strong, sustainable relationships with countries in the Global South that benefit both sides? At HSC 2025, we continued the dialogue on the Commission's recommendations.

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Global Perspectives Initiative is a non-profit and independent dialogue platform based in Berlin, Germany. Global Perspectives works towards enhanced engagement and responsibility for sustainable development by German and European decision-makers and aims to strengthen African perspectives in policy making. To this end, Global Perspectives regularly brings together decision-makers from business, academia, politics, media, and civil society to discuss new approaches, provide new impulses and raise awareness on the common opportunities and challenges the two neighboring continents are facing.

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