Publications
Towards Value Addition for Africa’s Critical Minerals
Key Issues for Policymakers

Publications: 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.
Contact Persons
Stephanie Igunbor, s.igunbor@globalperspectives.org
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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
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.
We discussed with State Secretary Niels Annen how development policy can be integrated into networked foreign, security, and economic policies.
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.
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.
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.
Germany is a country of immigration. Building on our Commission's recommendations for action, we discussed ways to better manage and communicate labor migration.
Europe and Africa have the chance to advance technology and shape the future of the global space economy together through cooperation.
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.
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.






