The global competition for critical minerals and rare earth elements, vital for clean energy and digital technologies, is intensifying, with Africa becoming a key focal point. This geopolitical scramble is reshaping supply chains and raising concerns about resource control.

• The U.S. lists 50 critical minerals, including cobalt, lithium, nickel, and graphite, with rare earth elements crucial for advanced electronics and defense.
• China controls 76% of cobalt processing and 77% of graphite processing, highlighting supply chain concentration.
• Countries like China, the EU, the U.K., Australia, Canada, and the U.S. have introduced laws or strategies to secure these minerals, while Africa is developing its own Green Minerals Strategy, with countries like Zambia and South Africa creating national strategies.
• The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is central to the US-China trade war due to its vast mineral wealth.