Social Impact Catalyst | Media Maven | GBV Coach | Leadership Coach | Digital Transformation Coach
Africa's Critical Mineral Boom: A Time for Opportunity, Not Exploitation The news is buzzing about Africa's critical minerals. These are the elements powering our phones, laptops, and clean energy future. But with this excitement comes a critical question: will this be a boom for Africa, or just another instance of the continent's resources benefiting others more than ourselves? We've seen this story before. Raw materials shipped out, leaving behind environmental damage and limited local benefit. This time, Africa needs to be smarter. We need to add value to these minerals, by processing and refining them here. This creates jobs, fosters technological advancement, and ensures a greater share of the profits stays on African soil. The hashtags are all there – #TransformingAfrica, #TheAfricaWeWant. But turning aspirations into reality requires action. Here's what excites me: The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): This is a game-changer. By eliminating trade barriers within Africa, we can create a market for these value-added minerals across the continent. Imagine a phone made in Rwanda with Congolese cobalt and South African lithium! The African Diaspora: Africans abroad have a crucial role to play. Investment, expertise, and a shared vision for a prosperous Africa are all within reach. But let's be honest, challenges remain. We need: Skilled workforce development: Training our youth in the science and technology behind processing these minerals is crucial. Infrastructure investment: Reliable power, transportation networks, and communication systems are essential. Environmental responsibility: Mining can't come at the expense of our environment. Sustainable practices are key. This isn't just about economics – it's about building a future where Africa stands tall, a future where Africans control their resources and shape their own destiny. It's time to move beyond extraction and embrace transformation. Let's turn this critical minerals boom into a catalyst for a stronger, more prosperous Africa. #AfricaToTheWorld #InvestInAfrica #AfricanSolutionsToAfricanProblems
In case you missed it: The critical-minerals BOOM is HERE. Can AFRICA take advantage? Also see TOP mineral by Africa country (infographic). Technology is increasingly influencing the way people around the world live, creating opportunities in some cases and introducing new challenges in others. Just as important as a technology’s impact is the technology’s origin—or origins. Any given #technology can be traced back, through its individual components and #materials, to a number of sources. And the question about where those components and materials come from matters. Modern technology, economies, #livelihoods, and weapons depend on #criticalminerals such as #magnesium, #cobalt, #lithium, or even #copper. Where countries source these minerals makes a difference for national and strategic #security. Since #AFRICA is home to 30 percent of the world’s known critical minerals, the #continent is at the forefront of conversations. But currently, African nations aren’t getting their fair share of the benefits of the critical-minerals boom and buzz generated by the evolution of modern technologies. For that to happen, Africa will need more investment in its capacities to refine or add value to minerals within the continent; such investment could fuel a long-awaited boost in development. Africa is home to many critical-mineral reserves, but it is not home to industry that adds value to the minerals, such as the #processing and #refining of them. While Africa does have some processing and refining capacity for certain #minerals, substantial value-additive steps across the sector remain absent. To be blunt, Africa will only reap the benefits from the critical-minerals boom associated with #mineralextraction. Concrete action toward the goal of the development of long-awaited value chain enhancement and investment in the continent remains elusive. Continue reading.. https://lnkd.in/edAdV4YV A call to ACTION!! AFRICA, we MUST act NOW!! #TransformingAfrica #TheAfricaWeWant #AfCFTA #BrandAfrica #AU #GDP #Investment #Africa #AfricaMeansBusiness #ThisIsAfrica #Diaspora #IT #OneAfrica #AUC #TransAfricanHighway #SMEs #CreatingOneAfricanMarket #Invest #Tariffs #TheAfCFTAEffect #Trade #AI #AfricaRising #FDI #IntraAfricanTrade #Agenda2063 #Partnerships #AfCFTATV #WB #BuildBackBetter #InvestInAfrica #AfricanUnity #IMF #WTO #AfDB #TradeNotAid #AfCFTATrading #TravelToAfrica #CFTA #SAATM #TradeInAfrica #TradeUnderAfCFTA #JoinAfCFTA #AfricaOnTheMove #Infrastructure #Mining #Minerals #MadeInAfrica #AfCFTASecretariat #PanAfricanism #Investors #PAPSS #ZLECAF #AfricanSolutionsToAfricanProblems #Growth #BetterAfricaBetterWorld #StrongerTogether #Afreximbank #UnitedUnderAfCFTA #AfCFTA2024 #Africa2024 #AfricaYesWeCAN #AfricaToTheWorld #GlobalAFRICA
