Africa is “poised to become a global clean energy powerhouse,” and the African Continental Free Trade Area, the largest of its kind globally, is set to “turbocharge the region’s economy,” said United Nations secretary general António Guterres in his address to the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa on February 15.

In this context, he also called for justice for Africa’s abundant critical mineral reserves. “Too often, your countries are plundered – bound to the bottom of value chains – as others grow rich on your resources… Africa’s minerals must benefit Africa’s people,” he said. This sentiment reflects national, regional, and continental policies, aimed at ushering in a wave of mineral-led industrialisation in Africa. These initiatives include strengthening fiscal frameworks, improving transparency, promoting local content, developing common standards and facilitating knowledge sharing on the reuse, recycling, and repurposing of materials.

For African countries, a key strategy for enhancing the value obtained from its minerals is to cultivate diverse and sustainable international collaborations. This is where India, with its newly minted Critical Minerals Mission can........

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