Africa is pushing for greater control of its critical minerals at a high-level summit in New York aimed at promoting value addition and continental cooperation.
The Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) said that it would convene its Third High-Level Roundtable on Critical Minerals Development in Africa on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
In a statement by the AMSG desk released on Sunday in Abuja, the Roundtable scheduled for Sept. 21, would be chaired by President Bola Tinubu, Chairperson of the AMSG General Assembly.
AMSG said that the move underscored Africa’s determination to position critical minerals at the centre of the continent’s industrial, economic and geopolitical agenda.
The AMSG comprises more than 30 African countries, represented by ministers responsible for minerals and mining and it is chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake.
The event’s theme is “From Resources to Wealth: Continental Cooperation for Mineral Value Addition” and it comes at a pivotal moment in the global race for critical minerals.
According to AMSG, Africa holds significant reserves of many critical minerals, yet for decades, much of its mineral wealth has been exported with limited processing and value addition, a model AMSG is determined to change.
“The New York Roundtable will therefore focus on how African countries can move beyond the traditional extract-and-export model to build integrated mineral value chains.
“Attract transformative capital, strengthen continental cooperation and secure a greater share of the economic value generated from Africa’s mineral resources,” the statement said.
GIK/APA