The African Union plans to form a coalition of mineral-producing nations in an attempt to shore up regional alliances at a time when countries across the world are trying to capitalize on the continent’s natural resources. The move was announced off the back of the second Africa Climate Summit, with the AU saying the coalition would be a “vehicle for harnessing Africa’s vast mineral wealth for climate-resilient development.”
China has already heavily invested in the continent’s mineral resources and the US is trying to catch up: US President Donald Trump’s administration has centered ongoing peace negotiations that it is helping to broker between DR Congo and Rwanda on access to minerals for American companies. The two African countries have committed to revamping their mineral supply chains, according to a draft economic framework seen by Reuters.