Africa must control its mineral development agenda – AU Commissioner
African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, has called on African countries to take greater control of their mineral development priorities and ensure that the continent derives more value from its natural resources.
She said Africa must establish its own priorities for mineral development, particularly at a time when major economies are developing critical mineral strategies around their industrial needs.
Speaking at the 2026 Mining in Motion Conference on Monday, October 19, Ms Belobe stressed that the continent’s ambitions must go beyond resource ownership to include control over how its minerals are developed, processed and used to support economic growth.
“Africa must strengthen its agency to define its own mineral development agenda,” she said.
She noted that Africa needed to take the lead in determining the priorities and partnerships that would shape the contribution of its mineral resources to inclusive development.
“In a time when major economies are developing critical mineral strategies around their industrial priorities, Africa must define its own priorities. Africa must not only own its mineral resources, it must also own its own narrative around these mineral resources,” she said.
According to Ms Belobe, African countries must be able to determine how their mineral wealth is managed and ensure that partnerships with external investors reflect the continent’s long-term development objectives.
She said this would require African governments to establish clear priorities and shape partnerships that promote industrial development, strengthen regional cooperation and ensure that more economic value is retained within the continent.
African Green Mineral Strategy
Ms Belobe highlighted the African Green Mineral Strategy, adopted in 2025, as an important framework for advancing the continent’s mineral development ambitions.
She said the strategy places African industrialisation, energy security and regional value chains at the centre of the continent’s mineral priorities.
The framework is intended to support a development approach in which mineral resources contribute more directly to building industries, strengthening energy systems and expanding economic opportunities across African countries.
However, she stressed that setting priorities and adopting strategies would not be sufficient unless they were translated into investments and practical action.
“But agenda settings must be translated into investment and into actions,” she said.
She identified platforms such as the Mining in Motion Conference as important opportunities for African countries to articulate shared priorities, build consensus and mobilise partnerships to advance their mineral development objectives.
Ms Belobe also called for a more inclusive approach to mineral development partnerships, stressing the need to bring together governments, financial institutions, civil society and African businesses.
She said the continent’s objective should extend beyond attracting foreign investment to developing its own investors, industries and enterprises capable of creating and retaining value locally.
“Our goal must not only be to attract investors into Africa. It has to be to develop African investors, African industries, and African enterprises capable of creating and retaining value on our continent,” she said.
She maintained that African countries needed to use available frameworks and partnerships to advance their industrialisation objectives and strengthen their capacity to benefit from their natural resources.
For her, Africa, defining its own mineral development agenda means ensuring that decisions on resource extraction, investment and industrial development are aligned with the continent’s priorities, including energy security, regional value chains and the growth of local enterprises.
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