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Africa’s new mineral deal: will G20 South Africa rewrite the rules?

South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa hosts the G20 Summit. Photo: G20 Summit Flickr
South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa hosts the G20 Summit. Photo: G20 Summit Flickr

Africa holds vast critical minerals but stays trapped in debt. As South Africa hosts the G20 Summit, leaders demand a new mineral deal on their own terms.

When G20 leaders gather in Johannesburg this weekend, Africa will not just host the summit – it will test a new bargaining chip: its critical minerals.

From cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo to manganese in South Africa and Ghana, the continent controls a huge share of the metals that power electric cars, batteries and solar plants. Sub-Saharan Africa holds about 30% of proven global critical mineral reserves, according to the IMF, yet remains locked in costly debt and low-value exports.

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