US Critical Minerals Policy in Africa

 The Global South Policy Hub, a Washington-based nonpartisan think tank, published on 17 August 2026 a paper titled "Aligning U.S. Critical Minerals Policy with Africa's Development Agenda" by Alaka Lugonzo.  

Africa holds about 30 percent of the world's critical minerals that power renewable energy technology.  Africa's critical mineral wealth is rapidly reshaping its relationship with the United States.  The author argues that current US mineral partnerships remain heavily tilted toward securing supply chains rather than delivering shared economic benefits.  

The United States has an opportunity to rethink its approach by moving away from extractive relationships toward transparent industrial partnerships along the lines of the African Union's African Green Mineral Strategy (AGMS).  A more sustainable approach would align US strategic interests with Africa's development agenda.

Comment:  While this is sound advice, China is a much larger importer of Africa's critical minerals than the United States.  It would be useful if some organization, particularly one in Africa, could offer similar advice for Beijing.

South Sudan's Oil, China, and the Environment

 The Elephant, a civil society platform, published on 18 February 2022 a commentary titled "China, Oil and the South Sudan Resource Curse" by Mary Ajith Goch.

The author discusses the environmental implications of oil extraction in South Sudan by the China National Petroleum Corporation, concluding that "it will not be easy to bring order to the sector, especially after more than three decades during which the oil companies explored and produced crude oil without proper government oversight."

China's Role in the Extractive Sector of the DRC

International Development Policy published in 2018 a study titled "China and African Governance in the Extractive Industries" by Neil Renwick, Jing Gu, and Song Hong.

The study examines China's controversial role in the extractive industry sector of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a focus on how governance works to maximize gains accruing to the DRC.

Transparency and Accountability in South Sudan's Petroleum Industry

The Juba-based Sudd Institute published on 3 May 2016 a study titled "Transparency and Accountability in South Sudan's Petroleum Industry" by Nhial Tiitmamer. The paper assesses the level of transparency and accountability in South Sudan's petroleum industry in line with the standards in the Petroleum Act, 2012 and Petroleum Revenue Management Act 2013.

South Sudan and the Oil Sector

Global Witness published in November 2012 a report titled "Blueprint for Prosperity: How South Sudan's New Laws Hold the Key to Transparent and Accountable Oil Sector."

The reported noted that aside from its over-reliance on oil, one of South Sudan's biggest challenges is corruption. The good news is that the foundations for sound oil management are being put in place. Building on the transparency commitments enshrined in the Transitional Constitution, South Sudan's Petroleum Act and draft Petroleum Revenue Management Bill set out a clear blueprint for how oil operations, contracts and revenues should be managed.

Global Witness emphasized, however, that the laws are only as good as their implementation. South Sudan's oil sector will not be transparent until the government complies with the standards it is now legally bound to meet.

Click here to read the report.