Strategic minerals, strategic futures: Africa at the heart of shifting global security
Guests
Speakers:
- Mauricio Angelo, Founder, The Mining Observatory
- Winnie Natala Chibesakunda, Ambassador, Embassy of Zambia in Germany
- Maria de Lourdes Caposso Fernandes, Member of the Parliament of Angola, National Assembly of Angola
- Stefan Steinicke, Advisor International Cooperation Security Raw Materials and Space Travel, German Industry Association (BDI)
- Ferre Westermann, Counsellor, Global Relations, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Chaired by
Maddalena Procopio, Senior Policy Fellow, ECFR Africa programme
At the seventh Berlin Climate and Security Conference, hosted by the German Federal Foreign Office in cooperation with adelphi, ECFR Africa chaired a breakout session on the strategic importance of minerals and Africa’s role amid geopolitical turmoil.
As the global race for clean technologies intensifies – spanning energy, defense and digital sectors – Africa’s vast reserves of critical minerals have become a geopolitical flashpoint. International powers are recalibrating their Africa strategies, intensifying competition across the continent. This breakout session examined how this renewed interest is reshaping Africa’s role in the global security landscape – and the space left for Europe in an increasingly crowded field. From foreign investment to great-power rivalry, we explored the risks and opportunities at the nexus of resource governance, security, and strategic autonomy.
With multilateral governance under pressure, how can rules, standards, and partnerships remain credible and effective, and what strategies can Africa and its partners deploy to ensure secure and resilient supply chains?