As Beijing prepares for the 2024 Summit of the Discussion board on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled to happen from September 4 to six, there’s a sense of anticipation about what the summit will carry. Established in 2000 on the request of African nations in search of higher coordination with China, FOCAC has developed right into a key framework for dialogue and collaboration between China and Africa. Held each three years, alternating between Beijing and an African nation as host, the summit is predicted to attract a considerable variety of African heads of state; 2018 summit in Beijing had over 50 African prime leaders and representatives of African organizations in attendance.

FOCAC is central to China’s engagement with Africa, notably in making improvement pledges that span financial, political, and social domains. These commitments are sometimes organized round thematic precedence areas, reminiscent of well being, agricultural improvement, commerce and funding, industrial cooperation, infrastructure, inexperienced improvement, people-to-people exchanges, and peace and safety. Monetary commitments, an indicator of FOCAC conferences, typically seize probably the most consideration – such because the $60 billion in new financing introduced in 2018 and the $40 billion pledge in 2021. These commitments mirror the size and scope of China’s engagement with the continent. 

Whereas the core focus areas of cooperation – agriculture, commerce, industrial cooperation, and infrastructure – have been constant over time, FOCAC has additionally tailored to rising world challenges. For example, the 2021 convention emphasised well being and vaccine cooperation in response to the pandemic, with an rising deal with inexperienced improvement and local weather collaboration as nicely. Nevertheless, regardless of the broad scope of matters lined at FOCAC, one essential space stays notably underrepresented: mining and significant minerals. 

This oversight is stunning, given China’s strategic curiosity in vital minerals and the mining sector’s significance to African economies. Minerals account for a median of 70 p.c of whole African exports and about 28 p.c of the continent’s GDP. Almost 90 p.c of Chinese language imports from Africa encompass mineral fuels, ores, stones, metals, and different minerals.

Furthermore, the mining sector is a significant supply of overseas direct funding (FDI) in Africa. Mining represents the second-largest share of Chinese language FDI on the continent at 23.8 p.c, surpassed solely by the development sector. 

Africa holds roughly 30 p.c of world mineral sources, lots of that are vital minerals – important parts for the green-energy transition, protection programs, and different high-tech functions. The Worldwide Vitality Company predicts that world demand for vital minerals utilized in clear power applied sciences – reminiscent of lithium, copper, cobalt, and nickel for batteries – will double by 2030. Thus, the mining of vital minerals presents a novel alternative for financial progress and industrialization on the continent, in addition to a strategic curiosity for China, which is closely invested in securing these sources for its industries.

China holds a dominant place in lots of vital minerals worth chains, together with uncommon earth components, copper, graphite and lithium. China has a big benefit in mineral processing and downstream manufacturing. As an illustration, within the electrical car (EV) trade, whereas Australia leads in lithium manufacturing, Indonesia in nickel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in cobalt, and China in graphite, China controls greater than half of the processing for these minerals. Within the downstream stage, China manufactures three-quarters of all lithium-ion batteries and produces over half of the world’s EVs. 

China’s dominance has raised issues among the many United States and its allies, that are actively in search of to scale back their dependency on China in vital minerals and clear expertise provide chains. In 2022, the U.S., European Union, and their allies shaped the Minerals Safety Partnership (MSP), a coalition of 15 international locations and areas aiming to diversify sustainable vital power minerals provide chains. The MSP has a transparent intent to curb China’s dominance. 

In 2023, Australia blocked the acquisition of a lithium mine by a Chinese language mining firm. This yr, each the USA and the EU imposed excessive tariffs on Chinese language EVs, with the U.S. levying a 100% tariff and the EU imposing tariffs of as much as 37.6 p.c.

Amid this nice energy competitors, all events are eyeing Africa’s vital mineral sources. The EU has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 4 African international locations (Namibia, the DRC, Zambia, and Rwanda) to strengthen partnerships for vital uncooked supplies worth chains. In the meantime, the U.S. has signed a trilateral MoU with the DRC and Zambia to assist the availability chain improvement for EV batteries. Each the EU and U.S. have additionally dedicated to supporting the event of the Lobito Hall, which hyperlinks Lobito Port in Angola to mining areas within the DRC and Zambia, facilitating the transport of vital minerals to markets in Europe and North America. Nevertheless, these MoUs have but to be translated into tangible funding targets or financing actions.

In contract, China has moved sooner, as its strategy tends to be extra output-focused, characterised by fast decision-making and implementation. In 2021 and 2022 alone, Chinese language firms invested over $1 billion in buying lithium initiatives in Zimbabwe. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence estimated that greater than 90 p.c of Africa’s forecasted lithium provide in 2024 will come from initiatives no less than partly owned by Chinese language corporations. In cobalt and copper, China additionally owns substantial stakes in mines within the DRC. Chinese language investments in these international locations are going past mere extraction to incorporate elevated funding in mineral processing. 

As well as, in February 2024, China proposed a $1 billion refurbishment plan for the Tazara Railway, which it initially constructed within the Nineteen Seventies connecting Zambia’s Copperbelt area with the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. This challenge instantly competes with the Lobito Hall in facilitating the motion of vital minerals from Zambia and the DRC. 

In the meantime, African nations are striving to maneuver past being mere sources of uncooked supplies. They’re asserting their curiosity in worth addition and growing native processing capacities to seize a fairer share of income alongside the vital mineral worth chains. A number of African international locations – together with Zimbabwe, Namibia, Ghana, and Nigeria – have banned the export of uncooked vital supplies, reminiscent of lithium, bauxite, and uncommon earth components, in a bid to advertise native worth addition. One other notable improvement is the settlement between the DRC and Zambia to collectively develop EV batteries utilizing regionally extracted minerals. 

As world demand and competitors for vital minerals intensify, the mineral relations between Africa and China is prone to turn into much more intertwined. Whereas China seeks Africa’s sources and markets, Africa equally requires China’s experience, expertise, and human sources. Nevertheless, African nations have to be proactive in asserting their pursuits to make sure honest phrases that maximize advantages for his or her economies and residents. Measures reminiscent of imposing uncooked export bans, demanding funding in native worth addition, and renegotiating mining contracts are steps in the fitting route. 

But, bilateral negotiations alone won’t suffice. To safe a extra equitable partnership, African nations should undertake a unified strategy, negotiating collectively to make sure their improvement priorities are revered and superior. FOCAC presents an excellent platform for African international locations to voice their collective calls for and safe China’s dedication to key agendas, together with industrialization by means of worth addition, infrastructure funding, and improved alignment with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) requirements.

It stays to be seen whether or not the upcoming FOCAC summit will formally embrace vital minerals cooperation in its agenda. Whatever the final result, it’s evident that vital minerals will proceed to play a big function in Africa-China financial relations. Extra dialogue is required for African nations to make sure that this partnership stays dynamic, equitable, and attentive to the evolving world panorama.