Published
October 29, 2025
Critical minerals are essential to the U.S. economy today, and vital for powering our prosperity, innovation economy, and national security tomorrow.
Home to an estimated 30% of the world's known critical mineral reserves, Africa’s role in this industry is indispensable and its ability to harness the benefits of its natural endowments is shaping the future of global supply chains. This vast natural wealth positions Africa squarely in the middle of a geopolitical contest—and makes it an undisputed key player in the global energy transition and the rapidly advancing AI revolution. This role becomes even more important considering our, and the world’s, reliance on China and a handful of other challenging nations for critical minerals.
The U.S. Chamber’s U.S.-Africa Business Center has been working to help Africa realize its potential and facilitate partnerships that could result in a diversified and reliable supply of essential minerals, reducing reliance on concentrated sources and mitigating geopolitical risks.
Recently, the U.S. Chamber brought together some of the most influential leaders in this space for a Critical Minerals Forum which included the release of a new white paper, Strategic Ground.
African Ministers, Ambassadors, U.S. government officials, international financial institutions, CEOs and senior executives from across the business landscape gathered at the Chamber with the shared goal of developing this critical sector. Coming out of the Forum, there was clear momentum to connect the continent to the future of technology, energy, transportation, and economic growth through its abundant reserves of critical minerals and metals.
A Critical Moment
Strategic Ground
The U.S.-Africa Business Center’s recently-released white paper, Strategic Ground: Strengthening America’s Security, Prosperity, and Leadership through U.S.-Africa Critical Mineral Partnerships, outlines an actionable framework for the United States to unlock opportunities in critical mineral supply chains, distilling insights from over 18 months of private sector engagement and policy dialogues into recommendations for policymakers and investors.
With a focus on local value addition and midstream development, the paper’s key objectives include aligning U.S. policy tools to support African industrialization, de-risking private investment in African mineral value chains, supporting enabling infrastructure such as power and transportation, enhancing midstream processing and refining capacity within Africa, and promoting government transparency. The overarching aim of the paper is to advance a unified, market-grounded voice underscoring the long-term U.S. commitment to African partners, as the U.S. partners with the continent to responsibly harness the power of its critical minerals.
Next Steps: A Path for Continued Partnership and Growth
The U.S. Chamber's Africa Critical Mineral Working Group serves as the private sector's platform connecting America’s manufacturers and innovators to Africa’s vast critical minerals opportunities. The Working Group will continue to advocate for market-opening policies and act as a trusted partner to facilitate necessary investment. It will continue providing a market-grounded voice to ensure U.S. policy tools align with commercial timelines and African development goals. The Chamber is committed to working with African partners seeking to move beyond raw material extraction toward becoming integrated processing and manufacturing hubs.
Together, we have the unique opportunity not only to catch up to U.S. adversaries in the critical minerals race, but to achieve mutual prosperity, with Africa and the United States partnering to successfully convert the continent’s mineral wealth into economic GDP growth, good jobs, infrastructure development, and greater global influence. We look forward to continuing this important work.
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About the author
Ellington Arnold
Ellington Arnold is manager of the U.S.-Africa Business Center (USAfBC) at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
