UN to help six nations extract more value from critical minerals
Indonesia, Zambia, Guinea, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Nigeria are set to benefit initially
The United Nations has selected six nations in Africa and Asia to receive assistance aimed at increasing the value extracted from their critical mineral deposits. These essential minerals are pivotal for the global energy transition. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, disclosed the decision on September 23, announcing that Indonesia, Zambia, Guinea, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, and Nigeria would initially benefit.
UN agencies will collaborate to bolster the countries' industries, helping them transition from mere raw material exporters to processors and value creators. Selwin Hart, Guterres' special adviser, emphasized that without this support, countries risk stagnating, remaining as "mere exporters of raw materials." The new Country Support Mechanism on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, launched following Guterres' establishment of a panel two years ago, will offer policy guidance, legal expertise, and assistance in establishing environmental and social safeguards.
The program will be coordinated by the UN Development Programme and the UN Development Coordination Office. Countries such as Zambia, Africa's second-largest copper producer, and Zimbabwe, the leading supplier of lithium for battery materials, stand to gain significantly. Indonesia, as the world's top nickel miner, and Guinea, the largest bauxite producer, will also receive support.
Madagascar, with cobalt, graphite, and nickel reserves, and Nigeria, whose mineral deposits remain largely untapped, will benefit from this initiative.
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