First Independent Mena Newspaper
With the United States facing growing vulnerabilities in its critical minerals supply chain, a new Brookings Institution study urges Washington to forge stronger partnerships with Africa — home to an estimated 30% of the world’s proven reserves. Critical minerals, essential for sectors from defense to clean energy, are heavily concentrated in a few global regions. […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become the latest front in the U.S.-China rivalry, as President Donald Trump intensifies efforts to secure critical minerals needed for electric vehicles and clean energy. Backed by billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, U.S. firm KoBold Metals recently secured seven lithium exploration permits, including access to the coveted […]
Somaliland’s new president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, is offering the United States access to a strategic military base near the Red Sea and critical mineral resources, including lithium, in exchange for formal diplomatic recognition. The breakaway region, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has yet to receive international recognition despite decades of stability and democratic […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become the latest battleground in a deepening strategic rivalry between the United States and China over control of critical minerals, as a new US-brokered peace deal with Rwanda raises both hope and concern. Signed in June 2025, the agreement aims to end decades of conflict between the DRC […]
In a strategic move to reduce dependence on China, India is rapidly expanding rare earth element (REE) partnerships with five African nations — Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Côte d’Ivoire — amid escalating global concerns over China’s dominance in critical mineral supply chains. China currently controls over 90% of the global REE market and has […]
In a major development for U.S. mineral strategy in Africa, KoBold Metals, a California-based company backed by billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has signed a landmark agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to explore and develop the Manono lithium project — one of the world’s richest untapped lithium deposits. The deal, witnessed […]
The United States has outlined strict conditions for brokering a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), centering on the full withdrawal of Rwandan forces from eastern Congo. A draft agreement, verified by multiple diplomatic sources, requires Rwanda to remove its troops, weapons, and equipment before any deal can be finalized. […]
Africa, home to one-third of the world’s critical mineral reserves, stands at a crossroads: remain a source of raw exports or become a central player in the global energy transition. Despite abundant resources — including cobalt, lithium, copper, and rare earth elements — Africa received just 10.4% of global mineral exploration investment in 2024, down […]
Morocco’s Institute for Transport and Logistics Training (IFTL) has partnered with globally acclaimed researcher Professor Rachid Yazami to develop a specialized electric vehicle battery maintenance program, marking a significant advancement in the country’s green transportation initiatives. The agreement, signed Monday in Nouaceur, establishes a bachelor-level vocational certificate in Electric Vehicle Battery Maintenance designed to create […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the United States are engaged in preliminary talks over a potential minerals-for-security agreement, which could reshape global supply chains for critical minerals. It comes as U.S. president Donald Trump recently vowed to take “historic action” to “dramatically expand production of critical minerals and rare earths.” Under the proposed […]