Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
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why-it-doesnt-make-sense-that-all-informal-mining-is-deemed-illegal. Image: Supplied

Critical minerals new game-changer for DRC economic growth

The Democratic Republic of Congo's vast mineral wealth, including cobalt and copper, is transforming its economy and making it a pivotal player in the global energy transition.…

Does the friction around coalitions signal what’s to come in 2024 – politicians say no (Photo by Gallo Images/Papi Morake)

Legacy Foundations Impact

As South Africa's political landscape faces challenges from declining party leadership and a lack of evidence-based policy, legacy political foundations are emerging as critical…

Botswana signed the Artemis Accords – so why hasn't South Africa?

Botswana recently became the sixth African nation to sign the Artemis Accords, a US-led initiative for peaceful space exploration. However, South Africa, despite its advanced…

How Pakistan became the Gulf's most consequential diplomatic partner

Explore how Pakistan, through the strategic efforts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, transformed its global standing to become a crucial mediator in…

As demand for copper, cobalt and other minerals needed for electric vehicles and renewable energy surges, a new report warns that allegations of human rights abuses linked to mining in Africa are rising even faster

Africa bears growing human cost of the world's rush for critical minerals

A new report by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre reveals that allegations of human rights abuses linked to transition mineral mining in Africa more than doubled in…

External demand: Minerals must do more than leave the continent as raw materials. They must also support industrialisation, technology transfer, skills development, energy access and economic transformation.
 Photo: Open Society

The problem is not China; it’s Africa

A Zimbabwean expert argues that Africa's approach to China regarding critical minerals is outdated, rooted in Cold War politics and anti-colonial solidarity. The article contends…