Harnessing regional cooperation and collaboration in the development of critical minerals for the green economy, took centre stage, at a webinar organised by Earthnews365 (EN365) on Friday.
Speaking about a strategy relevant to Southern Africa, Nomsa Mbere, Partner at Webber Wentzel, said the development of such, could rake in billions, support infrastructure development and create much needed jobs.
It will take co- planning, by both relevant Governments, private companies and other stakeholders, at all levels of the value chain, from source to the final product.
She said if properly executed, the Southern African Region, could be well placed on the globe, to manufacture renewable energy and electric vehicles, build local expertise and create jobs.
But unity in action, is often hampered by multiple challenges.
The first pointed out by a guest, Mzila Mthenjane, CEO of the Minerals Council of South Africa, is that the Global North has identified which minerals are critical for its green economies, while the Global South has not.
Mbere said her work in the Region, has exposed stark inconsistencies in policies across the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Moreover, logistics also hinder the efficient flow of goods across borders, culminating into money stuck at borders for hours on end.
A lower hanging fruit, could be the development of a unified regulatory framework.
“Proactive efforts to establish regional value chains—connecting mineral-rich nations to markets, processing hubs, and export routes—can ensure that the benefits of the renewable energy boom are widely shared.”
While the risks are immense, together mining companies, policymakers, and private investors could work at integrating value chains, from extraction to manufacturing.
She also referred to the African Critical Minerals Alliance platform, which could be useful to harmonize policies, pool resources and foster joint ventures.
“Sustainability must be at the heart of Southern Africa’s critical minerals strategy. This includes the adherence to stringent ESG standards, climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, ecological footprint of mining operations, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, managing water use responsibly, and rehabilitating environmental impacts.”
Vusi Mabena, Executive Secretary of the Mining Industry Association of Southern Africa (MIASA), said bilateralism is a challenge, requiring political will, especially in the Just Energy transition, in the Region. “How do we not undermine collaboration and rewire, to see ourselves, as a collective?”
Some projects of interest currently underway, are the Lobito Corridor, where a planned railway of 800-kilometres, will be extended to link the DRC and Zambia to Angola’s Port of Lobito. It is funded by the European Union, United States, Angola and the Development Bank (DBSA).
Another is Namibia’s green iron initiative, launched in April 2025. The plant uses solar, battery storage and the region’s largest electrolyser to produce green hydrogen for zero-emissions iron production. It is funded by the EU-Namibia Green Hydrogen Partnership.