The African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals, H.E. Francisca Tatchouop Belobe, has called on African countries to prioritise local mineral processing and industrial development rather than continue exporting raw mineral resources.
She said Africa must strengthen its capacity to determine its own mineral development priorities, coordinate policies and build competitive industries capable of transforming the continent’s mineral wealth into economic prosperity.
Speaking at the African Minerals Policy Centre’s 2026 Mining in Motion Forum (AMPF-MiM 2026), Ms Belobe said the continent had immense mineral resources but continued to struggle to translate that wealth into industrial value and prosperity for its people.
“We have immense mineral wealth yet insufficient industrial value and prosperity for our people. Our ambition must be to move from minerals to materials, from materials to markets and to competitive African enterprises,” she said.
Ms Belobe said Africa’s mineral development ambitions were aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and its Mineral and Commodity Development Agenda.
She called for stronger continental leadership to enable African countries to determine their own priorities and shape partnerships governing the exploitation of their mineral resources.
According to her, while major economies are developing critical mineral strategies around their industrial priorities, Africa must also define its own agenda rather than allow external interests to determine how its resources are developed.
“Africa must not only own its mineral resources. It must also own its own narrative around its mineral resources. It must define the priorities and shape the partnership that determines how these resources contribute to its inclusive development,” she said.
The Commissioner cited the African Green Minerals Strategy, adopted in 2025, as one of the instruments intended to advance the continent’s ambitions by placing African industry, energy security and regional value chains at the centre of mineral development priorities.
However, she stressed that the continent must translate its policies and strategies into tangible investments and practical action.
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Ms Belobe expressed concern that while other countries were building industries around Africa’s mineral resources, many African countries continued to export the resources without sufficient local processing.
She also pointed to fragmented national policies and strategies as a challenge, urging African countries to speak with one voice in negotiations and engagements with international partners.
“While countries are building on the minerals, we are just exporting. While countries are planning on Africa’s minerals, we are still divided in our policies and strategies. Let us speak with one voice so that we can leverage our union towards the world,” she said.
Ms Belobe maintained that Africa’s challenge was not a lack of natural resources or vision but the need to strengthen its ability to set priorities, act collectively and develop the productive capacity required to create value from its mineral wealth.
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“The Africa we want will not be built on mineral exports alone. It must be built on the industries, technologies and the African enterprises that our mineral wealth makes possible,” she added.
