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Invitation - Virtual Event
Strategic Alliances: How critical raw materials are reshaping European-African relations

Geopolitical tensions, concentrated processing capacities, and supply chain risks are reshaping global access to raw materials, while African countries seek greater domestic value addition and industrial benefits from their resources. These shifting dynamics are redefining European-African relations, with both sides pursuing differing but potentially complementary interests. The event will explore how these interests can be aligned and what conditions are necessary to build resilient, mutually beneficial partnerships in the raw materials sector.

Banner: Invitation to the Panel Discussion

Invitation to the Panel Discussion

HSF

Reliable access to raw materials is crucial for the competitiveness and resilience of European industry and for European strategic autonomy. The geopolitical pressure surrounding access to raw materials, the concentration of processing capacity in certain countries and the resulting risks of supply chain disruptions, are forcing European industry to diversify its sources of supply. Africa is becoming increasingly important as a strategic partner in this regard. 

African countries, on the other hand, have their own interests in resource extraction and processing, aiming to gain a larger domestic share of the associated value addition. And for good reason: with few exceptions resource-rich countries have benefited only minimally from their natural resource endowment. Beneficiation can eventually support the industrialization of African countries.  

As a result, natural resources are also redefining European-African relations. The dynamics between the two continents are changing, as resource-rich countries in the Global South are gaining leverage and asserting their interests with confidence and bargaining power. 

How can the interests of European and African stakeholders from different sectors be aligned? Europe is keen to develop alternative supply chains to promote diversification and professsupport to Africa’s efforts to increase its share of value added in the raw materials sector. But what, exactly, are the prerequisites for such an endeavour to succeed? These are some of the questions we'll be exploring in our virtual event. 

 

Welcome:

Hanns Bühler, Resident Representative, Hanns Seidel Foundation South Africa

Speakers:

* Jakkie Cilliers, Chairman of the Board and Head of African Futures & Innovation, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) 

* Anne Lauenroth, Senior Expert Raw Materials; Federation of German Industries (BDI) 

* Dr. Phemelo Tamasiga, Senior Researcher, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) 

* Melanie Müller, Deputy Head of Research Division Africa and Middle East, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)

Moderator:

Jonathan Kaupenjohann, Expert Sub-Saharan Africa, Federation of German Industries (BDI)

 

Please register here:

RSVP

We hope you can join us and look forward to welcoming you!

 

* This panel discussion is part of the project The Future of African-European Relations * 

The Future of African-European Relations project is a collaboration between the African Futures & Innovation Programme at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Hanns Seidel Foundation and the Megatrends Afrika consortium, comprising the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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