Dar es Salaam, April 19 -- AFRICA: AFRICA is at a turning point. As the world shifts towards a low-carbon economy, the demand for critical minerals — such as cobalt, lithium, and platinum — has never been higher. These resources are essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and battery storage, making Africa a key player in the global green transition.

Despite holding vast reserves of critical minerals, African economies remain largely dependent on exporting raw materials. If Africa does not act now, it risks becoming trapped in a new form of resource dependency — what some have called “green colonialism” — in which it is once again relegated to the role of a supplier of critical miner...