Srinagar, Nov. 30 -- When Ibrahim Traore addressed the Russia-Africa Summit in July 2023, his message resonated beyond his role as Burkina Faso's 35-year-old president. His central argument demands attention from every developing nation, including India: Africa's poverty exists not despite its mineral wealth, but because of it.

Africa holds 30 percent of global mineral reserves. The Democratic Republic of Congo produces two-thirds of the world's cobalt. Yet four in ten Africans live below the poverty line. This paradox mirrors patterns India experienced during colonial rule and continues navigating today.

The Resource Curse Mechanism

Economists document the resource curse-natural resource abundance correlating with slower economic grow...