Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — António Guterres has declared that Africa’s vast mineral wealth must primarily serve the interests of its people, warning against continued exploitation by external powers and calling for fair, sustainable value chains across the continent.
In a statement posted on X on Monday, the United Nations Secretary-General emphasized that Africa should move beyond exporting raw materials and instead develop robust manufacturing and processing industries tied to its critical minerals.
“We must ensure African countries benefit first & fully from their critical minerals through fair, sustainable value chains & manufacturing,” Guterres said.
“No more plundering. No more exploitation. The people of Africa must benefit from the resources of Africa.”
Guterres’ remarks come amid intensifying global competition for strategic minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and gold — many of which are abundant in African countries. Analysts link the scramble for these resources to persistent instability and violence in parts of the continent, including the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and regions of Nigeria.
In Nigeria, the administration of Bola Tinubu has made value addition a central pillar of its solid minerals policy, prioritizing local processing over raw exports in a bid to maximize economic returns and job creation.
The UN chief also urged reforms to the United Nations Security Council, advocating for permanent African representation to reflect the continent’s growing global influence.
“The Security Council must reflect today’s world. This is 2026 — not 1946,” he stated.
“The absence of permanent African seats on the Security Council is indefensible. Whenever decisions about Africa and the world are on the table, Africa must be at the table.”
He called on the African Union to remain a beacon of multilateralism and to champion reforms that ensure fairer global governance.
Guterres’ remarks followed the conclusion of the 39th African Union Summit, where he outlined three priorities for deeper cooperation across Africa: peace, economic transformation, and climate justice.
He called for:
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An immediate end to hostilities in Sudan
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Renewed dialogue in South Sudan
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Respect for the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Across the Sahel, Libya, and the Horn of Africa, he stressed the importance of African-led political solutions supported by sustained international assistance.
The UN chief’s message underscores a growing continental push for resource sovereignty — ensuring Africa’s natural wealth translates into industrial growth, employment, and sustainable development.
With global demand for critical minerals set to rise sharply in the clean energy transition, Guterres’ call signals a pivotal moment for Africa to reshape its role in the global economy — from a source of raw materials to a powerhouse of value-added production.
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