The race to secure critical minerals has become one of the defining strategic competitions of our time — and Africa sits at its center. The continent holds approximately 30% of the world's critical mineral reserves, including minerals essential to global defense, aerospace, and clean energy supply chains — among them cobalt, lithium, graphite, and the rare earth elements underpinning advanced manufacturing and the AI revolution. Yet despite this vast wealth, Africa captures only 10% of the global revenue generated from these resources — a gap that represents both a challenge and an opportunity.  

The United States is moving urgently to change that calculus. Project Vault — backed by a $10 billion EXIM Direct Loan — establishes a U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve designed to shield domestic manufacturers from supply shocks and strengthen America's critical minerals sector. Africa's resource wealth makes it an indispensable partner in this effort.  

This dialogue will convene senior government and private sector leaders to explore how U.S.-Africa critical minerals partnerships can build secure, transparent value chains — moving beyond extraction toward in-country processing, refining, and manufacturing. Panelists will examine how policy frameworks, development finance, and private investment can de-risk projects, promote responsible sourcing, and position critical minerals as a cornerstone of long-term U.S.-Africa strategic engagement.