In light of current geopolitical tensions, questions concerning the resilience of strategic supply chains have moved to the centre of Europe’s political discourse. Mineral resources are in particular focus due to their key role in almost all industrial processes and increasing demand for the green and digital transformation. Currently, European states are sourcing the vast majority of minerals from third countries – primarily from China. Both Germany and the EU have a vested interest in reducing high and potentially precarious dependencies in raw material supply chains to ensure a sustainable supply of strategic resources such as lithium, cobalt, or rare earths.
The German Raw Materials Strategy and the recently adopted EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA, 2024) set the scene for a coherent raw materials policy that not only strengthens Europe’s capacity for mining, processing, and recycling, but also promotes the diversification of suppliers. This includes the establishment of strategic partnerships with mineral-rich third countries. Against the backdrop of increasing global demand and geopolitical competition for critical minerals, resource-rich countries in the Global South find themselves in an improved negotiating position: they demand opportunities to increase local value in order to benefit more from their domestic raw mineral extraction. To ensure sustainable and resilient supply of resources, Germany and the EU must therefore make attractive cooperation offers to potential partners.
The project investigates how German and European actors could shape future cooperation with mineral-rich countries, with a particular focus on the foreign policy dimension of raw material cooperation on the European level. The project focuses on countries that already cooperate with Germany and the EU, as well as on potential future cooperation partners. Special geographical attention is placed on African countries.
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The project collaborates closely with the Research Network Sustainable Global Supply Chains.
Duration: February 2024 – September 2025
The project is funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
