The world has gone from the simple possession of natural resources to their strategic development in the service of economic and geopolitical influence. In a fragmented world, energy reserves, critical minerals and transit corridors are no longer just production inputs: they are now instruments of power, especially in Africa, which holds nearly 30% of the world’s mineral reserves, including a dominant share of critical resources such as cobalt, lithium and platinum. while still capturing only limited added value downstream. The continent also controls key shipping routes, including those linked to the Suez Canal, as well as major Atlantic corridors through which a significant share of global trade passes. Countries rich in hydrocarbons, rare earths or strategic metals are increasingly using these assets to shape partnerships, attract investment and strengthen their bargaining power in global affairs. Global trade in critical minerals has reached about $2.5 trillion.
Questions:
- Given the strategic importance of many resources such as cobalt and lithium, can the destabilization of several resource-rich countries be seen as a new curse of black gold?
- Is nationalization a viable way to protect a country’s resources?
- How is the issue of resource sharing dealt with within international organizations?
- Strategic corridors are as important as the resources they carry: to what extent does a blockade affect economic power and energy production?
- How can the security of strategic corridors be better guaranteed?
Moderator
Khalid Benhamou, Sahara Wind, CEO
Speakers
- Hirander Misra, GMEX Group & ZERO13, Chairman & CEO
- Amina Benkhadra, ONHYM, General Director
- Tarik Hamane, ONEE, Group CEO
- Reda Hamedoun, Nareva, Executive Vice President
- Thierry Lepercq, HyDeal, Founder of Soladvent and Chairman