Opinion | Trump’s Africa policy zeroes in on minerals and militarism
On April 4, Beijing expanded its export controls to include seven types of medium and heavy rare earth elements, materials critical to advanced manufacturing, defence systems and clean energy. Amid a wave of tariff escalations between the United States and China, the announcement spotlighted the deeper contest behind the headlines: the race to dominate global critical mineral supply chains.
At the centre of this geopolitical battleground lies the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to some of the world’s richest reserves of cobalt, copper and other strategic minerals. In a move emblematic of shifting US policy, the Trump administration has reportedly entered negotiations with Kinshasa on what some officials have described as a “minerals-for-security” agreement.
The proposed deal would grant US firms privileged access to Congolese mineral assets in exchange for military support aimed at stabilising the country’s conflict-ridden east. It marks a significant step in US engagement with Africa’s mining sector – one that reflects both a reaction to China’s entrenched presence and a recalibrated doctrine under the Trump administration.
This is not the US’ first foray into Africa’s critical minerals landscape. When Joe Biden was US president, American engagement was framed in the language of partnership, climate cooperation and development. The goal was to reduce US dependence on Chinese supply chains for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and renewable technologies while supporting Africa’s industrial ambitions.
The flagship initiative of this approach was the US$5 billion Lobito Corridor, a railway backed by the US and the Group of Seven linking Angola’s Atlantic coast to copper and cobalt belts in DR Congo and Zambia. This infrastructure project offered a transparent, high-standard alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. In 2022, Angola awarded the concession to a Western-led consortium over a Chinese bidder, underscoring a growing appetite for diversification.
Under Biden, the US also signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding in 2022 to establish an integrated EV battery supply chain with the DR Congo and Zambia. These efforts aimed not just to source minerals, but to help African nations ascend the value chain. Biden’s bet was that American capital, technology and standards could compete – and win – on their own merit.