Esther Imonmion
South Africa and the European Union have signed a landmark agreement on critical minerals, aiming to strengthen industrialisation, green energy, and digital technology development.
The pact was announced during a trilateral meeting on Thursday attended by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President António Costa. Ramaphosa described the partnership as “mature, predictable, reliable, and based on trust.”
The agreement focuses on critical minerals, metals essential for green energy, digital technology, and defence. Under the deal, South Africa will not only extract minerals but also process them domestically, creating jobs and higher-value industries. The EU will support clean-energy and transport infrastructure in South Africa through its Global Gateway investment strategy, including €350 million to modernise transport and energy systems and support Transnet’s decarbonisation under the Just Energy Transition Partnership.
Von der Leyen said the partnership would include “three new major projects” to strengthen collaboration between South Africa and the EU.
Both sides emphasised the importance of multilateralism, signalling a commitment to rules-based global cooperation amid uncertainty over U.S. engagement in international forums.
For South Africa, the deal offers opportunities to broaden its economic base, strengthen local processing industries, and position the country as a strategic hub in global supply chains. For the EU, it ensures access to critical inputs needed for the clean-tech transition.
Ramaphosa said, “We are very pleased … to have a partner like the EU, and where we are able to discuss a variety of matters just this year alone.”
The agreement represents a convergence of interests between Africa’s industrial ambitions and the West’s urgency to secure raw materials, marking a new chapter in Africa-Europe cooperation.