Vice President Constantino Chiwenga told G20 leaders in South Africa that the shift toward green and digital economies will fail unless developing nations extracting lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements receive fair compensation for their resources. Speaking on behalf of President Mnangagwa, he criticized the pattern whereby African countries provide raw materials, yet manufacturing profits and technological advances flow to wealthier regions.
The summit adopted a Critical Minerals Framework designed to guarantee that resource-rich nations benefit from extraction while supporting sustainable development. Chiwenga demanded technology transfers enabling value addition within producing countries rather than perpetuating extraction-only models that leave environmental damage without economic gains.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described the gathering's declaration as affirming multilateral cooperation. World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala urged African governments to strengthen control over their strategic mineral wealth.
The summit adopted a Critical Minerals Framework designed to guarantee that resource-rich nations benefit from extraction while supporting sustainable development. Chiwenga demanded technology transfers enabling value addition within producing countries rather than perpetuating extraction-only models that leave environmental damage without economic gains.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described the gathering's declaration as affirming multilateral cooperation. World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala urged African governments to strengthen control over their strategic mineral wealth.
