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AFRICAN COUNTRIES ARE ASSERTING THEIR SOVEREIGNTY AMIDST A GLOBAL RACE FOR RESOURCE ACQUISITION: THE ELITE IN THE DIASPORA SHOULD BE READY TO FACILITATE

by Guy Kioni updated on April 30, 2024

The African continent has for long been known as a global natural resource depository, being home to more than 30% of the world’s mineral reserves. Among them, the most critical in recent years have become minerals used for the production of lithium-ion batteries. This includes lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese and graphite. These are cornerstones of the world’s plans for energy transition, driven by ambitious public policy initiatives such as the European Union’s Green Deal and “Fit for 55” program, the US Inflation Reduction Act, and India’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric (FAME) vehicles program, among others, in addition to China’s globally dominant battery production industry that hopes to keep up with skyrocketing demand.

As the US, the EU and India are taking up the mantle to compete with China and build their indigenous production capabilities, countries such as Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Gabon—rich in lithium, cobalt and manganese deposits respectively—are becoming centers for lobbying efforts by delegations from both Western capitals as well as from the East. India, the EU and the US are members of the Minerals Security Partnership, aiming to secure a stable supply of raw materials globally. In addition to courting African and Latin American countries for access to lithium, India is also setting up an ambitious project for the exploration of its own lithium reserves in the north of the country.

 

 

As supply chains created a dependency on the natural resources of African nations, the latter have become increasingly assertive in leveraging their unique position between East and West. Over the past few years, multiple nations have rolled out a series of nationalist policies to increase control over their resources as well as the profits from the sale thereof. This includes Zambia’s policy to closely control the quality of samples at mining sites to be able to collect appropriate royalty revenues, the new Mining Code in the DRC from 2018, increasing taxes on large private sector profits in mining; Tanzania’s reforms that increased the government’s shareholding rights in the mining sector or Nigeria granting mining licenses only to businesses processing the minerals locally, thus creating much needed socio-economic empowerment. African nations are redefining their role as raw material suppliers to key players in supply chain economics.

With the advent of electric vehicles and green energy production and storage methods, China gained monopoly over various mineral supply chains in Africa, effectively deploying its investment tools as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to secure its economic interests. At the forefront of China’s influence campaign has been a package of public relations tactics, establishing contact with local actors and institutions in African countries, adapting to national norms and practices.

However, governments in Africa are pushing back following a recognition of the asymmetrical relationship with China as well as the opportunity that catering to Western interests carries. A case in point is the Namibian government’s pushback against Chinese mining corporation Xinfeng, accusing the latter of irregular lithium shipments out of the country. In 2023, Namibia altogether banned the export of unprocessed lithium and other minerals, a model that neighboring Zimbabwe also followed.

European and American corporations’ ethical business strategies have an opportunity to offer African governments more attractive and equitable contracts with an important focus on ESG.



The sizable African diaspora in Europe—a majority of whom live in France—and members of the new, postcolonial African diaspora in the United Kingdom and the United States present an important business community, capable of bridging the gap between Western and African capitals over the coming years. Through their involvement in state-led lobbying and public relations efforts, they can assist both African countries to increase their profile in international relations and deploy their resource leverage, and Western states in negotiating preferential export and production agreements capable of subverting China’s influence in the lithium-ion battery market.

As Africa gears up to navigate the competition between East and West over natural resources during the coming decade, elite African businesspeople living in Europe, the Americas and the Middle East have an opportunity to play a key role in facilitating geo-strategic engagement by leveraging their cultural understanding of the African continent and extensive network in their native countries. In order to exercise meaningful impact, the African diaspora have a unique opportunity which they must seize in order to establish an impactful international business community with the capacity to influence Foreign Direct Investment flows, trade relations, diplomacy, scientific research and in some respect cooperation in the security field, between countries in America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Guy Kioni is the CEO of Missang, a boutique Geostrategy and Management Consultancy firm that specialises in Critical Mineral, Diplomacy, Emerging Technology, Education, and Healthcare.

Africa, the cradle of humanity, a land that stirs the soul with its mystic allure. My soul chose to be born in a land where golden savannahs stretch far and wide. A land where one can witness the plains come alive with the rhythmic footsteps of herds embarking on their breath-taking migration in a timeless display of resilience and unity. A country that holds beauty, that enchants the senses and ignites wonder.

My land, my motherland Kenya. Born into a Kenyan family of Asian descent, a family that has lived and breathed Kenya and Africa for previous 5 generations, I can only identify as a Kenyan, a proud 6th generation African. Brought up in a family where ‘Being Human’ was the main principal belief. We have been raised with values that don’t differ greatly from those of the thousands of tribes that make up Africa – roots, heritage, family, faith, morals, principles and more.

Many years ago, I stood on stage at a speech writing contest in High School, where I described the strategy behind Muhamad Ali’s glorious win where he “floated like a butterfly, and stung like a bee” against George Foreman, in the fight forever known as the ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’ Years later, never even in my wildest imagination, did I imagine I would be living in the very ‘jungle’ itself, and working in the world of strategic storytelling and encouraging the amplification of Congolese voices and narratives far and wide across the globe from the heart of Africa.

Congo or as it was then called Zaire, a land that was stamped in the memory of the World as the place where Ali fought Foreman and caused a mighty Rumble in the boxing world. A battle that was immortalised in the song ‘In Zaire’ sung by Johnny Wakelin. Congo was a land everyone wanted to know about.

A land that is endowed with all the riches known to mankind. A blessed land, with a rich cultural heritage and a teeming, deserving population. A land sadly destroyed by its colonial past. Which, since its independence, is slowly trying to attain its rightful place in the World. It is here that I arrived five years back.

As I look back on my first five years of living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there have been moments of floating and very often, little stings. I moved to Kinshasa for love. In the beginning, I can honestly admit, it was not love for the city or the country or the people – I didn’t know enough about this 

ginormous country and the 100+ million people that fill its borders – it was personal love. But five years later, I never thought I could love a country and its people as though they were mine. That love comes from the heart that feels the mystic rhythm of the African land, and I couldn’t be prouder to call it home.

You can never shake the ancient dust of Africa off your boots – no matter how far and wide you travel.

Having lived in London for thirteen years followed by a few years in the Middle East, returning to Africa was natural. 

The love for Africa always remains in the soul. Living in the heart and soul of Central Africa, has been an adventure.

The narratives that have filled Western Media have sung a different song for many years, call it geo-politics, strategic positioning, economic control, all things aside, the story of the Congo has never really been told loudly by the Congolese themselves. From the outside looking in, the perceptions are dotted and plagued with negativity, but on the ground, the beating hearts of the Congolese are rumbling a little louder day by day towards progress, and it’s in these slivers of hope, that the true stories are revealed.

The stories that spotlight the young entrepreneur battling to build a viable business, young students carving out their careers currently into untapped and underdeveloped industries, the non-existent middle class that should build the private sector and contribute to its growth and the country’s economy, international investors building projects that create jobs and wealth for the locals as much as it does for the financial interest in the Congo. We can’t talk about changing the narrative of a country when we don’t discuss the positive changes that education, infrastructure developments, economic policies, universal health care, food self sufficiency etc can contribute towards developing Congo.

In Africa, a transformative era is on the horizon as the continent sets its sights on change and development like never before, and country examples like Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya are a testament to these positive changes. A combined drive by the Africans to build an Africa by Africans for a future developed Africa. A daunting task as a fellow African who first arrived in Kinshasa for a two-week trip which quickly extended from month to month and snowballed into creating a business in the field of strategic advisory and communications. It was created around the simple premise – the African narrative needs to be written by the Africans, and the Congolese needed a platform for their voices to be heard as far and wide across the globe.

At the heart of Africa, the center of its soul, the Congolese beats are picking up. Business is quietly picking up, post the first peaceful democratic elections. As the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi embarks on his second mandate, the world waits with bated breath for the promised change and greater development, the impact of which can be felt across the entire population. Whether its infrastructure, governance reform, education, better health, access to basic needs – there are plenty of conversations to be had. Storytelling, an essential part of Congolese culture, an oral tradition that is filled with narratives, stories, and songs, need to be told from the perceptions and opinions of the Congolese.

In the past, and especially in 2023 the power and bias of the international media came to the forefront.

Geopolitics and powerful Media Houses controlled and amplified the narrative that in their perception was important. It’s only natural to question the visibility of certain global issues over another. This raises the question about the impact of our voices when catastrophes and issues affecting an African country are narrated differently. Whether it’s election, unrest or other catastrophes affecting an African country, sometimes the western media does not consider it newsworthy because they do not have an in-depth understanding and information of the issues and disasters that affects this Continent.

There are a lot of positive changes happening as well, and these news worthy developments need to be made a part of the Global narrative. Positive or negative these conversations need to be had openly and who better than the Africans to be at the forefront of this narrative. The true voices of the Congolese need to be heard from their heart and soul and from their perspective. That’s when the true picture of the reality of their lives, struggles and aspirations emerges.

There is a need for a platform where the Congolese voices and the African voices can be heard, where views can be freely given not as a negative but as a positive approach to help bring the DRC to take its rightful place, not just in Africa but also in the World. Is it not our experiences from around the world when put together with like minded individuals – where greatness begins? Where stories and narratives become the basis for legacies.

DRConversations is the platform created as a gift for all the voices that need to be heard, for all the emotions that need to be expressed and to bring forth the dreams and aspirations of a nation on the cusp of development. Join this journey by sharing openly your knowledge and experience to make DRC a happy, positive and progressive Nation.

It’s time for another rumble in the jungle – Welcome to the conversations from the Congo.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             KS