Africa: Guterres to the continent – 'No more plunder,' the fight to reclaim value
At the Unstoppable Africa event in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an end to the 'plunder' of African resources. He cited data that Africa holds about 30% of global critical minerals and 60% of the best solar potential, yet receives only about 2% of global clean-energy investment. He also urged reform of the international financial architecture, which he said was 'created by the rich, for the rich,' and backed permanent African seats on the UN Security Council.
Why it matters: This matters for the critical minerals theme because it connects Africa's mineral wealth to the broader question of who captures value in the energy transition and global governance.