The African continent is home to a significant portion of the world’s mineral reserves, with critical minerals becoming indispensable for energy transition and digital revolution. The July 27, 2026 conference on ‘Africa at the Crossroads: Navigating Global Geopolitical Competition in the Era of Critical Minerals’ highlighted the scope of the challenge. Public policymakers, mining sector analysts, and civil society representatives converged to discuss a strategic shift that redraws economic and security balances across the continent.