In April 2026, the European Union and the United States signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding establishing a strategic partnership on critical minerals, accompanied by a joint Action Plan for supply chain resilience. This agreement marks a significant shift in transatlantic cooperation on supply chain resilience – with profound implications for Africa, home to vast reserves of minerals essential for the global green and digital transitions.

The MoU formalizes bilateral cooperation across the full value chain – from exploration and extraction to processing, refining, recycling, and recovery, while supporting innovation, investment, and geological mapping. The Action Plan explores trade policies including border-adjusted price floors, standards-based markets, price-gap subsidies, and offtake agreements, aiming to develop a plurilateral trade initiative with global partners.



In this context:

1. How does mineral rich African countries like South Africa read this EU-US partnership?
2. Until recently the defense and mining sectors where uninvestable asset classes and Africa an uninvestable geography. Are European Sovereign Wealth Funds with defense mandate ready to invest in African critical minerals value chains?

With the participation of:

H.E. Xasa Tokozile South African Ambassador to the EU & Belgium and Luxembourg

Frank Bekaert, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Co

Tom Feys, Chief Investment officer, SFPI-FPIM

Jean-Van Wetter, CEO Enabel

Sir Paul Dujardin, Brussels-Africa Hub

Mouctar Bah, Brussels-Africa Hub

Annie Mutamba, Brussels-Africa Hub

Please find here the full programme.

This is an in-person event

(Photo credit: Canva teams)