South Africa and EU Forge Historic Green Energy and Critical Minerals Partnership

South Africa has cemented a landmark agreement with the European Union to collaborate on critical minerals processing and green energy transition. President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the memorandum of understanding during a trilateral meeting in Johannesburg ahead of the G20 summit, signaling a strategic alignment between the two economies.

The partnership focuses on domestic mineral processing capabilities, ensuring value addition within South Africa rather than raw material exportation. Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission emphasized the shared commitment to sustainable development through this unprecedented cooperation framework.

Ramaphosa positioned the agreement as a safeguard for local livelihoods during energy transition, noting it creates infrastructure for mineral beneficiation. The deal accelerates South Africa's pivot toward renewable energy infrastructure while securing EU access to strategically important mineral resources.