Mining for shared prosperity
Africa is huge, with a lot of untapped resources, especially critical minerals which are essential for the global energy transition and other strategic applications. Despite this wealth, many African countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, are among the most disadvantaged, mainly exporting unprocessed resources. At the same time, a profoundly endogenous and probably inescapable movement is developing, mutating and expanding, rooted in the immense desire and deep aspirations of Sub-Saharan African countries to be masters of their own destiny and natural resources, and to benefit more from the exploitation of their wealth.This thesis explores sustainable mining practices and critical minerals geopolitics in Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing local value creation and shared prosperity. The author proposes practical strategies, tools, and models like the “Baobab Model” to align corporate and geopolitical interests with local community and environmental needs. The “Baobab Model” offers ten criteria to guide policymakers and industry leaders in creating equitable critical mineral policies that support energy transition and local development. This thesis also offers opportunities for scholars to further explore the nexus between social impact assessment, critical minerals geopolitics, and shared prosperity.