DRC Encouraged to Build Regional and Global Partnerships to Strengthen Cobalt Value Addition
DRC Cobalt Sector: Resource Matters Urges Strategic SADC Partnerships for Electric Vehicle Battery Production
To accelerate the development of its cobalt sector and achieve local processing into precursors for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is being encouraged to establish strategic partnerships, particularly with member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
This recommendation is outlined in a white paper published by the NGO Resource Matters on increasing value addition to Congolese copper, cobalt, and lithium prior to export.
According to Resource Matters, such partnerships align with a broader strategy proposed by the World Bank, which calls on the Congolese government to “identify suppliers of other minerals within the region in order to achieve the production of battery precursors.”
The organization further notes that the World Bank encourages the DRC to consider leveraging the anticipated growth of South Africa’s automotive manufacturing sector.
This approach would help secure continental demand for future value-added products originating from the DRC within the electric vehicle battery value chain.
In addition to regional cooperation, the document highlights the importance of exploring strategic partnerships with electric vehicle manufacturers and battery producers beyond Africa. Countries such as Germany and Kenya are cited as potential partners in this regard.
Among the policy measures proposed, Resource Matters emphasizes the importance of negotiating state control over the marketing of a portion of mineral production from joint ventures, in proportion to government equity participation.
According to the organization, this approach has already demonstrated its effectiveness in the copper and cobalt sectors through a strategy implemented by Gécamines during negotiations with its Chinese partners, CMOC (Tenke Fungurume Mining) and China Railway Group (Sicomines).
