New AEF Scoping Paper: Revamping Africa-Europe Cooperation on Transition Minerals

A Strategic Agenda for the AU-EU Partnership

The Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) is pleased to announce the release of a new Scoping Paper, 'Revamping Africa-Europe Cooperation on Transition Minerals: A Strategic Agenda for the Partnership'. Launched in the context of the Ibrahim Governance Weekend (IGW) and presented at the first AEF High-Level Policymakers Meeting on Transition Minerals, this paper marks a significant milestone in strengthening Africa-Europe cooperation in a critical domain where cooperation remains to be deepened.

As the African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) lay the foundations for a new institutional and programming cycle—culminating in the 7th AU-EU Heads of State Summit in 2025—this paper offers a timely and unique resource. It provides both a stocktake of current cooperation on transition minerals (TMs) and a forward-looking agenda to guide future joint action.

• A Unique Resource for Policymakers and Partners
  The scoping paper is the product of an extensive consultative process, drawing on rich insights from a broad range of African and European stakeholders. These include policymakers, experts, industry representatives, and civil society actors who generously shared their time and perspectives.
  The result is a comprehensive assessment of where Africa-Europe cooperation on transition minerals currently stands—highlighting progress, identifying persistent challenges, and capturing the evolving geopolitical, economic, and environmental context in which these minerals are sourced, traded, and transformed.

• Towards an AU-EU Action Agenda on Transition Minerals
  The Africa-Europe Foundation puts forward clear and actionable recommendations designed to shape a robust AU-EU Action Agenda on Transition Minerals. Together, these recommendations outline a new, more balanced model for cooperation—one rooted in shared responsibility, long-term vision, and respect for national and regional priorities - as well as continental initiatives.

• A Call for Coordinated Action
  If implemented with sincerity and alignment between the AU and EU, the proposed actions could help unlock the full potential of transition minerals for sustainable development, while contributing to more local value addition and investment in Africa and greater security of supply in Europe to achieve the triple transitions (green, digital, and defence).

We invite all partners—across public institutions, private sector actors, research organisations, and civil society—to engage with the findings and proposals of this paper. In the lead-up to the 7th AU-EU Summit, the time is ripe to translate ambition into coordinated action.

• Explore the full paper here.