Rare earth strategy provides ‘opportunities for Africa’ as US attempts to counter China

About this episode

The episode discusses the US's new strategy to invest in African mining and processing infrastructure to secure critical minerals and counter China's dominance.

The US is shifting strategy to fund local African processing and mining infrastructure after recognising it cannot yet process the critical minerals it is racing to secure from the continent to counter China. Tom Haslett, managing director of policy for critical minerals at the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), said that unlike China, which had “significant industry backing for both processing and downstream manufacturing”, the US and Europe did not yet have that...

People in this episode

Guest: Tom Haslett

Topics covered

• rare earth minerals
• US strategy
• Africa
• China
• mining infrastructure
• critical minerals

Keywords

• rare earth
• Africa
• US strategy
• China
• critical minerals
• mining
• infrastructure

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: US International Development Finance Corporation

Places: Africa, China, US, Europe

More episodes of News - South China Morning Post

• China’s navy has missiles and drones. Why is it bringing back the ‘big guns’? · June 12, 2026
• Philippines’ belligerence towards China out of step with Asean trend · June 12, 2026
• China missed the World Cup. Its brands didn’t · June 12, 2026
• Suspect dead after West Texas shooting kills 1 and injures at least 9 others · June 12, 2026
• Pope Leo’s plane grounded, so Spain’s king gives him a ride · June 12, 2026
• Elon Musk is now the world’s first trillionaire – what could he buy with all that money? · June 12, 2026