As the 119th Congress wraps up its final sessions before the August recess, senators turned their attention Wednesday to securing U.S. access to critical minerals in Africa, an increasingly urgent priority amid global competition.
“The economy, the energy transition and even the defense supply chains depend on the Chinese Communist Party. The United States relies heavily on China to refine critical minerals, even those that originate in Africa,” Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said during a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy hearing.
With demand for lithium, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements expected to soar over the next decade, the United States is seeking strategic alternatives to its current dependence on China-dominated supply chains.
Africa, home to roughly 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves, has emerged as a central focus of this reorientation.
“We are in crisis, and not enough people recognize the crisis that we’re in. It demands action. We know the strategic work of these materials,” said Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. “I believe the United States is trailing behind in this global competition and not exercising strength, power and focus.”
The hearing revealed a bipartisan consensus on the need to deepen diplomatic and commercial engagement with African countries to ensure long-term access to these materials. Countries of particular importance are South Africa, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania.
“The extraction processing and refining and manufacturing of critical minerals is complex, but it is also an opportunity to shape the U.S. and reshape U.S.-Africa relations from aid-based to investment led engagement,” Cruz said.
Senators emphasized that minerals are not merely commodities, but also strategic assets tied to national security, defense readiness and industrial competitiveness. As the United States accelerates its investments in electric vehicles, grid storage and advanced manufacturing, the need for a diversified and reliable supply of critical minerals has taken on new geopolitical weight.
Still, Democratic senators warned that this effort cannot succeed without consistent diplomatic engagement.
“The Trump administration terminated labor, environmental and peace building programs that supported vulnerable communities in conflict areas where critical minerals become source of corruption and destruction,” Booker said.
Several African countries still lack confirmed U.S. ambassadors and the role of assistant Secretary of State of African affairs remains vacant, hampering relationship-building at a time when it is most needed, he said.
Despite bipartisan support, the Trump administration previously proposed a 77% cut to the Millennium Challenge Corp.’s budget, raising questions about the U.S. commitment to sustained economic engagement in the region.
The Millennium Challenge Corp. is a U.S. foreign aid agency created by Congress in 2004 to promote economic growth and reduce poverty in developing countries.
Source: upi