Vol 64 No 22

Published 2nd November 2023

China, Europe and the US mull tariff war amid scramble for Africa's green minerals

20 Oct 2023

PREVIEW

Corporate rivalries and geopolitical tensions disrupt markets for electric vehicles | Special Report by Tim Concannon

Expectations for the UN COP28 Climate summit in Dubai next month are muted because their host is a leading fossil fuel economy and because of rising geopolitical tensions.

This year's United States Inflation Reduction Act by President Joe Biden's administration includes hundreds of billions of dollars of green financing in a law to protect US jobs and companies.

Now European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans a similar measure to protect European manufacturers of electric vehicles from what she thinks is susbsidised competition from China.

Our climate editor, Tim Concannon looks at the implications of these rivalries for African economies which supply many of the critical green minerals.

For a detailed analysis of these shifts, read our Special Report here: China, Europe and the US mull tariff war amid scramble for Africa's green minerals

Prepared for Free Article on 30/10/2025 at 03:30. Authorized users may download, save, and print articles for their own use, but may not further disseminate these articles in their electronic form without express written permission from Africa Confidential / Asempa Limited. Contact subscriptions@africa-confidential.com.

Vol 66 No 14 |

Bonn summit exposes rifts and inertia on climate action

8th July 2025

Geopolitical rivalries are sinking the UN treaty to cut carbon emissions and protect developing economies ahead of the Brazil summit in November

The UN’s preparatory climate summit in Bonn from 16-26 June offered a grim portent of what may happen in the main event – the UN COP30 climate summit...

Vol 65 No 23 |

Russian sanctions-busters find a Gambian haven

14th November 2024

A US-sanctioned Russian illegally imported US$29 million worth of diesel to The Gambia, sold it there, and sent the money to the UAE, but the authorities seem uninterested

An Africa Confidential Special Report By Mustapha K Darboe and Andrew Weir

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Vol 64 No 18 |

AFRICA
CLIMATE CHANGE

Who will fund the new fund?

7th September 2023

With two months until the November deadline set at last year's COP climate change summit for the 'loss and damage' fund compensating victims of climate change to be...

Vol 65 No 7 |

Anger as Geneva wins Fund fight

28th March 2024

African officials and climate activists want to reverse the decision to host the Loss and Damage advisory network in Geneva instead of Nairobi. They met in Lilongwe, Malawi,...

Vol 66 No 19 |

Addis summit pushes continent’s green industry ambition

19th September 2025

With climate finance at a premium, delegates focused on bankable projects, trading and refining critical minerals and nature-based initiatives

Alongside the nationalist tub-thumping, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was making a serious point about climate and energy policy when he invited a group of international leaders for...

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