The Fight for Africa's Resources

Trump has set about inking deals with the continent's leaders to counter China's outsized influence

- by AMIR DAFTARI

AFRICA’S VAST MINERAL WEALTH is reshaping global power dynamics in the 21st century, spark- ing a new geopolitical contest between China and the United States.

While Beijing has long held a dominant position in trade across the continent, the emerging fight for control over resources crucial to electric vehicles, renew- able energy and defense systems signals a high- stakes shift. The scramble for these raw materials is more than an economic rivalry; it’s a contest for technological leadership and strategic autonomy in a rapidly changing world.

Africa holds nearly 30 percent of the world’s proven reserves of min- erals like cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements. As global demand surges—expected to increase any- where from two to 10 times by 2050—the conti- nent’s resource wealth is emerging as a linchpin for global technological and economic futures. This shift elevates Africa from a supplier of raw materials to a central player in the strategic competition between global powers.

China's economic footprint in Africa has expanded dramatically over the past two decades. The country's investments in infrastructure, from railways to ports, have cemented strong trade ties.

According to Visual Capitalist, almost all African countries now conduct more trade with China than with the U.S. This dominance is clear, with China's trade volume in Africa vastly outpacing that of the U.S., setting the context for an intensifying rivalry across multiple economic fronts.

In 2003, China was the top trading partner for 18 African countries—just 35 percent of the continent. Two decades later, that number has surged: by 2023, 52 out of 54 African nations (97 percent) traded more with China than with the United States.

In 2024, China-Africa trade reached $295 billion, a 6 percent increase from the previous year.