WTO Chief Warns UN About Critical Mineral Conflicts

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, warned the UN Security Council that the rising global demand for critical minerals has triggered poverty and violence in resource-rich nations, specifically within Africa. She argued that these materials are now viewed as strategic assets and sources of interstate competition, which risks trapping developing economies in low-level production while profits and technology are exported.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres supported these warnings by detailing how illegal mining and smuggling of rare earths, nickel, cobalt, and lithium benefit armed groups in eastern Congo. He further noted that gum arabic and gold are fueling the conflict between paramilitary forces and the government in Sudan.

To combat these trends, Okonjo-Iweala proposed that developing nations prioritize local processing and value addition. She urged these countries to strengthen the international rule of law and collaborate to shift their economies from exporting raw materials to producing finished goods and attracting investment.