China has urged its companies operating in Zimbabwe to strengthen compliance and risk management following Harare’s sudden suspension of raw mineral and lithium concentrate exports. The move, which aims to curb malpractice and retain more value locally, highlights how African governments are increasingly reshaping resource policies. For Beijing, whose industries rely heavily on Zimbabwean lithium—an essential material for electric vehicle batteries and electronics—the shift underscores growing uncertainty in key supply chains. The warning arrives as Ghana advances its own lithium ambitions, ratifying a major mining lease geared toward US-bound supply chains. Together, these developments signal a broader transition as African nations seek greater control over the wealth generated from their natural resources.
Semafor
