African leaders urge local mineral processing at UN summit

At the UNSTOPPABLE AFRICA 2026 summit in New York, leaders called for a fundamental shift in how the continent manages its natural resources. Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio urged African nations to move away from the extraction and export of raw materials, advocating instead for local mineral processing and manufacturing. He emphasized that such value addition is essential for industrialization, economic transformation, and creating employment for Africa’s growing youth population.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres supported this stance, stating that Africa’s mineral wealth must create local prosperity rather than being “plundered” and shipped overseas. Guterres highlighted Africa’s significant economic potential, noting it holds approximately 30 percent of global mineral resources and 60 percent of solar-energy potential.

Beyond resource management, Guterres advocated for systemic global reforms, including permanent African representation on the United Nations Security Council and changes to international financial institutions to better reflect the interests of the continent.