AMSG hosts inaugural High Level Roundtable on Africa’s Natural Resources Shaping the Future on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly on 24 September 2024 in New York.

Shaping the Future with Africa’s Natural Resources
With its vast natural resources and significant reserves of critical minerals, natural gas, arable land etc., Africa has a unique responsibility in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and an indispensable role in the realization of the global energy transition and in combating the climate change crisis.
This Invitation-only High-Level Event will provide a strategic forum for African Heads of State, Ministers, Senior Government Officials, and Private Sector to network, discuss and work together to harness Africa’s vast natural resources and proven critical minerals reserves to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals while catalyzing the economic development of Africa and powering the global energy transition.
Conveners and Keynote Addresses

High-Level Participants (AMSG Member States and Special Guests)





































High-Level Event Programme


Overview: AMSG High-Level Special Event on “Africa’s Natural Resources Shaping the Future”
In 2015, the world resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and to heal and secure our planet. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is the overarching road map for achieving sustainable development, overcoming the multiple crises we face, and securing a better future for all.
Progress has been made, but the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals is in peril especially in Africa and the rest of the global South. Poverty has increased and inequalities widened. Climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution pose immense risks to our natural environment and our prospects for development. The pandemics like Covid-19 and extreme weather events like cyclones, flooding and el-nino weather have exacerbated the already worse situation leading to the declaration of state of disaster by several African countries. The SDG financing gap facing developing countries is growing, resulting in a significant erosion of trust in international cooperation and the multilateral system. We therefore need global solidarity, international cooperation, urgency and renewed vigour to address the pressing challenges facing our world today in order to achieve our shared ambitions for the future.
Today’s generation of young people is the largest in history, with most of them living in developing countries. 60% of Africa’s over 1.4 billion people are aged below 25, making it the youngest continent in the world. Africa is rich in natural resources ranging from arable land, water, oil, natural gas, minerals, forests and wildlife. The continent holds a huge proportion of the world’s natural resources, both renewables and non-renewables.
Africa is home to about 30% of the world’s mineral reserves, 8% of the world’s natural gas and 12% of the world’s oil reserves. The continent has 40% of the world’s gold and up to 90% of the world’s chromium and platinum. The largest reserves of cobalt, diamonds, platinum and uranium in the world are in Africa. The continent holds 65% of the world’s arable land and 10% of the planet’s internal renewable fresh water source.
From electric vehicles to solar panels to future innovations, the global transition to clean energy is set to further heighten demand for critical minerals and rare earth elements. Between 2022 and 2050, demand for nickel will double, cobalt triple and lithium rise tenfold according to the International Energy Agency. Sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to hold about 30% of the volume of proven critical mineral reserves. Africa’s significant mineral reserves, vast unexplored and largely untapped mineral wealth makes the continent more critical in the race to secure the supplies needed to achieve decarbonization and to meet the ever increasing global demand for critical minerals.
With its vast natural resources and significant reserves of critical minerals and rare earth elements, Africa has a unique responsibility in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and an indispensable role in the realization of the global energy transition and in combatting the climate change crisis.
Africa recognises the critical importance of tackling global environmental challenges and crises to the future well-being of the people and planet. However, Africa strongly believes that the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development must be pursued in a balanced and integrated manner and is committed to leveraging its vast natural resources for economic development while protecting the environment, improving the quality of life of its people and supporting the energy transition.
The Special high-level event on Africa’s Natural Resources Shaping the Future” will focus on how to harness Africa’s vast natural resources and proven critical minerals reserves to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals while catalyzing the economic development of Africa and powering the global energy transition.
The role and contribution of Africa in shaping the global energy transition will be underscored. International Cooperation in the minerals and mining sector will be emphasized. Local Beneficiation, Investment, Technology Transfer, Capacity Building, Climate Financing and access to Affordable long-term Financing will be sought as key outcomes. The key enablers of access to finance; policy alignment; infrastructure development; transparent supply chains; capacity building; and reducing emissions through new technology will be addressed.
Local beneficiation of Africa’s vast minerals and technology transfer will lead to the creation of millions of decent jobs for youth and women in the minerals sector, increase capital formation in the industry and boost the contribution of the mining sector to the gross domestic product. Furthermore, developing countries and especially their private sector lack access to affordable long-term financing. Africa’s significant proven mineral reserves can be used to mobilize adequate volumes of patient capital.