Jump to navigation

Vol 64 No 22

Published 2nd November 2023

China, Europe and the US mull tariff war amid scramble for Africa's green minerals

PREVIEW

Corporate rivalries and geopolitical tensions disrupt markets for electric vehicles | Special Report by Tim Concannon

Expectations for the UN COP28 Climate summit in Dubai next month are muted because their host is a leading fossil fuel economy and because of rising geopolitical tensions.

This year's United States Inflation Reduction Act by President Joe Biden's administration includes hundreds of billions of dollars of green financing in a law to protect US jobs and companies.

Now European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans a similar measure to protect European manufacturers of electric vehicles from what she thinks is susbsidised competition from China. 

Our climate editor, Tim Concannon looks at the implications of these rivalries for African economies which supply many of the critical green minerals. 

For a detailed analysis of these shifts, read our Special Report here: China, Europe and the US mull tariff war amid scramble for Africa's green minerals

Copyright © Africa Confidential 2026
https://www.africa-confidential.com

Prepared for Free Article on 13/06/2026 at 11:16. Authorized users may download, save, and print articles for their own use, but may not further disseminate these articles in their electronic form without express written permission from Africa Confidential / Asempa Limited. Contact subscriptions@africa-confidential.com.

Related Articles

Nairobi vies for green capital status

William Ruto advances his own, and Kenya's interests, but fails to pull in much climate finance from industrial economies

Having spent much of the first year of his presidency staking out the ground as one of Africa's leading voices on climate change and energy policy, Kenya's William...

Who will fund the new fund?

With two months until the November deadline set at last year's COP climate change summit for the 'loss and damage' fund compensating victims of climate change to be...

ICJ climate ruling opens floodgates for billions in pollution payouts

The UN court’s opinion defining greenhouse gas emissions as ‘internationally wrongful acts’ argues for climate finance to become a legal obligation for the main polluting countries

The ruling by the UN’s top court that countries may be held legally accountable for their greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental damage they cause could help reshape...


Stories by country

Footer Map