The United States has offered to help Kenya build mineral-processing factories as part of a proposed deal worth about $62 billion, or 8 trillion Kenyan shillings, as Washington seeks to strengthen its access to critical minerals and counter China’s dominance of global supply chains.
The United States will help Kenya develop a critical minerals processing industry, Frank Garcia, assistant secretary of state for Africa, said on Wednesday, as the two countries pursue closer cooperation in mining and mineral processing.
Kenya is considering bids to develop the Mrima Hill deposit on its coast, which is expected to contain tens of billions of dollars’ worth of rare earth minerals and niobium, a metal used in aerospace manufacturing and high-strength steel.
“Critical minerals are a top priority for President (Donald) Trump and Secretary (of State Marco) Rubio, and we are ready to work with Kenya as it becomes a regional leader in this space,” Garcia told a meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kenya.
“We are ready to help you build a mining sector that is transparent and attracts legitimate businesses, respects communities and helps secure global supply chains.”
The proposed agreement would deepen U.S. involvement in Kenya’s critical minerals industry at a time when Washington and Beijing are competing for control over supplies of minerals needed for advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, renewable energy and defense technologies.
China dominates much of the world’s rare earths processing and has tightened export controls on some critical minerals and related products in recent years, prompting the United States and its allies to seek alternative sources and processing capacity.
“If we are serious about rare earths minerals, energy and a stronger America, we do it in partnership, not alone,” Garcia said.
Kenyan President William Ruto welcomed U.S. support for local processing, saying it would help create jobs and retain more value from the country’s mineral resources.
“In critical minerals, we are accelerating the responsible exploration and development of rare-earth elements, titanium, graphite, lithium, niobium and other strategic resources,” Ruto told the same meeting.
The United States International Development Finance Corporation is backing a pipeline of African rare earth projects as Washington seeks to diversify supply chains away from China.
U.S. company Critical Metals Corp and Australia’s RareX said in July they had been shortlisted to compete for rights to develop Mrima Hill. Kenya’s government has not publicly released the full shortlist.
There are six companies on the list, including two from the United States, Harry Kimtai, principal secretary for Kenya’s State Department for Mining, said at the meeting.
Chris Kulukundis, the U.S. acting deputy assistant secretary of state for Southern Africa and critical minerals, said Kenya and the United States had agreed on how the mining sector should be developed.
“The Mrima Hill tender process is moving forward in a transparent manner. We have two U.S. consortia that we believe are going to be able, if successful and if chosen, to develop the project in the correct way,” he said.
Ruto told Reuters in June that Kenya and the United States were close to sealing a critical minerals deal. Neither side provided an update on the agreement on Wednesday.
Garcia said Washington favored a model that would see minerals processed closer to where they are extracted, rather than exporting raw materials for processing elsewhere.
“Some of our competitors are efficient at one thing: pulling minerals out of the ground, whisking them offshore and capturing all value addition far away from the lands from which the minerals originated,” he said.
The push for local processing reflects a broader effort by African governments to capture more value from their natural resources by developing refining, manufacturing and other downstream industries.
China, which has faced criticism from some governments and advocacy groups over exporting raw minerals for processing elsewhere, has rejected such accusations.
For Kenya, the proposed agreement could bring investment in mining and processing infrastructure while giving Washington a potential new source of critical minerals outside China’s supply chain.
Faustine Ngila is the AI Editor at Impact Newswire, based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is an award-winning journalist specializing in artificial intelligence, blockchain, and emerging technologies.
He previously worked as a global technology reporter at Quartz in New York and Digital Frontier in London, where he covered innovation, startups, and the global digital economy.
With years of experience reporting on cutting-edge technologies, Faustine focuses on AI developments, industry trends, and the impact of technology on society.
Omar Victor Diop (Senegal)
Most Famous Photo: Images from his series “Project Diaspora” or “Portrait Session,” which re-imagine historical portraits of notable Africans and Black figures in Western art history.
Short Bio: Born in 1980, Omar Victor Diop is a Senegalese photographer known for his vibrant, meticulously staged portraits that blend African aesthetics with contemporary fashion and historical references. His work often reclaims and reinterprets narratives of Black representation, challenging conventional perspectives.
Landfill Max
\”Reeeelly??\” says Van.
\”Ja\”, says the larnie. \”Check, there\’s someone up front now, I\’ll show you!\”
He starts steering towards the pedestrian, grinning from ear-to-ear, then at the last second he swerves back onto the road. But he hears a terrific \’thud\’, and he glances left to see Van closing the door.
\”What the hell, man!\’ he shouts.
\”Jirrah\” says Van, \”You need to get those sights adjusted, china, If I hadn\’t opened the door, you would have missed him completely!\”
Show Off
Braai – a barbecue [brr-rye] Also known as a barbecue where steak, lamb chops and of course ‘boerewors’ is cooked on a grid over wood and flames. Add some salads, rolls and ‘melktert’ for dessert and you are set for a traditional South African braai.