President Trump's Executive Order Intensifies U.S.-China Competition Over African Minerals
President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at strengthening U.S. defense supply chains by reducing reliance on China for critical minerals. This directive encourages sourcing from domestic and partner-nation suppliers, highlighting Africa's strategic importance due to its vast mineral reserves. African countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Africa, and Zambia, which hold significant shares of the world's critical mineral reserves, are expected to benefit from increased Western investment. The order is part of a broader U.S. strategy to secure critical minerals essential for advanced technologies and defense applications, as China currently dominates global mineral processing. 
