Congo-Kinshasa: From Lithium to Nickel - How the UN Is Helping Countries Make the Most of Critical Minerals

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a UN News Service report dated 22 July 2026, says the global move toward clean energy is increasing demand for minerals including lithium, nickel, cobalt and copper. The report focuses on how the United Nations is advising mineral-producing countries so extraction and processing support jobs, environmental safeguards and community benefits, rather than only feeding international supply chains.

In Argentina, the UN is supporting dialogue among authorities, companies, workers and Indigenous communities as lithium development expands. The report says that assistance includes provincial financial planning, skills training and efforts to increase women’s participation in the sector. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, described in the report as producing about 70% of the world’s cobalt, UN support is directed at public policy, responsible business conduct and helping local firms join battery and electric vehicle supply chains.

The article also highlights Indonesia’s push to capture more value from nickel through domestic manufacturing, with UN support for industrial standards, cleaner production, workplace safety, green skills and cooperation with other mineral-producing countries. In Kazakhstan, the UN is helping align oversight of critical-mineral supply chains with international standards, address risks linked to crime and corruption, improve labour and mine safety, and explore recovery of materials from electronic waste.

For Zambia, the report says the UN is helping develop a mining skills strategy, prepare workers for mining and battery-related jobs, and support small and medium-sized businesses in emerging electric vehicle supply chains. The broader significance is that minerals central to batteries and renewable-energy systems are creating economic opportunities, but also raising governance, labour and environmental questions for producing countries.