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

What the report says

A UN News Service report distributed by AllAfrica says the global transition to cleaner energy is sharply increasing demand for critical minerals including lithium, nickel, cobalt and copper. The report, dated 22 July 2026, focuses on how United Nations agencies are advising mineral-producing countries so extraction supports jobs, environmental protection, local communities and domestic economic gains, rather than only feeding international supply chains.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which the report says produces about 70 percent of the world’s cobalt, UN support is aimed at linking mineral wealth to broader development. The article says this includes work on public policy, responsible business practices and helping local firms enter battery and electric vehicle supply chains. In Zambia, the UN is supporting a mining skills strategy, worker preparation for mining and battery-related jobs, small-business participation in electric vehicle supply chains, and safer, more formalized artisanal and small-scale mining.

The report also cites examples outside Africa. In Argentina, UN-backed efforts are focused on dialogue among authorities, companies, workers and Indigenous communities as lithium development expands, alongside financial planning, skills training and greater participation by women. In Indonesia, the UN is helping with industrial standards, cleaner manufacturing, local value addition and workplace safety in the nickel sector. In Kazakhstan, support includes stronger oversight, alignment with international standards, mine safety, labour standards and efforts to recover materials from electronic waste.

The development matters because minerals used in batteries and renewable energy systems are becoming strategically important. The UN’s stated approach, as reported, is to help countries capture more value while reducing social, labour and environmental risks tied to rapid mining growth.