Thank you, Programme Director, Ntate Makwana.
Honourable Minister of Mineral & Petroleum Resources, Rre Gwede Mantashe,
Deputy Minister of Mineral & Petroleum Resources, Ms Phumzile Mgcina,
Deputy Minister of Electricity & Energy, Ms Samantha Graham-Mare,
Chairperson of G20 Task Force One, Ambassador Dave Malcomson,
Traditional leaders and community representatives,
Captains of industry and business leaders,
Representatives of labour,
Members of academia,
Esteemed delegates and colleagues

Good Morning!

 

It is both an honour and a privilege to welcome you to this G20 Critical Minerals Stakeholder Engagement, hosted by the Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources.

As you may be aware, “Harnessing critical minerals for inclusive growth” is one of four flagship priorities under South Africa’s G20 Presidency—championed through Task Force One. Today's engagement is a vital opportunity for government, business, labour and communities as partners, to collaborate in shaping a more equitable, secure, and sustainable global critical minerals value chain.

 

The G20 collectively accounts for around 85% of global GDP and 75% of international trade—placing it in a unique position to align international efforts and influence the future trajectory of critical minerals. South Africa G20 Presidency is therefore an opportunity for us to set global agenda with regard to critical minerals and the role of the African continent.

Under Task Force One, the Department is leading government work to develop the G20 Critical Minerals Framework—a voluntary, cooperative initiative designed to ensure that strategic resources in the form of critical minerals fuel shared prosperity and sustainable development across the globe.

Aligned with our G20 theme of “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability,” the Framework seeks to:

• Rebalance global critical mineral value chains in a way that benefits all nations,
• Promote solidarity among G20 members in supporting resource-rich economies,
• Advocate for greater equality in how mineral wealth is distributed, and
• Champion environmental and social sustainability throughout the value chain.

 

As the only African country in the G20, South Africa proudly serves as a bridge between developed and developing economies. We embrace the responsibility to advance not only our national interests, but also the broader development priorities of the African continent—particularly in promoting inclusive growth and responsible stewardship of our shared mineral wealth.

South Africa is richly endowed with critical minerals. But the true value lies not just beneath the ground—it lies in how we extract, process, and trade these resources, guided by principles of equity, transparency, and long-term sustainability.

To this end, we have also here at home developed a Critical Minerals Strategy, which:

• Identifies key minerals of national importance across three tiers of criticality, and
• Outlines six strategic pillars to drive value addition, localisation, innovation, and regulatory reform.

 

Over the course of today’s engagement, we aim to:

• Share insights into critical mineral development, particularly in light of our country strategy,
• Explore opportunities for regional and global cooperation across the value chain,
• Address pressing social, environmental, and governance challenges, and
• Strengthen partnerships between governments, industry, labour, academia, and communities.

 

Let me once again thank you all for your presence and commitment to this crucial dialogue.

May this engagement today be a catalyst for deeper collaboration—and a stepping stone toward shared progress, both for South Africa, Africa and the rest of the world.

Thank you, and I wish us all a fruitful and forward-looking engagement.