Exploiting Africa - How China and Europe hunt for the raw materials of the future | DW Documentary

Key Concepts

Fossil fuel era end, green energy transition, raw materials dependence, Africa's resources, China's dominance, Europe's catch-up, neocolonialism, resource exploitation, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), cobalt mining, artisanal mines, supply chain opacity, human rights abuses, environmental damage, Critical Raw Materials Act, Global Gateway initiative, German Development Agency (GIZ), Namibia, green hydrogen, Hyphen project, energy colonialism, dual approach (renewables and fossil fuels), Nigeria, natural gas, Niger Delta, environmental injustice.

Cobalt Mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

• Main Topic: The video highlights the dark side of the green energy transition, focusing on cobalt mining in the DRC, a crucial material for electric vehicle batteries.
• Key Points:
  • DRC is the world's largest cobalt producer; over half of the cobalt in electric vehicles originates there.
  • Up to 25% of cobalt comes from artisanal and small-scale mines operating in legal gray zones.
  • Miners work in dangerous conditions (30m deep, barely secured shafts) for little pay.
  • Chinese traders dominate the cobalt trade, often manipulating quality and paying low prices.
  • Cobalt from artisanal mines is mixed with industrially mined cobalt and processed in large refineries.
  • Human rights activists Kashala and Buenda confirm that cobalt from unsafe mines enters the international market.
  • European buyers, while avoiding direct involvement in unregulated mines, profit from the cobalt sourced from them.
• Examples:
  • Casadi Kasango's experience as a miner.
  • CDM, a Hawai subsidiary, is identified as a major buyer at Casulu, an artisanal mine.
• Arguments:
  • Europe's attitude is hypocritical, condemning conditions while profiting from them.
  • Researcher Melanie Müller points out Europe's dependence on China for raw materials processing.
• Data:
  • DRC is the world's largest cobalt producer.
  • Up to 25% of cobalt comes from artisanal mines.
• Technical Terms:
  • Artisanal mines: Small-scale, often unregulated mining operations.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Lucian Koi: "The Chinese control nearly everything in mining now. Europe especially Belgium left a vacuum. They've left the field to the Chinese. China has the money and we need it."
  • Patricia Kashala: "Europe's attitude and that of the West in general seems hypocritical. When we trace the supply chains it's clear that most of the end consumers are in the West. It's rather contradictory to condemn the conditions while profiting the most from them."

Europe's Response and the Critical Raw Materials Act

• Main Topic: The video discusses Europe's efforts to secure raw materials for the energy transition and counter China's dominance.
• Key Points:
  • The EU enacted the Critical Raw Materials Act in 2024 to diversify imports and build new partnerships.
  • The EU aims to establish a secure and sustainable supply chain.
  • The Global Gateway initiative plans to invest 300 billion euros by 2027, focusing on development and energy infrastructure in Africa.
  • The German Development Agency (GIZ) is working to formalize and legalize the mining sector in the DRC.
• Arguments:
  • Europe needs to engage more with African elites.
  • Europe should offer quality, sustainability, and long-term engagement.
• Technical Terms:
  • Critical Raw Materials Act: EU legislation to secure key resources for the energy transition.
  • Global Gateway: EU initiative to invest in infrastructure and development globally.
• Notable Quotes:
  • EU Ambassador Nicholas Belanga Martinez: "The model of diplomacy in Africa now has nothing to do with the model that we used 10 15 years ago...[African leaders] know now how to play with us with all of us and try to maximize our uh bilateral presence."
  • Rene Taska (GIZ): "Our goal is clear to formalize and legalize the mining sector. That alone would solve many of the problems."

Industrial Mine in Kesi

• Main Topic: The video shows the negative impacts of a Chinese-owned industrial mine in Kesi, DRC.
• Key Points:
  • Chemicals from the mine have contaminated the soil, causing vegetation to die.
  • Homes have been demolished, and people have been relocated against their will.
  • Blasting at the mine site has damaged remaining buildings.
  • Residents report health problems due to air and water pollution.
• Examples:
  • The confrontation between activists and private security hired by the Chinese mine operator.
  • A resident's house wall collapsing due to blasting.
• Data:
  • 14 major industrial cobalt mines in DRC are mostly owned by Chinese corporations.
• Arguments:
  • Foreigners hold too much power and make the rules.
• Notable Quotes:
  • A local resident: "Everyone here is angry that foreigners hold more power than we do. They make the rules and we're forced to follow them."

Green Hydrogen in Namibia

• Main Topic: The video explores the potential of green hydrogen production in Namibia, led by the Hyphen project.
• Key Points:
  • Hyphen, a German-Namibian joint venture, aims to make Namibia a green hydrogen hub.
  • The project involves building wind turbines, solar farms, and electrolysis plants.
  • Hydrogen will be liquefied and turned into ammonia for export to Europe.
  • The project is located within a protected national park (Tsau //Khaeb National Park).
  • Local concerns include job creation, infrastructure development, and environmental impact.
• Examples:
  • Ricardo Gorseb's role in building local support for the Hyphen project.
  • The presentation on the Hyphen project in Luderitz.
  • The ruins of Kolmanskop, a former diamond town, serve as a cautionary tale.
• Arguments:
  • The European approach to partnerships can feel condescending.
  • Namibia needs to diversify its economy and avoid relying on a single commodity.
  • The project could threaten rare plant species and disturb mass graves from the colonial era.
• Data:
  • The Hyphen project is estimated to cost $10 billion.
  • Luderitz has an unemployment rate of over 50%.
• Technical Terms:
  • Electrolysis: Using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Ricardo Gorseb: "With Europe it must always be a thing of like you're dealing with your kids...partnership really is the conversation and not a savior complex."
  • James Mupa: "When the elephants fight it is the grass that gets trampled on...collaboration with China is almost a systemic necessity that was actually created by the west."
  • Brundo Brown: "Would the German population allow their national parks to be converted into industrial sites to produce energy for them? And would they call that energy green?"

Natural Gas in Nigeria

• Main Topic: The video examines the renewed European interest in Nigerian natural gas and its potential consequences.
• Key Points:
  • Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Africa.
  • Germany is seeking to invest in Nigerian gas production.
  • Concerns exist about corruption, environmental damage, and social inequality.
  • Illegal refineries and pipeline tapping are prevalent in the Niger Delta.
  • Local communities suffer from pollution and health problems.
• Examples:
  • The illegal refinery visited by Tifa Owi and the military.
  • The interview with the CEO of a Nigerian company managing the gas export deal with Germany.
  • King Bubaraya Dolo's description of the impact of oil and gas on his community.
• Arguments:
  • The new European interest in Nigerian gas continues a colonial approach of resource extraction.
  • Local elites are complicit in the exploitation of resources.
• Data:
  • Nigeria earns more than €50 billion annually from oil and gas exports.
  • Life expectancy in the Niger Delta is just 40 years.
• Technical Terms:
  • Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): Natural gas that has been cooled to liquid form for easier storage and transportation.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Nimmo Bassey: "Colonalism is very much alive. He may not have that name but he's alive in geopolitics in unequal relationships in exploitative relationships."
  • King Bubaraya Dolo: "Oil and gas has been a nightmare. We get asphyxiated by it. We do not get the financial benefit from it."

Synthesis/Conclusion

The video presents a complex picture of the global energy transition, highlighting the ethical and environmental challenges associated with the extraction of raw materials in Africa. While Europe seeks to secure resources for a green future, it faces accusations of neocolonialism and hypocrisy. The video emphasizes the need for fair partnerships, sustainable practices, and accountability to ensure that the benefits of the energy transition are shared equitably and that the environment is protected. The cases of cobalt mining in the DRC, green hydrogen in Namibia, and natural gas in Nigeria illustrate the diverse challenges and opportunities facing Africa in the new energy landscape.