By Amin Kef (Ranger)
Sierra Leone’s President and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio, has placed Africa firmly at the centre of global economic discourse with a bold call for a G20–Africa Compact on Critical Minerals. Speaking during a high-level session at the G20 Summit 2025 in Johannesburg on Saturday, 22 November 2025, President Bio underscored the need for fairness, justice and value retention as the world accelerates toward a clean-energy future.
Delivering his address under the Summit’s theme: “Solidarity, Equality & Sustainability,” the Sierra Leonean leader stressed that Africa holds nearly one-third of the world’s critical minerals; resources essential for renewable energy technologies, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence. Sierra Leone contributes significantly to this global mineral basket through iron ore, rutile, bauxite and diamonds. Yet, President Bio cautioned that without new international mechanisms, the continent risks repeating a painful history where Africa’s resources fuel global prosperity while African economies benefit least.
“For too long, our resources have powered global industries while our nations captured the least value. This generation must break that cycle, starting with a G20–Africa Compact anchored in justice,” President Bio said.
He argued that Africa’s role must shift from being a mere supplier of raw minerals to becoming a competitive hub for processing and refining, thereby capturing higher value and generating jobs. His proposed compact seeks to encourage transparent mining contracts, increased investment in local beneficiation and fair revenue models that prioritize African development.
“It is not enough for Africa to supply the minerals. We must process them, refine them and benefit from them. That is how we create jobs, industries and transformation,” he emphasized.
Although the Summit’s broader theme, “Building Our Economy: The Role of Trade, Finance for Development and the Debt Burden”, covered a wide range of global economic challenges, President Bio used the platform to spotlight the geopolitical significance of Africa’s mineral wealth. He reminded global leaders that the clean-energy transition cannot occur without Africa and therefore Africa must not be excluded from the economic gains of that transition.
President Bio also addressed the mounting economic pressures facing low-income countries, including rising debt servicing and tightening financial conditions. He reiterated Sierra Leone’s support for expanded Special Drawing Rights through regional development banks, accelerated debt restructuring and long-term financing for infrastructure, digital systems and trade.
On climate, he delivered a stark message: Africa remains disproportionately affected by climate change despite contributing less than four percent of global emissions. He recounted Sierra Leone’s experiences with flooding, landslides and unpredictable weather patterns that disrupt agriculture. President Bio repeated his call for a West Africa Climate Adaptation Acceleration Facility to support food security, clean energy and coastal protection.
Turning to technology, the President stressed the need for ethical, inclusive and equitable governance of artificial intelligence, warning that global AI frameworks must not deepen digital inequalities. He noted that AI presents immense opportunities for Africa, but only if access and governance are fair.
Concluding his address, President Bio urged G20 leaders to endorse a transformative development compact rooted in justice, transparency and shared prosperity. He reaffirmed that a G20–Africa Compact on Critical Minerals represents not only an economic necessity but also a historic opportunity to correct longstanding global imbalances.
President Bio arrived in Johannesburg on 21 November 2025 for the Twentieth Meeting of the Group of Twenty, where he was warmly welcomed at Lanseria International Airport by senior South African Government officials. This year’s summit is especially significant, marking the first time the African continent is hosting the G20 under South Africa’s presidency. Expectations are high that the event will accelerate Africa’s transformation across trade, industry, technology and the creative economy.
Throughout the summit, President Bio is scheduled to engage global leaders in strategic discussions aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties, advancing Sierra Leone’s development agenda and amplifying Africa’s unified voice on the world stage.
