Strategic cooperation: Germany relies on raw materials partnerships with Africa!

Strategic cooperation: Germany relies on raw materials partnerships with Africa!

The collaboration between the Technical University of Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF) and African partners has taken a significant step forward. At the end of March 2025, a conference took place at the University of Zimbabwe, which was led by TUBAF professors, including Holger Lieberwirth, Helmut Mischo, and Carsten Drebenstedt. As part of this event, Drebenstedt signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Zimbabwe on behalf of Rector Klaus-Dieter Barbknecht. This agreement is a far-reaching declaration of intent for cooperation in research and teaching, which provides for exchange programs for employees and students as well as conferences, lectures and joint publications for the next five years.

This new collaboration not only strengthens existing partnerships in the region, including the countries of Mozambique, South Africa and Namibia, but also highlights the strategic importance of the collaboration. Drebenstedt emphasizes the relevance of such relationships for ensuring Germany's supply of strategic raw materials and training in raw material supply chains.

Expansion of international master's programs

In another development, the University of Mining and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa, Ghana, has been accepted as the 15th partner in the international master's program “Advanced Mineral Resource Development” (AMRD). UMaT is the second African partner to be integrated into this map alongside Taita Taveta University in Kenya. The AMRD program offers students the opportunity to complete courses at several universities in Europe, Asia or Africa, leading to a multiple degree. This network of universities not only promotes academic exchange, but also opens up international perspectives for students.

Helmut Mischo, who previously taught at the Namibia University of Science and Technology, highlights the organically grown connections between TUBAF and African educational institutions. These collaborations not only offer students the opportunity to gain international experience, but also support local industries by commissioning relevant theses.

Long-term partnerships and scholarship programs

A notable example of TUBAF's long-term efforts in Africa is the scholarship program with Mozambique, which has existed for over a decade. Every year, up to ten prospective students are supported who receive language courses and study in the field of mining sciences. These scholarships are an essential part of efforts to promote academic exchange and educational development in the region.

Although there are currently no official collaborations with Zambian universities, the historical connection cannot be overlooked. Since 1952, a total of eleven Zambian students have studied at the Bergakademie Freiberg, including Veston Malango, the managing director of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia.

Raw material aid and human rights issues

At the same time, FIAN Deutschland e.V. is investigating the effects of Germany's aluminum demand on human rights in a bauxite mine in Guinea. These investigations show that displacement and serious human rights violations are occurring in the affected areas. To raise awareness of this issue, FIAN has developed new educational methods aimed at teenagers aged 16 and over and young adults.

The educational module includes interactive scenarios that address the challenges and human rights violations in the context of bauxite mining in Guinea. The aim is to promote openness towards raw material requirements and unregulated supply chains, as well as to provide the basics of human rights and insights into the supply chain law debate.

These issues are particularly relevant given geopolitical tensions, which require increased attention to the resilience and stability of strategic supply chains in the EU. Historically, European countries have sourced a large proportion of their raw materials from third countries, particularly China. Therefore, Germany, supported by the German Raw Materials Strategy and the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), has the goal of reducing dependencies in the raw material supply chains and ensuring a sustainable supply of raw materials, including in cooperation with African countries.

As part of planned projects, Germany is examining the design of cooperation with mineral-rich states, with a focus on the political dimensions and external relationships in relation to raw material cooperation. The European Union aims to make attractive cooperation offers to potential partner countries in order to increase local added value and generate synergistic effects in the supply of raw materials.