Global Powers Race for Critical Minerals: WTO Flags Risk of Locking Nations Into the Lowest Level of Production

Surging global demand for “critical minerals” is fueling both opportunity and conflict, the head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) warned in comments to the U.N. Security Council.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said the minerals needed for technology — ranging from smartphones to fighter jets — are increasingly seen as strategic assets rather than ordinary commodities. As major economies rush to secure supplies, there is a risk that conflicts will rise and that developing countries could become trapped in low-value extraction while higher-value processing, technology, and profits concentrate elsewhere.

Table of contents

Low-Value Mining Poses Harm

Implications on Global Trade

Trusted e-Marketplace to Navigate Supply Chain Volatility

Low-Value Mining Poses Harm

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres added that competition for minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths has benefited armed groups through illegal mining and mineral smuggling, particularly in eastern Congo. He also pointed to Sudan, where fighting between government and paramilitary forces has been fueled by exploitation of natural resources including gold and gum arabic, contributing to atrocities and displacement.

Source: The Associated Press

Implications on Global Trade

Global buyers and suppliers from various industries should expect tightening scrutiny on sourcing and traceability (anti-illicit mining, anti-smuggling, labor and governance risk). Build procurement strategies that prioritize verifiable origin, staged contracts that reward local value-add, and diversified supply chains.

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