The strategic raw material partnership between the EU and Zambia: Industrial cooperation is key to value creation and long-term collaboration

Diversifying the supply of mineral resources is a strategic necessity - one in which resource-rich countries of the Global South play a crucial role. Zambia, which is a major global copper exporter and possesses other critical raw materials, is seeking long-term alliances that will mobilise investment and promote local value creation. The EU has taken the first step towards cooperation with the strategic raw material partnership. But if it is to remain competitive in the geopolitical arena, a stronger industrial policy foundation will be needed. That includes a coherent raw material foreign policy aligned with the "Team Europe" approach and targeted financial instruments to support industrial cooperation.