Demand for critical energy transition minerals, including cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium, manganese, nickel, platinum group metals (PGMs) and rare earth elements, could more than triple by 2030 under net-zero scenarios and Africa holds about 30% of the global reserves of critical energy transition minerals. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is a testing ground for Africa’s strategic resolve to reshape its future through deliberate choices, while avoiding dependency and driving transformation, says UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) executive secretary Claver Gatete.