In its rush to secure and build America¡¯s electric vehicle and battery-supply chains, the U.S. government is reaching far and wide, splashing out billions in commitments. But the desperation is leading it astray.
Last week, the State Department quietly released a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed in December to support a commitment between the Democratic Republic of Congo, or the DRC, and Zambia to build a ¡°productive supply chain, from mine to assembly line.¡± The agreement, in theory, is meant to drive investment and ensure the private sector has a ¡°level playing field¡± in projects.
It¡¯s turning to Africa for obvious reasons: An abundance of raw materials. Almost 70% of the world¡¯s cobalt ¡ª a key ingredient in certain types of batteries ¡ª is mined in the DRC, where nearly half of the world¡¯s reserves are located. Zambia is one of the largest producers of copper, used for other important components. The U.S. also imports copper from the DRC, the third-largest producer of the metal.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.