U.S. targets East African critical minerals to secure supply chains

As global demand for critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, and rare earths surges, securing resilient and diversified supply chains has become a top economic and geopolitical priority for Washington. In East Africa, United States policy is shifting toward direct off-take agreements, strategic development finance, and regional infrastructure investments to mitigate reliance on foreign competitors. To break down how these trade frameworks, local processing initiatives, and geopolitical risks intersect across the East African Community, CNBC Africa is joined by Declan Galvin, Managing Director at Exigent Risk Advisory.