The European Union has launched its first investment roadshow in South Africa focused on critical minerals, underscoring Europe’s growing efforts to secure supplies of strategic resources needed for clean energy technologies, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and defence industries, as reported by KITCO. Around 200 companies gathered at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange to compete for opportunities linked to €12 billion ($14 billion) in investment commitments pledged under the EU–South Africa Clean Trade and Investment Partnership.
The roadshow marks the first major capital mobilisation initiative under the partnership signed in 2025 and reflects intensifying global competition for minerals such as manganese, platinum group metals, vanadium, and rare earth elements. South African Trade Minister Parks Tau said the country’s goal is not simply to export raw materials but to expand beneficiation, processing, and industrial development at home.
CNBC Africa says the initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify supply chains following disruptions in global energy and mineral markets. David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said the bloc has learned from its previous dependence on Russian energy supplies and is seeking more diversified sources of critical raw materials, with South Africa playing an increasingly important role.
The EU remains South Africa’s largest trade and investment partner, accounting for approximately €46 billion in bilateral trade in 2025 and hosting more than 1,700 European companies in the country. Existing agreements include a €600 million loan framework supporting green energy projects and a €1.48 billion facility to modernise South Africa’s rail and port infrastructure through Transnet. Analysts say the roadshow highlights Africa’s growing importance in global supply chains as major economies compete to secure access to the minerals powering the next generation of industrial and energy technologies.
