Dr.Michael Adu Okyere

Dr. Michael Adu Okyere is the Regional Policy Manager at the Clean Air Task Force African team and a research economist with over a decade of experience. His work focuses on critical and transition minerals, including an ongoing study titled “Energy, Climate Change and Development: The Critical Role of Transition Minerals for Africa.” He also works at the intersection of power sector economics, regulation, development planning, and energy policy across African markets. He advises regulators and ministries on transition-minerals policy and on energy issues such as tariff design, grid performance, and aligning Nationally Determined Contributions with National Development Plans. Dr. Okyere has presented at multiple international forums and has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and policy reports. His research and commentaries have appeared in journals such as Environmental and Resource Economics, Applied Energy, and Energy Economics, and in media outlets including Forbes Africa and the Financial Times.

Session Overview

Thursday, 6 November

12:20

Emerging Economies ICC Hall B 12:20 - 13:00

The rise of resource nationalism: emerging economies and the critical minerals trade

Emerging economies rich in critical minerals are asserting increasing control over their resources, reshaping trade flows and, in some cases, implementing protectionist and localised policies. Governments looking to capture greater value and reduce dependency on overseas partners are prioritising domestic beneficiation, ramping up local processing activities while limiting raw mineral exports. As demand for lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements continues to grow, and emerging economies look to secure strategic autonomy, the shift away from liberal trade norms towards resource nationalism is likely to persist. While this may raise questions over market fragmentation, increased investment risk and long-term supply chain instability, it will also present opportunities related to industrial development and infrastructure investment. To navigate this transition effectively, international energy leaders must engage constructively with emerging economies, aligning themselves with local development goals and accepting negotiated access to critical resources. Provided producing countries succeed in balancing nationalist policies with stable, investment-friendly frameworks that support sustainable industrial growth, the transition to a partnership-centric model could help rebalance global critical mineral value chains and support long-term supply resilience.

Attendee insights:

Explore how emerging economies are leveraging resources to increase control over critical mineral value chains while balancing protectionism, investment risk and global supply security.