Systemic Innovations for Critical Minerals in SADC Draft Strategic Framework

The report argues that the SADC region must move beyond 'business-as-usual' mining models to avoid repeating past failures of fragile growth and inequality. It proposes a transition toward a 'resource-balanced economy' (RBE) and a 'cooperative economy' through five strategic priorities: investing in advanced geological surveying, building mineral stewardship competencies, developing regional value chains, embedding anticipatory governance, and strengthening regulatory transparency. The authors advocate for systemic innovations, including the use of digital currencies to formalise artisanal mining, the creation of a regional metal exchange, and a shift away from US dollar reliance in trade to reduce exogenous shocks.

• The mining industry's shift toward automation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) threatens to disproportionately impact low-skilled workers and could worsen socio-economic conditions in countries with high unemployment.
• Deficiencies in power, transport, and water infrastructure act as significant non-tariff barriers that hinder the ability of African nations to move up the mineral supply chain and implement value-added transformation.
• To reduce foreign exchange rate risks and the influence of advanced economies over financial contracts, the report recommends discouraging borrowing in foreign currencies and pursuing 'de-dollarisation' in international trade.
• The adoption of stable digital currencies and cryptocurrencies is proposed as a means to formalise the informal economy, specifically artisanal mining, while improving tax collection and transaction transparency.
• The report identifies four synthesised domains of change for the future of SADC critical minerals: Institutional Decay, Institutional Renaissance, Greedflation, and a Cooperative Economy.
• The proposed strategic framework outlines five priorities: developing advanced geological surveying, building mineral stewardship for a resource-balanced economy, creating regional value chains, embedding anticipatory governance, and strengthening regulatory frameworks.
• To improve liquidity and attract foreign investment, the report suggests merging small African stock markets into a single regional exchange.
• The report argues for a paradigm shift from a growth-based economic model to a 'resource-based economy' (RBE) that acknowledges planetary limits and prioritizes long-term sustainability over perpetual growth.

APA

CLOETE, D., JENTEL, L., WOLF, N., MZINYATHI, L., BENKENSTEIN, A., & JOSEPH, A. (2023). Systemic Innovations for Critical Minerals in SADC Draft Strategic Framework. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SAIIA_Futures_SR4_SystemicInnovationsCMs.pdf

Chicago

CLOETE, DEON, LETITIA JENTEL, NDEAPO WOLF, LITHA MZINYATHI, ALEX BENKENSTEIN, and ADRIAN JOSEPH. Systemic Innovations for Critical Minerals in SADC Draft Strategic Framework. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2023. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SAIIA_Futures_SR4_SystemicInnovationsCMs.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=CLOETE |first1=DEON |last2=JENTEL |first2=LETITIA |last3=WOLF |first3=NDEAPO |last4=MZINYATHI |first4=LITHA |last5=BENKENSTEIN |first5=ALEX |last6=JOSEPH |first6=ADRIAN |title=Systemic Innovations for Critical Minerals in SADC Draft Strategic Framework |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=September 2023 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SAIIA_Futures_SR4_SystemicInnovationsCMs.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cloete2023systemic, author = {CLOETE, DEON and JENTEL, LETITIA and WOLF, NDEAPO and MZINYATHI, LITHA and BENKENSTEIN, ALEX and JOSEPH, ADRIAN}, title = {{Systemic Innovations for Critical Minerals in SADC Draft Strategic Framework}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SAIIA_Futures_SR4_SystemicInnovationsCMs.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }