The global transition to clean energy and advanced technologies has made critical minerals a cornerstone of economic security. As international markets rush to secure stable, resilient supply chains for lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper, African nations are leveraging their vast resource wealth to demand a shift from raw extraction to domestic processing. This panel explores how African governments, global investors, and mining companies can align diplomacy and trade to secure supply chains, structure bankable joint ventures, and drive local industrialization.