Running discussion on SP, page-69366

CATH have secured 50% for life of the mine Roche Dure...CATL>Yibin 10MTPA
Does Suadi Arabia have secured long-term lithium supply ? NO
Certainly have the funds and connections.
Carrier De Lest is available ...
BOSCH / Arab Bank Economic Development Fund has $$$20 billion plus under its management.
ALL IMO
mce-anchorWhat is the DRC Battery Council

The main objective of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s DRC-Africa Business Forum in 2021 was to foster “the development of a battery, electric vehicle and renewable energy value chain and market in Africa”.
The DRC-Africa Business Forum – after two hours of roundtable debate – brought together high-level stakeholders to form the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Battery Council with three strategic objectives:

• Support value creation of strategic minerals in Africa and strengthen productive capabilities in the battery value chain, to generate job creation on the continent via the battery value chain;
• Ensure a socially, environmentally responsible and sustainable battery value chain, which improves the lives of women and the youth; and
• Encourage local and African champions to invest in the battery industry.

The council intends to set up a special financial vehicle to facilitate private investments and the participation of the population, and will also:

• Leverage partnerships to attract and promote investment and innovation and technology for the transformation of Africa’s strategic minerals;
• Accelerate intra-African trade, skills building and research to unlock innovation along the battery value chain leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA);
• Collaborate to promote extensive partnerships and far-reaching exchanges of innovative ideas to ensure that the battery value chain is sustainable and accrues value to the local economy;
• Catalyse, fast-track and scale up action towards the vision; and
• Facilitate the generation of evidence-based studies, data, information on the battery value chain in the DRC and Africa.

The council’s goals have garnered support from the UN Economic Commission for Africa, which champions economic cooperation among its member states.
“The DRC is at the heart of the battery value chain, as it is home to about 70% of world's cobalt reserves,” UN Under-Secretary-General and executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa Vera Songwe said.
“The country’s mining sector currently accounts for 98% of exports, 18% of GDP and 11% of jobs.
“If the DRC captures 20% of the market share for battery production, it will add around US$54 billion to its income and raise its GDP tremendously.”
The head of state of the DRC and current chair of the African Union Commission (AU), Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, also expressed his enthusiasm for the council to begin pursuing its goals: "The machine is now launched, it is necessary to start right after this forum."
mce-anchorWho’s involved?

The key participants included representatives of Zambia, Tanzania and Morocco, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, African Union Commission and Afreximbank.
Other organisations included Africa Finance Cooperation, African Development Bank Group, Bosch Africa, The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, and AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX:AVZ).
AVZ Minerals was the only aspiring mining company to be invited to the forum, which managing director Nigel Ferguson sees as a logical choice.
“We're sitting with one of the globally significant lithium and tin resources and the current geopolitical climate is gaining greater focus on green technology,” Ferguson said.
“The Australian Ambassador visited just recently and she said the DRC President, Felix Tshisekedi, was very keen on having more Australian companies come and do business in country because we've got a very good reputation for our technical expertise, our transparency and our professionalism.
“We also recognise the importance of having a local community that's realising benefit from a national asset.”
AVZ Minerals has built its brand on a near ‘zero emissions’ operation, with an independent greenhouse gas assessment confirming the Manono Lithium and Tin Project could have one of the lowest carbon footprints of any hard rock lithium mine in the world.
“The DRC and Africa are strategically positioned to play a pivotal role in the global transition to clean energy and decarbonisation and the Manono project will greatly assist to improve the fortunes of the Congolese people, which AVZ Minerals is very supportive (of),” Ferguson commented.
mce-anchorChallenges to be overcome