Houston, Texas — The U. S. -Africa Energy & Minerals Forum (USAEMF) is set to expand its scope, focusing on critical minerals and supply chain security.
Scheduled for July 21–22, 2026, in Houston, Texas, the forum aims to strengthen U. S. Partnerships across Africa’s resource and industrial value chains.
The shift in focus marks a strategic evolution for the forum, which has traditionally centered on energy, power, and industrial projects.
The increased global demand for copper, cobalt, lithium, manganese, and rare earth elements, driven by electrification, battery storage, AI infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing, has positioned Africa as a critical player in securing these materials.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), rich in copper and cobalt reserves, is at the forefront of this engagement.
The U. S. -DRC strategic minerals framework and the U.
S. -backed Orion Critical Mineral Consortium, supported by the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and private partners, are key to this initiative.
The consortium is pursuing a 40% stake in the Mutanda and Kamoto copper-cobalt operations in a $9 billion transaction.
U. S.
Financing is also expanding across the region, with the DFC managing a continental portfolio exceeding $13 billion to support mining, processing, and transport infrastructure for critical mineral supply chains.
Recent commitments include rare earth, graphite, and potash projects in Malawi, Mozambique, and Gabon, as well as broader investments in Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, and South Africa.
The Development Finance Corporation is also a major backer of TechMet, a U. S.
-supported investment firm valued at over $1 billion.
TechMet is raising up to $200 million to expand copper, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth assets and pursue new opportunities across the DRC and Zambia. These initiatives underscore Washington’s push to diversify battery-mineral supply while positioning Africa as a long-term partner in clean energy and industrial value chains.
Houston’s role as host city reflects the alignment between American industrial capacity and African resource development.
The forum creates a commercial platform capable of converting mineral potential into bankable projects, with Nadine Levin, Portfolio Director at Energy Capital & Power, noting the shift from USAEF to USAEMF reflects a broader move toward integrated energy and mineral development. While critical minerals define the forum’s strategic expansion, the U.
S.
’ longstanding role in Africa’s energy sector remains central. American energy companies are advancing exploration and development across key upstream markets, supporting gas monetization in the Gulf of Guinea, and revitalizing mature production in North Africa.
USAEMF is the leading platform connecting U.
S. Capital and technical expertise with Africa’s energy and minerals sectors.
For more information or to participate at the upcoming forum, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.
Com.
