Joseph Chewe, President of the African Federation of Miners and Mineral Wealth (AFMMW), has called on African governments, tribal authorities, and unions to collaborate in developing local mineral processing industries across the continent.
Speaking with The High Street Journal on the sidelines of the 3rd Executive Council Meeting at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, at the opening of the conference, Chewe stressed that Africa’s mineral wealth has historically fueled the development of other countries while leaving the continent with limited industrial benefit.
“The minerals under African soil have long been used to develop other countries. African solutions have been realized, and we now have a role to play to make sure the narrative is changed,” he said.
Chewe highlighted the federation’s approach, explaining that it operates like a union-led company, coordinating mining unions to ensure that extraction and processing contribute to local economies. The message underlined the need for continental unity, urging governments and unions to work together to maximize local value addition from Africa’s minerals.
Chewe emphasized that resources such as manganese, cobalt, lithium, and rare earths should benefit local communities and contribute to industrial development, rather than being exported as raw materials.
Delegates at the three-day AFMMW Executive Council Meeting, which runs from March 26–28, are expected to discuss strategies for union-led participation in mining, promoting occupational safety, and ensuring that mineral wealth supports both workers and local economies.
Chewe’s address signals a growing push among African mineworkers to reclaim agency over the continent’s natural resources and ensure that mineral wealth contributes directly to industrialization, employment, and community development.
