<p>"The Communication ‘Towards a comprehensive Strategy with Africa’ adopted last March recognises the need of ‘enhanced cooperation between the EU and Africa on a responsible raw materials sector, secure and clean industrial value chains, respecting ambitious environmental and climate standards’. The action plan on critical raw materials proposes developing strategic international partnerships and associated funding to secure a diversified and sustainable supply of critical raw materials, including through undistorted trade and investment conditions, starting with pilot partnerships with Canada, interested countries in Africa and the EU’s neighbourhood in 2021. This panel will aim to mobilize the EU industry and raising its awareness on the ambition of developing strategic partnerships with a number of African countries. These partnerships will build industrial value chains’ integration between the EU and African countries and cover extraction, processing, refining and metal recycling. Partnerships aim at improving the sustainability and create value added in the raw materials sectors in Africa, as drivers for economic and social development and to deliver on the energy transition and the green economy. Outcome of the panel will build on the EU-Africa Business Forum."</p>