South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a historic settlement on minerals and inexperienced vitality with the European Union at a tripartite assembly forward of the G20 summit.
South Africa has signed a Memorandum of Settlement with the European Union to steer in inexperienced vitality and course of important minerals. At a tripartite assembly held in Sandton, Johannesburg, Prime Minister Ramaphosa highlighted that the 2 establishments had agreed to collaborate on important minerals and inexperienced vitality via an unprecedented Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
South Africa indicators memorandum of understanding with EU to advertise mining, pharmacy and inexperienced vitality
European Union and South Africa Partnership #G20 South Africa https://t.co/LkMKAecnL3
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) November 20, 2025
President Ramaphosa met with European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa on the summit. He asserted that frequent targets, belief and credibility foster the present and deepening partnership between South Africa and the EU. He additional introduced that South Africa is prioritizing the transition to inexperienced vitality to guard the livelihoods of these affected by the transition.
South Africa and the EU will collectively extract minerals and course of them on the level of extraction. The settlement will enable his nation to course of minerals domestically and assist native jobs. Mr Ramaphosa stated this understanding would assist South Africa advance the inexperienced vitality and mineral beneficiation worth chain within the important minerals sector. This information comes after Cryptopolitan reported South Africa's illicit gold community was quickly rising.
The President defined that the 2 commerce agreements will strengthen commerce and funding ties between the African nation and the EU. He additionally stated that the settlement will lay the inspiration for regulatory cooperation and identification of strategic tasks in clear know-how, inexperienced hydrogen and important minerals.
Prime Minister Ramaphosa burdened that the settlement particulars assist for inexperienced infrastructure, native manufacturing of vaccines and pharmaceutical provide chains. He stated South Africa and the EU had succeeded in establishing and finalizing a clear commerce and funding partnership. The settlement comes because the European Union implements a provide diversification technique, shifting away from monopolistic sources which have precipitated disruption.
EU pronounces €750 million mortgage plan for South Africa
As we speak we signal the first-ever Clear Commerce and Funding Partnership.
It is a new era of commerce agreements and a blueprint for future commerce agreements.
We may even strengthen cooperation on important uncooked supplies in a mutually useful method ↓ https://t.co/hGGWU8X0fa
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 20, 2025
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen commented Concerning the deal, the EU stated it will make investments 350 million euros to enhance Africa's transport and vitality infrastructure. He added that the funding is a part of Transnet's decarbonization technique below the Simply Power Transition Partnership. He additionally acknowledged that the settlement was the primary signed by the European Union.
He additionally defined that the EU will make investments 330 million euros in a financing package deal for important uncooked supplies, clear hydrogen and batteries. He additionally introduced that the EU would make investments €70 million in South Africa's pharmaceutical trade for vaccine manufacturing.
The European Fee President defined that each Europe and South Africa want inputs to drive the transition to inexperienced vitality. He defined that the way forward for each international locations' economies relies on truthful and dependable provide chains. He additionally stated the partnership will assist broaden South Africa's strategic industries.
Each side defended multilateralism. The settlement got here amid uncertainty surrounding US involvement in world boards. The settlement additionally indicators an intention to take care of a cooperative, rules-based system.
The information follows the EU's announcement of its intention to determine a centralized authority accountable for the event and inventory administration of important minerals. The EU's government vp for industrial technique, Stéphane Séjournet, argued that the plan was geared toward stopping the US from monopolizing the world's key minerals.
He informed the Monetary Instances that the EU had develop into “collateral harm” within the US-China commerce warfare. The assembly additionally precedes the G20 summit to be held in South Africa, and would be the first time an African nation will host the G20.
