Africa doesn’t need aid. It needs control over its critical minerals | Business and Economy

The decision of US President Donald Trump’s administration to suspend foreign aid and shut down the USAID agency has sent shockwaves across the development industry. In 2024, nearly a third of the $41bn in US foreign aid went to Africa, helping support various sectors from healthcare to education and sanitation.

But as aid organisations sound alarm bells and government officials wring their hands over suspended programmes, we are missing the bigger picture: Africa’s continued dependence…