UK and South Africa working in partnership on minerals for future clean energy technologies
Published 23 November 2022
© Crown copyright 2022
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-south-africa-joint-statement-on-partnering-on-minerals-for-future-clean-energy-technologies/uk-and-south-africa-working-in-partnership-on-minerals-for-future-clean-energy-technologies
The United Kingdom and the Republic of South Africa share a common interest in working together on minerals for future clean energy technologies and the energy transition. Both countries aim to deepen their minerals mining and energy collaborations, including through a regular Ministerial and Technical dialogues between the Department for Mineral Resources and Energy (RSA) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (UK).
Working in partnership, both countries aim to promote responsible exploration, development, production, and processing of minerals in South Africa. South Africa is a leading producer of minerals including platinum, palladium and iridium for hydrogen production and vanadium and manganese for battery storage. Cooperation will help to support investment into exploration, production and beneficiation activities, securing and expanding access to minerals that are key for clean industrial and economic development and the global clean energy transition. Central to this is promoting the responsible extraction of minerals and ensuring the sustainability of the mining industry and supply chains through financing, high environmental, social and governance standards, health and safety, and a building a highly skilled workforce.
Additionally, both countries aim to collaborate on clean energies and technologies, including but not limited to battery storage, fuel cell technologies, energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. Working together we hope to identify mutually beneficial projects and related initiatives.
This joint working aims to create an enabling environment for promoting participation of private sector companies, support investment flows into the minerals mining sector and grow new clean jobs, noting that the UK is a leading centre of mining finance, standards, and metals trading.
Both countries will encourage and support partnerships between UK and South African companies across the value chain for minerals and clean energy to grow and strengthen business links to the benefit of both economies.
Working together to pursue this agenda both countries will encourage visits by policy makers and technical experts responsible for the development and implementation of national policies, regulations, projects, and programmes.
Working in partnership both countries aim to collaborate to advance the same agenda at a global level through relevant multilateral fora.