Namibia on Tuesday signed an agreement with Japan to jointly explore rare earth minerals as part of Japan’s plan to develop supply chains for cobalt and other minerals used to make electric car batteries.
Namibia’s state mining company Epangelo will cooperate with Japan’s Metals and Energy Security Organization, a spokesman for Namibia’s mines and energy ministry said.
Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan’s minister of economy, trade and industry, has been visiting five countries with significant rare earth minerals, including Namibia, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to try to establish an African supply chain for the crucial minerals.
Japan, like other countries, is seeking to depend less on China, which dominates the supply of minerals for batteries.
Earlier in 2022, Namibia signed an agreement to supply rare earth minerals to the EU.