Debt, minerals and power: Closing Africa’s execution gap

Raw cobalt

A conveyor belt loaded with chunks of raw cobalt at a plant in Lubumbashi, DRC meant for export mainly to China on February 16, 2018. 

Photo credit: File | AFP

The 2026 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group exposed a widening gap between global challenges and the capacity of existing institutions to respond.

Wars, inflation, climate shocks, shrinking aid budgets and competition over critical minerals are unfolding simultaneously. Together, they signal a structural shift for Africa rather than a temporary crisis.