Unlocking Equitable Minerals Value Addition
Key Outcomes from South-South Inter-Governmental Dialogue, Indonesia, 30 November – 4 December 2025
Government delegations from 10 mineral-rich countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America gathered in Bali, Indonesia in December 2025 for a South-South inter-governmental dialogue on unlocking equitable mineral value addition. Co-organized by Indonesia’s National Economic Council and the Natural Resource Governance Institute, the dialogue aimed to generate shared lessons and strengthen how countries capture value from minerals critical to the energy transition.
The dialogue brought together officials from Chile, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Indonesia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, the Philippines, Zambia and Zimbabwe, alongside representatives from international organizations, research institutions and development agencies. Discussions focused on how governments can enhance the contribution of their mineral sectors to sustainable development, including through greater domestic value capture, technological upgrading and more equitable participation of local communities.
This outcomes document captures the main areas of convergence that emerged from those exchanges. Participants emphasized the need to move beyond project-by-project approaches toward integrated national strategies, tailor value addition efforts to country context, strengthen coordination across government, and engage more effectively with citizens and investors. The dialogue also highlighted the importance of traceability, human capital development and continued South-South learning to support more effective and equitable mineral value chains.
Key takeaways from the dialogue
- Building an integrated approach—rather than governing the sector one project at a time—is critical
- Context-specific analysis helps governments take advantage of specific opportunities accorded by their geology, geography and resources
- Long-term visions should be ambitious but iterative
- Carrots and sticks are both needed, blending firmness with incentives and flexibility in investor relationships
- Investment in human capital development must be strategic and consistent
- Speaking with one voice: intragovernmental coordination is vital
- A multi-stakeholder approach and clear communication are key
- Strong traceability systems that include both large- and small-scale mining are essential for equitable value-chain development
- Mineral-importing economies and international institutions must consider the implications of their actions for stable, efficient and green value chains
- Strategic neutrality and alliances are increasingly important
- Deeper South-South learning is necessary to unlock collaboration and innovation