African nations must establish a unified position on deep-sea mining to safeguard their land-based economies, protect coastal security, and shape international seabed regulations, according to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa).
The call comes as countries and commercial entities ramp up efforts to extract seabed minerals—including copper, cobalt, manganese, and nickel—vital for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies.
A growing number of African states are taking a cautious approach. In June, Malawi, Kenya, and Madagascar joined 40 other nations at the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa to endorse a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining in international waters.
A primary concern for the continent is the potential economic fallout for countries heavily reliant on terrestrial mineral exports. The ISS warned that introducing vast supplies of seabed metals into global markets could depress commodity prices and erode market share for traditional African miners.
The institute called for an immediate continent-wide assessment to evaluate how deep-sea exploitation could affect mineral-dependent economies, as well as coastal and island states, before large-scale commercial extraction begins.
Beyond market risks, the analysis highlighted significant governance and security gaps in current maritime frameworks.
A precautionary approach is needed until the environmental, economic and security implications of deep-sea mining are better understood, ISS affirmed.
To protect regional interests and prevent foreign exploitation, the ISS concluded that African states must coordinate their diplomacy and take an active role in shaping ISA regulations before commercial mining operations commence.
