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    Open Society Foundations (OSF)
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    What’s at stake in the race for critical raw materials?

    In a podcast episode sponsored by the Open Society Foundations, Devex’s Kate Warren and guests discuss the importance of critical raw materials to the green transition and global economy, and the risks facing supply chains and equitable distribution.

    By Devex Partnerships // 29 April 2025

    Listen to "Special episode: What’s at stake in the race for critical raw materials?" on Spreaker.

    Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, YouTube, or search “Devex” in your favorite podcast app.

    Conversations about critical raw materials — the natural resources that power  everything from clean energy to smartphones, electric vehicles, and even AI systems — are not ones you hear about in every development circle, but this is starting to change. Given their critical role in the global economy and sustainable technology, they are now at the center of geopolitical power struggles, supply chain shocks, and debates around equity, governance, and sustainability.

    “All the world is talking about going from fossil fuels to decarbonization, and how we should do the green transition. …  But all of this will need the relevant equipment, and this relevant equipment demands critical raw materials,” said Olena Pavlenko, the president and co-founder of DiXi Group, a Ukrainian think tank focused on the energy sector.

    One key challenge for the development sector is ensuring the equitable distribution of critical raw materials, especially to resource-rich nations that often miss out on their benefits.

    “A lot of countries in the African continent contain many of these materials, but aren’t necessarily the beneficiaries of a lot of the value that’s extracted from them,” said Brian Kagoro, the managing director of programs at Open Society Foundations.

    Pavlenko and Kagoro were joined by Devex Executive Vice President Kate Warren on the sidelines of the World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C., for a special podcast episode sponsored by the Open Society Foundations.

    Watch the podcast episode. Via YouTube.
    • Environment & Natural Resources
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      Devex Partnerships

      Thanks for reading and for your interest in Devex. In collaboration with our partners, Devex’s partnerships editorial team produces content to promote a partner’s work or perspectives on a particular issue. It gives actors across the global development sector — including nongovernmental organizations, private sector stakeholders, aid agencies and government institutions — the opportunity to go beyond traditional advertising and tell their stories in an impactful way. If you’d like to learn more about how you can shine a spotlight on a particular issue with Devex, please email partnerships@devex.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

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