Kenya, US close in on critical minerals deal, Ruto says

Kenya is close to sealing a critical minerals deal with the U.S. under which it would process its own resources domestically, its president said on the sidelines of the G7 summit on Thursday, urging a broader reset in ties between Africa and the West.



Countries across Africa have pushed in recent years to process more of the minerals they produce domestically, marking a shift toward keeping more value on the continent.



William Ruto, representing one of several partner countries that attended the summit on the shores of Lake Geneva, said in an interview with Reuters that the agreement, covering rare earths and other strategic minerals, was already in the works and could be concluded soon.



"We have agreed that the minerals will be processed in Kenya," he said, following discussions he had held earlier with G7 leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump.