The US has increased its interest in Kenya’s mining sector amid an aggressive pursuit for access to African rare earth minerals including in the DRC, vital for defense and tech. Both US officials and Western-backed consortia have shown interest, with Australian firms RareX and Iluka Resources targeting the site. US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, Materials, Critical Minerals and Metals, Josh Kroon, has however singled out America as “a partner” rather than countries that invest, mine and leave after projects. It is planning to increase its mining sector contribution from a mare one per to 10 per cent of the GDP by 2030. Key perks also feature streamlined licensing, free foreign ownership, royalty sharing and geological data support for critical minerals.

Source: The Star February 05, 2026 13:47 UTC