On the Unintended Consequences of Critical Mineral Bans: The Exploration Channel
July 29, 2026
The energy transition and digital transformations are profoundly reshaping development pathways. They create new opportunities for countries in the Global South while also raising major challenges related to infrastructure access, governance, economic sovereignty and value creation.
At the intersection of these issues, FERDI conducts research, provides expertise and delivers capacity-building activities that contribute to public policymaking and international debates.
Expanding access to energy. FERDI evaluates rural electrification policies, particularly solutions based on mini-grids, to assess their impact on living conditions, economic activity and access to essential services.
Understanding digital transformations. FERDI's research analyses the economic and social impacts of digital transformation in developing countries. It also examines new forms of vulnerability arising from increasing dependence on digital infrastructure.
Informing public policies on natural resource governance and critical minerals. FERDI studies the conditions under which resource-rich countries can transform their natural wealth into a driver of sustainable development.
In the field of energy access, FERDI is conducting, in partnership with the NGO Électriciens sans frontières, the evaluation of the Cafés Lumière project in Madagascar. Based on a randomised controlled trial and satellite data, this study is one of the first rigorous evaluations of rural mini-grid systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. >> Experimental Impact Study on a Mini-Grid Project in Rural Madagascar: The Café Lumière Project (Berthélemy J.-C., Nossek V., Béguerie V.)
In the field of digital transformation, FERDI researchers analyse the effects of submarine cables on international trade, internet access, connectivity costs and the transformation of African economies. Their work also addresses digital identification, digital public infrastructure and regulatory policies. >> See FERDI Chair: Digital Technology and Public Policy
Research on natural resources examines the economic and geopolitical implications of growing global demand for critical minerals, resource rent-sharing mechanisms, production-sharing agreements and the conditions under which producing countries can generate greater value from their natural resources. >> See FERDI Chair: Strategic Resource Governance: Macroeconomics and Geopolitics
FERDI's research is published in leading international scientific journals, policy reports and widely disseminated working papers.
Recent publications cover topics including:
Researchers from the programme regularly contribute to major international research networks and policy forums.
Knowledge dissemination is an integral part of the programme.
In 2025, FERDI contributed to the organisation of the Global Development Conference, dedicated to inclusive digital transformation, and of the international conference The Scramble for Critical Minerals, organised jointly with Cerdi, the University of Oxford and the Oxford Review of Economic Policy.
These events bring together researchers, policymakers, international organisations and private-sector representatives to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the energy transition, digital transformation and natural resource governance.
The programme also draws on the training activities of IHEDD-FERDI to strengthen the capacities of public administrations and practitioners.
These training programmes focus in particular on extractive taxation, mineral rent-sharing and natural resource governance, building directly on FERDI's research.
