Course Summary

The global scramble for critical minerals — lithium, cobalt, rare earths, and beyond — has moved to the centre of diplomatic agendas worldwide. Supply chains that were once invisible are now front-page news, shaping alliances, triggering sanctions, and rewriting the rules of statecraft.

Developed by the Global Diplomatic Forum and drawing on verified research, expert analysis, and real-time reporting from the world's leading international affairs institutions, this course gives you a rigorous, practitioner-focused understanding of one of the most consequential crises of our time.

Key Frameworks & Institutions Covered

• Minerals Security Partnership

• EU Critical Raw Minerals Act

• IEA Critical Minerals Report

• FORGE Initiatives

• Belt Road Initiative

• EITI Stantard.

7 Modules · From Geology to Geopolitics

1. Module 1: The Resource revolution. What critical minerals are and why they sit at the heart of geopolitics

2. Module 2: China’s dominance and the Western response. How Beijing built supply chain control and how allies are pushing back

3. Module 3: Producer countries as diplomatic actors. How resource- rich nations are leveraging the new scramble for strategic advantage

4. Module 4: Energy security as foreign policy. How mineral dependence shapes alliance, coercion and grand strategy

5. Module 5: The diplomats’ toolkit. The practice instruments of minerals diplomacy - from off take agreements to sanctions

6. Module 6: The developing country perspective. Value addition, resource nationalism and who benefits from the minerals boom

7. Module 7: The future of mineral governance. Architecture, institutions, careers and the diplomat’s role in resource contested world.

4.9 /5 Rating

Our course are rated by learner as 4.9/5. Our course are also available in English, Arabic, Spanish and French

On Completion You Will Be Able To

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

1. Analyse maritime chokepoints as instruments of geopolitical power — applying geographic, legal, and strategic frameworks to assess how physical geography shapes diplomatic leverage, using the Strait of Hormuz as a live case study.

2. Evaluate the global economic consequences of energy disruption — interpreting oil price dynamics, LNG market structures, and supply chain vulnerabilities through the lens of the 2026 crisis and historical precedents.

3. Apply international maritime law to real-world disputes — demonstrating knowledge of UNCLOS transit passage provisions, UN Security Council mechanisms, and the legal framework governing freedom of navigation in contested straits.

4. Assess back-channel and multilateral diplomatic strategies — comparing mediation models, coercive diplomacy theory, and coalition-building approaches as applied to the Iran-US-Gulf state dynamics of 2026.

5. Construct and defend scenario-based diplomatic recommendations — producing structured policy analysis across multiple future scenarios, drawing on historical parallels, current intelligence, and diplomatic best practice.

6. Critically engage with live, evolving geopolitical events — demonstrating the ability to synthesise breaking developments, distinguish reliable sources, and form evidence-based positions on fast-moving international crises.

Course Fees

This course is £295. But is discounted by 40% for a limited time. Course fee is now £177.

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