Australia-listed Evion Group has started formal engagement with EU advisers and funding institutions in a bid to accelerate development of its Maniry graphite project in Madagascar, following the project’s recent recognition under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act.

The Maniry project is the only graphite development in Africa to receive such designation from the EU, elevating it to a strategic position within Europe’s energy transition and battery supply chain ambitions.

“Maniry is the only graphite project in Africa to be recognised by the EU Critical Resource Development Programme and this recognition has served to amplify the project’s significance locally and internationally,” said Evion MD David Round. “We are excited by the level of engagement with EU officials recently and the EU Critical Minerals Advisory team is playing a very significant role in fast-tracking our development with a range of substantial commitments.”

The company confirmed that its executives held a series of meetings last week with EU-preferred funding partners, and that discussions are also advancing around grant funding aimed at early-stage community training and employment initiatives at Maniry. A detailed plan, being prepared in collaboration with EU advisers, is expected to be submitted before the end of the month.

Evion is also in the final stage of securing mining and development permits from the Malagasy government and has active engagement plans with the Maniry community. 

A new bypass road connecting the RN7 highway to Toliara – a key southern port – is already under construction and is scheduled for completion by mid-2026. Meanwhile, EU officials are assessing the financial case for a major new port development on Madagascar’s west coast, potentially granting Evion preferred export access and delivering significant logistical savings.

Evion’s project also benefits from broader trade relations between Madagascar and the EU. Under the interim Economic Partnership Agreement signed in 2007, Malagasy goods, including graphite, enjoy duty-free, quota-free access to European markets, provided they meet rules-of-origin requirements.

“The EU is Madagascar’s leading trading partner, making Europe the top destination for Malagasy goods,” the company stated. “This enduring and stable partnership provides a strong foundation for the Maniry project’s integration into the EU’s critical raw materials supply chain.”

Madagascar is now the world’s largest producer of graphite outside China, and Evion expects global manufacturers to increase demand for non-Chinese supply due to ongoing supply chain and geopolitical risks.