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Uzbekistan has joined the new global architecture of the critically important minerals market
On February 4, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov participated in the Ministerial Meeting on Critical Minerals, which served as a key international platform to discuss sustainable, secure, and diversified strategic raw material supply chains.
During the event, Uzbekistan reaffirmed its readiness to deepen cooperation with international partners, attract investment and advanced technologies, and contribute to the global energy transition.
The 2026 Ministerial Meeting was initiated by the United States, which, together with its allies, has begun shaping a new architecture for the global market of critical minerals and rare earth elements.
Delegations from 54 countries and the European Commission, including 43 foreign ministers and sectoral ministers, were received by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside Vice President JD Vance, key members of the U.S. economic and energy bloc, and the U.S. Trade Representative.
Uzbekistan was among the countries with which the U.S. signed new bilateral framework agreements and memoranda of cooperation on critical minerals that day.
These agreements lay the foundation for joint work on exploration and development of deposits, establishing fair markets, addressing supply chain bottlenecks, and expanding access to finance. During the meeting, 11 new agreements were signed, and ten more in the previous five months, highlighting the unprecedented activity of the U.S. in resource diplomacy.
In Tashkent, it was emphasized that the republic has significant potential in critical minerals and intends to develop the sector according to high international standards of transparency, environmental responsibility, and high value-added production. These approaches are seen as the basis for long-term partnerships and Uzbekistan’s integration into global supply chains.
Uzbekistan reaffirmed its readiness to further deepen cooperation with international partners, attract advanced technologies and investments, and contribute to global efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience and support the transition to clean energy.
The meeting noted that critical minerals and rare earth elements are the foundation of modern technologies — from artificial intelligence and robotics to battery systems and autonomous devices.
The high concentration of production and processing currently makes the market vulnerable to disruptions and political pressure, increasing risks to national security and economic stability. In response, the U.S. and its partners have taken steps to create a diversified and secure system across all stages of the value chain.
A key institutional outcome of the meeting was the launch of the Forum on Geostrategic Resource Engagement (FORGE), replacing the Mineral Security Partnership.
The new format focuses on active coordination of policies and projects, with the Republic of Korea chairing until June of this year. Simultaneously, cooperation under the Pax Silica initiative is developing, bringing together states and the private sector to strengthen global technology supply chain resilience.
The U.S. side announced mobilization of unprecedented financial resources to support critical minerals projects. Over the past six months, more than $30 billion in loans, investments, and other support instruments were provided with private capital participation. According to Washington, these measures have strong multiplier effects, enabling projects worth billions of dollars, strengthening national security and competitiveness.
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