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The US Department of State on Tuesday stated that the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, to be held on February 4 by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will bring together partners from across the globe to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chains.
Announcing the development in a post on X, the State Department said the ministerial will focus on enhancing international collaboration to secure reliable, resilient critical mineral supply chains, which are essential to the US's economic and national security, technological leadership, and energy transition. "On February 4, Secretary Rubio will welcome partners from across the globe to the State Department for the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial. Strengthening critical mineral supply chains with our international partners is vital to America's economic and national security, technological leadership, and a resilient energy future," the State Department stated in its post. Last week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a high-level Finance Ministerial in Washington to discuss ways to secure and diversify global supply chains for critical minerals, with a particular focus on rare-earth elements, amid growing concerns about supply vulnerabilities. According to a release by the US Department of the Treasury, the meeting brought together finance ministers and senior officials from key economies, including Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. India was represented by Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw. Senior US officials, including US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Export-Import Bank President and Chairman John Jovanovic, also participated, along with private-sector representatives. During the discussions, participants expressed a strong and shared resolve to urgently address weaknesses in critical mineral supply chains, which have become increasingly concentrated and vulnerable to disruption and manipulation. The United States outlined actions and investments already undertaken, as well as planned measures to build resilient, secure, and diversified supply chains for critical minerals. Secretary Bessent emphasised the importance of "prudent de-risking" rather than decoupling, noting that nations recognise the need to correct existing deficiencies in critical mineral supply chains and urged countries to strengthen supply chain resilience and welcomed the willingness of participants to collaborate closely and move swiftly towards practical and lasting solutions. (ANI)
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