The EU, the United States and other stakeholders in the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) participated in a workshop titled “Public-Private Investment in Critical Minerals Focusing on Developing a Positive, Trade-Friendly Local Value Addition Agenda in Producing Countries”. This event was the first of a series of workshops planned under the MSP Forum. It took place in Brussels during the 2024 Raw Materials Week.
The workshop aimed to address three key issues:
- Challenges facing investors in the critical raw materials (CRM) sector.
- Government policies that can promote the development of the critical raw materials industry.
- Strategies for mobilising investment to increase local value addition in producing countries.
A central theme was fostering sustainable local value addition for resource-rich nations. Representatives from financial institutions highlighted the importance of de-risking the investment climate, which is critical to attracting more capital. Government officials shared insights into successful policies that can drive the development of the sector. Meanwhile, civil society representatives stressed the importance of including local communities in decision-making and maintaining the highest standards of sustainability, while also addressing environmental and social risks in CRM projects.
Looking ahead, the MSP Forum will organize another workshop focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards at the Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town in February 2025.
The MSP Forum is part of broader efforts to enhance the EU’s CRM supply chains, which were outlined in the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Package adopted in March 2023. The initiative emphasizes the need for diverse and sustainable CRM supply chains, facilitated through international partnerships like the CRM Club. The MSP Forum is composed of 30 members, including key global players such as Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States, as well as emerging economies like Argentina, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia.
As CRMs are vital for technologies across sectors like net-zero industry, digital, energy, transportation, space and defense, securing and diversifying their supply chains has become increasingly urgent due to growing geopolitical, environmental, and social challenges. The MSP Forum aims to strengthen cooperation among international partners to ensure a stable and sustainable CRM supply.
