The European Commission and the United States recently welcomed seven new members into the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Forum during discussions in New York City, coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week and Climate Week NYC. The new members include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the Philippines, Serbia, Türkiye, and Zambia, joining existing members such as Argentina, Greenland and Kazakhstan.
The forum focused on the responsible mining, processing, and recycling of critical minerals essential for the energy transition. Co-chaired by Maive Rute from the European Commission and U.S. Under-Secretary Jose W. Fernandez, the meeting engaged high-level officials in discussions about priorities and challenges within their critical mineral sectors, emphasizing environmental, labor, social, and governance aspects.
Next steps involve planning the next MSP Forum event during Raw Materials Week in Brussels in December 2024. This partnership builds on the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Package, aiming to enhance the sustainability and diversity of supply chains for critical raw materials (CRMs), which are crucial for various strategic sectors like digital technology and defense. As demand for CRMs rises, the forum aims to strengthen international cooperation to mitigate geopolitical and environmental risks in the supply chain.
