On February 8, 2024, the U.S. Department of State hosted the inaugural meeting of the Critical Minerals Dialogue (CMD) in the C5+1 format, chaired by Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez.
The initiative to hold a dialogue on critical minerals was announced by the presidents of the United States, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan at the C5+1 Summit, which took place in New York in September 2023. The main objective of the CMD is to expand Central Asia’s participation in global supply chains of critical minerals, strengthen economic cooperation, promote a transition to clean energy, and protect the unique ecosystems of the region.
The United States commended the contributions of the five Central Asian countries in advancing new partnership opportunities and investment prospects, as well as their efforts to continue the dialogue through national coordinators within the framework of the C5+1. According to the press release, the prospects for cooperation were discussed within the context of the CMD, including the initiatives of the “Partnership for Mineral Resource Security” and “Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment.” The Central Asian representatives expressed their interest in attracting American investments in the development of critical minerals. However, experts from the Caspian Policy Center note that financing these initiatives on the scale of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) may pose challenges.
Countering China’s Dominance: Potential Threats to U.S. National Security
CMD is part of a broader U.S. strategy to counter China’s dominance in the supply chains of critical minerals. Essential minerals such as nickel, cobalt, palladium, and rare earth elements (REEs) are crucial for high-tech industries and defense systems. Critical minerals are also necessary for the transition to “green” technologies, as minerals like lithium, manganese, and…
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