Kazakhstan has taken another step toward positioning itself as a key player in the global critical minerals agenda, with Foreign Minister participating in the first Ministerial Conference on Critical Minerals. The event was held at the invitation of US Secretary of State and brought together representatives from more than 50 countries to discuss the future of global supply chains.
The conference opened with remarks from US Vice President and was attended by leaders of major Kazakh mining companies, highlighting the practical focus of the discussions and growing interest in concrete investment and industrial projects.
Talks centred on the diversification and resilience of global supply chains for critical minerals, which underpin green energy, high technology, defence industries and the digital economy. Participants stressed that access to these resources is increasingly viewed as a matter of strategic and economic security, prompting calls to reduce dependence on a limited number of suppliers and to expand international cooperation in extraction, processing and logistics.
Addressing the conference, Kosherbayev outlined Kazakhstan’s substantial potential in critical minerals and its readiness to contribute to stable and reliable global supply chains. He pointed to the country’s significant mineral reserves, established processing capacity, modern infrastructure, political stability and a transparent regulatory environment.
Kosherbayev noted that Kazakhstan is capable of supplying 20 of the 60 critical minerals listed by the , not merely as raw materials but as value-added products demanded by strategic sectors of the global economy.
Special attention was given to the implementation of a bilateral memorandum on critical minerals cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United States, signed during a presidential visit to Washington in November 2025. The agreement, the first of its kind in Central Asia, focuses on expanding processing capacity in Kazakhstan, facilitating technology transfer and improving access for Kazakh products to the US market, marking a shift toward deeper integration in global value chains.
