The United States and Uzbekistan advanced their cooperation in the critical minerals sector with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by Ambassador Jonathan Henick and First Deputy Minister of Geology Omonullo Nasritdinxodjaev in Tashkent on September 16.
Ambassador Henick shared insights into the MOU, highlighting the rapid evolution of the global economy, particularly in the green sector.
“One of the areas under the fastest development is the green economy,” he said. “The rise of electric vehicles, solar and wind energy, and other green technologies requires an immense amount of critical minerals. And we believe that the United States has some of the best technology to bring to bear in this critical industry. And so it was only natural that the United States partner with Uzbekistan, which is one of the leading, has some of the leading global reserves in many of these minerals to really establish a political framework that will enable us to partner government to government, but also industry to industry in the coming years.”
The MOU, signed ahead of Uzbekistan’s participation in MINExpo INTERNATIONAL, a major mining event in Las Vegas, reflects the shared commitment of both nations to diversify global mineral supply chains.
This partnership aligns with the broader initiative unveiled during the C5+1 Presidential Summit in New York, where President Biden and the leaders of Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, emphasized the importance of advancing the clean energy transition while safeguarding regional ecosystems.
Critical minerals and rare earth elements are becoming increasingly vital to modern economies. The United States and Uzbekistan have committed to promoting private sector investment in Uzbekistan’s mining industry. This agreement further underlines the goal of both countries to uphold strong environmental, labor, and governance standards in the global mining sector.
Ambassador Henick acknowledged the challenges ahead, including exploration and environmental concerns.
It's [mining] a difficult industry, when it comes to mining you have to do lots of exploration, you have to prove the reserves, it requires large investments to be able to extract these things,“ Henick continued. ”Sometimes it's environmentally challenging as well. But again, in partnerships between American companies and companies here in Uzbekistan, I think we'll have a really good opportunity to overcome those challenges.”
The MOU also aligns with broader international efforts, as Uzbekistan joins the Critical Mineral Security Partnership led by the U.S., European Union, and other G7 countries. This agreement stresses the ongoing commitment to advancing green economy goals and securing robust supply chains.
By enhancing collaboration on critical minerals, the partnership aims to strengthen supply chain security, support sustainable mining practices, and contribute to the global transition toward renewable energy.
“The United States and Uzbekistan must cooperate to have resilient, secure supply chains that can support the future energy landscape. This memorandum demonstrates our shared commitment to diversifying global mineral supply chains and expanding our bilateral trade relationship. We are delighted to mark another milestone in our expanding Strategic Partnership with Uzbekistan.” Ambassador Henick voiced.
Uzbekistan is rich in critical minerals, with significant reserves of gold, copper, tungsten, silver, and uranium. The country is particularly focused on expanding its extraction of rare and rare-earth metals, including lithium, molybdenum, germanium, vanadium, and indium.
In May, Uzbekistan established partnerships with the European Union and the United States to enhance cooperation in critical raw materials (CRMs), aiming to secure a sustainable supply of CRMs essential for green and digital transitions.
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