At the memorandum signing ceremony. Photo courtesy of the Press Service of the Ministry of Geology of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan and the United States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on critical minerals, strengthening their partnership in the mining sector, according to the press service of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Mining and Geology.
The agreement was signed on September 16 in Tashkent by Deputy Minister Omonullo Nasritdinkhodjaev and U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick.
The ministry emphasized that the dialogue on mineral resources began in September 2023 at a summit in New York with the participation of both countries' leaders. This MoU is one of the first steps in advancing those verbal agreements.
The agreement aims to strengthen economic ties and will foster cooperation between Uzbekistan and the U.S. in geological exploration, mining, and creating high value-added product chains.
Ambassador Henick called the document part of the strategic partnership with the Central Asian republic. He stated, «The United States and Uzbekistan must cooperate to have sustainable, 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 relations."
The signing ceremony took place ahead of MINExpo International, the largest mining industry event, scheduled for September 24-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A delegation from the Uzbek government is expected to attend this forum.
ℹ️ Critical minerals are crucial for the «green» economy and the transition to renewable energy sources. They are used in the production of batteries for electric vehicles, spare parts for machines, and smartphones. Critical minerals include lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, neodymium, samarium, and others.
This cooperation marks a significant step in Uzbekistan's efforts to develop its mining sector and the U.S.'s strategy to diversify its mineral supply chains.
