The inaugural meeting of the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue (CMD), announced by President Biden and the leaders of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan during the C5+1 Presidential Summit in New York on September 19, 2023, focused on defining the objectives of CMD which include increasing the region's participation in critical minerals supply chains, promoting economic cooperation, advancing the clean energy transition, and protecting Central Asia's ecosystems.
According to the press release by the US State Department, the meeting took place last Thursday and was chaired by Under Secretary Jose W. Fernandez and moderated by Assistant Secretary Geoffrey Pyatt.
The event garnered significant interest from senior officials representing each Central Asian government, demonstrating their commitment to developing investment opportunities in critical minerals while upholding high environmental and social standards, US State Department said in its press-release on Friday.
As reported, in the spirit of collaboration, each participating country highlighted the mutual benefits of working together to achieve shared critical minerals objectives. These objectives include diversification of markets and the development of technologies in a manner that benefits all citizens.
The meeting also delved into the Minerals Security Partnership and Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, emphasizing opportunities for cooperation and investment.
The United States welcomed input from the C5 countries as they prepare for the upcoming mining and exploration convention, Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), in Toronto, Canada. This collaborative effort aims to promote new partnership and investment opportunities, with ongoing dialogue facilitated through national coordinators within the C5+1 framework, as reported by the US State Department.