Washington: Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated in the Critical Minerals Ministerial, hosted by the United States Department of State, to discuss the objectives and implementation mechanisms of the International Cooperation Framework on Critical Minerals.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the Critical Minerals Ministerial was attended by JD Vance, US Vice President; Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State; as well as foreign ministers and senior representatives from countries participating in the framework.
In his remarks, the US Vice President outlined the administration's objective of establishing a preferential trade area for critical minerals among allies and trusted partners. He noted that the initiative aims to ensure long-term access to essential materials, strengthen the industrial bases of participating countries, and secure reliable supplies for US and allied industries. He also emphasised efforts to expand production capacity across partner networks, while promoting price stability and sustainable benefits for producers, refiners, investors, and manufacturers throughout the value chain.
On his part, the Secretary of State emphasised that critical minerals represent a global, multilateral challenge that requires coordinated international solutions. He highlighted the role of the United States in convening like-minded partners to build secure and resilient supply chains, noting that critical minerals are important to modern infrastructure, advanced technologies, industrial development, and national defence.
He underscored the shared goal of establishing a secure, sustainable, and affordable global market for these resources.
During the Critical Minerals Ministerial, Secretary Rubio announced the launch of the Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement (FORGE), a new international platform designed to address vulnerabilities in 21st-century critical mineral supply chains through coordinated investment and market safeguards among participating countries.
He underscored that securing these supply chains requires collective action, investment capacity, and political alignment among a broad coalition committed to open and efficient markets. Through the Critical Minerals Ministerial, the United States is bringing partners together to move from dialogue to implementation and to advance practical, multilateral solutions.
Participants also reviewed the objectives of the International Cooperation Framework on Critical Minerals, which aims to enhance the security and resilience of global supply chains through cooperation in mining, processing, refining, investment, and policy coordination.
Discussions further explored ways to strengthen coordination among partner countries to support long-term investment and ensure stable supplies for key sectors, including energy, defence, and advanced technologies.