Pakistan to participate in US critical minerals moot, seeks strategic partnerships and investment
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
Pakistan is participating in the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial at the US Department of State on Wednesday, as Islamabad seeks to expand foreign investment and forge strategic partnerships in the minerals and energy sectors.
Federal Minister for Energy Ali Pervaiz Malik is representing Pakistan at the two-day conference, which is expected to bring together delegations from more than 50 countries to discuss strengthening and diversifying global supply chains for critical minerals—materials essential for advanced technologies, clean energy transitions and defence industries.
Hosting the meeting, the US State Department said the ministerial aims to “advance collective efforts to strengthen and diversify critical minerals supply chains” and to create momentum for international collaboration to secure resources “vital to technological innovation, economic strength, and national security”.
Opening remarks at the conference are scheduled to be delivered by US Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Global Supply Chains David Copley, and Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg. Secretary Rubio is also due to hold a press availability with visiting delegations.
Pakistan plans to use the forum to highlight its largely untapped mineral potential, including reserves of copper, gold and rare earth elements. Islamabad has previously signed memoranda of understanding worth about $500 million with US partners for cooperation on the development and processing of critical minerals, reflecting what officials describe as expanding US–Pakistan engagement in this strategic area.
Minister Malik arrived in Washington on Sunday evening with a delegation of senior officials and technical experts who oversee Pakistan’s efforts to deepen foreign investment and international collaboration, particularly through enhanced engagement with friendly partners.
According to the State Department, “strengthening critical mineral supply chains with our international partners is vital to America’s economic and national security, technological leadership, and a resilient energy future.”
US officials say the discussions are expected to focus on supply-chain resilience, investment frameworks, and sustainable mining, processing and recycling capabilities.
The invitation list reflects a growing coalition of mineral-rich and industrial nations, including G7 members, India, South Korea, Australia and several African countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea and Kenya. The DRC, in particular, is expected to be represented at the highest level, with President Félix Tshisekedi attending alongside his mining minister.
For Pakistan, participation in the Washington gathering aligns with broader efforts to position the country as a credible destination for strategic mineral investment, while avoiding entanglement in major-power rivalry over control of these resources.
Pakistan has invited both China and the US to the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum (PMIF) 2026, scheduled for April 8–9 in Islamabad, aiming to secure investment for an estimated $6–8 billion in annual mineral export potential.
The forum will focus on copper, gold and rare earth minerals, with an emphasis on deepening China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)–related cooperation with Beijing, while also engaging other international partners.
Pakistan’s delegation is expected to remain in Washington through the end of the week to participate in related sessions and hold bilateral meetings with government and industry counterparts.
Reference Link:- https://www.dawn.com/news/1970792
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
