Strategically important metals: Uzbekistan in talks to supply critical raw materials to EU

Uzbekistan and the European Union discuss a memorandum of understanding in the fields of bio-raw materials, minerals necessary for the development of climate-neutral European industry, and the digital, space, and defense sectors.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov and executive vice president of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis discussed the agenda of the “expanding partnership between Uzbekistan and the EU, especially in the economic dimension”.

“Further development of bilateral trade, increasing exports of our country to the European market, support for Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO, and cooperation in the field of vital raw materials became the main topics of our discussion,” Saidov noted.

“The parties signed a financial agreement for the implementation of a project in the field of agriculture,” according to Saidov.

Following this meeting, the EU website reported that Uzbekistan and the EU are working on the creation of a strategic partnership alliance in the raw materials sector.

Vital raw materials are minerals of great economic importance for the EU, but there is a high risk of supply disruptions due to the concentration of sources and the lack of available alternatives.

These raw materials include 34 types of metals and other natural materials, 17 of which are of strategic importance: copper, lithium, aluminum, titanium, platinum, graphite, nickel, cobalt, and others.