ASTANA – Central Asian countries presented their strategies for developing critical minerals and expanding regional cooperation during the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue with the United States on June 10 in Astana. Senior officials from Central Asian countries and the United States participated in the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue on June 10 in Astana.
Photo credit: The Astana Times/ Fatima Kemelova The discussions focused on geological exploration, data transparency, investment incentives, workforce development and regional supply chain integration. David L. Fogel, U.S. assistant secretary of commerce, said accessible, high-quality geological data is one of the most important factors influencing investment decisions in the mining sector.
“Data is the new gold. U.S. companies have told us time and again that digitized, accessible and high-quality geological data is the catalyst for investment, not political risk and not infrastructure challenges,” Fogel said. Fogel said Central Asia has the resources, energy and talent needed to become a major player in the critical minerals sector, but emphasized that translating potential into economic growth will require concrete action.
He outlined five priorities for attracting investment: modernizing geological databases through international reporting standards and digitalization, providing fiscal incentives for exploration, improving transport and customs infrastructure, investing in workforce development, and ensuring long-term regulatory stability.
Fogel cited Kazakhstan as an example of the region’s potential, noting that the country has thousands of unexplored deposits and could attract billions of dollars in new exploration and processing investments by the end of the decade. Kyrgyz Republic expands critical minerals program Ruslan Kalilov, deputy director of the Kyrgyz Geological Service under the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, noted that the Kyrgyz Republic has identified 22 critical minerals and adopted a state program through 2030 to support sector development.
The program includes four priority projects, five key deposits and 16 prospective exploration areas. Kalilov said the government is considering tax incentives for companies conducting exploration and has introduced specialized courses on critical minerals in partnership with universities to develop a skilled workforce.