Kazakhstan’s President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, on Thursday chaired a meeting of the Security Council focused on the development of the country’s critical materials industry, including rare and rare-earth metals, Qazinform News Agency cites the Akorda press service.
In the course of the meeting, President Tokayev highlighted Kazakhstan’s leading position in Central Asia in terms of its resource and production potential, stressing the need to use these advantages in the national interest. The current global situation creates favorable, one could say unique, conditions for those who possess reserves, said Tokayev.
The president also noted growing competition among countries for access to critical materials that are strategically important to the development of high-tech industries. Against this backdrop, Kazakhstan should make effective use of its existing resource and industrial potential while consistently developing domestic expertise and production chains, Tokayev said.
During the meeting, government officials presented reports on the current state of the industry, prospects for developing the country’s resource base, processing capacity and existing barriers to the sector’s growth. Following the meeting, the government and relevant state agencies were given specific instructions to develop a comprehensive approach to the industry’s development.
The directives include improving regulation, expanding geological exploration and processing, bringing man-made mineral formations into economic circulation, strengthening laboratory and workforce capacity, and removing administrative barriers. Earlier, Qazinform reported Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had welcomed participants of the first CIS Volunteer Forum.