The United States congratulates the Republic of Korea (ROK) on assuming the chair of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) after receiving unanimous support from all MSP partners. The ROK will hold the chair of the MSP for one year starting on July 1. The ROK has demonstrated tremendous leadership on critical minerals supply chain issues and has been an engaged and active member of the MSP. The ROK government and its private sector are leading the effort to expand and diversify the supply of critical minerals and the battery supply chain. As the founding chair of the MSP, the United States looks forward to continuing to work on key critical mineral issues under the ROK's leadership.
Jose W. Fernandez, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, launched the MSP for the United States in 2022 and warmly welcomed the ROK's initiative in taking over as the MSP Chair.
Since its creation in 2022, the Minerals Security Partnership has grown to 14 partner countries and the European Union, representing over 50% of global GDP. The MSP is now working on over 30 projects across upstream mining and mineral extraction, midstream processing, and recycling and recovery in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas.
The United States stands ready to support the ROK as the next MSP chair. We will continue to be active members of the MSP, including through our co-leadership of the MSP Forum with the European Union, a platform between MSP partners and minerals producing countries to consider and advance projects and policies that provide a more secure and sustainable supply of critical minerals with local beneficiation, and our collaboration with the Minerals Investment Network for Vital Energy Security and Transition (MINVEST), a public private partnership with energy security organization, SAFE.
The MSP's accelerating development of diverse and sustainable critical energy minerals supply chains will continue under the ROK's leadership and in close coordination with the MSP partners.
