Blending Attention with Action: New UN Country Mechanism on Critical Energy Transition Minerals

New York — The importance of ensuring developing countries benefit from their minerals has topped the agenda at this year’s United Nations General Assembly. From the Secretary-General’s opening address, to the High-Level Climate Summit, to countless side-meetings, seizing the opportunities for increased demand for minerals for the energy transition, AI, and military use has been a key focus. 

Today, the United Nations Secretary General announced plans for a new country support mechanism to ensure that “resource-rich developing countries build sustainable, responsible and resilient mineral value chains, ensuring the benefits reach the people and nations at the source of the transition.” These efforts put resources and action behind the drive for justice and equity that animated the UN panel on critical energy transition minerals and the subsequent taskforce. But progress on meaningful implementation has been lacking.

Commenting, Suneeta Kaimal, President and CEO of the Natural Resource Governance Institute said: 

“Today’s new minerals boom represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for many developing countries. If countries can harness the full benefit of the wealth below their ground, it can turn into lasting, inclusive benefits for the people above it. But without an equal footing for developing countries in negotiations, along with strong governance frameworks, this spike in demand risks simply deepening the inequities and injustices that past mineral booms have brought. 

“The new country support mechanism could enable countries to lead on the design of strategies, safeguards and policies that will allow them to shift from rule takers to rule shapers and unlock prosperity for all their people. To succeed, it is critical that in each country, the mechanism is truly driven by government priorities, developed with civil society, local communities and Indigenous Peoples; and builds in stakeholder and rightsholder participation from the start. It is also important to partner with existing initiatives and organizations both inside and outside the UN to increase impact, pool resources, and avoid duplication. 

“We recognize this important step by the UN to solidify equity and justice in minerals governance as a top international priority for both member-states and the next Secretary-General.”