UN Launches Support Mechanism for Critical Energy Minerals

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the launch of the Country Support Mechanism on Critical Energy Transition Minerals on September 23. The initiative provides coordinated support to Indonesia, Zambia, Guinea, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, and Nigeria to help them extract more value from critical mineral deposits essential for the global energy transition.

Led by the UN Development Programme and the UN Development Coordination Office, the program offers policy advice, legal and regulatory expertise, and assistance with value chains. The mechanism targets minerals such as copper, cobalt, lithium, nickel, and bauxite, which are in high demand for renewable-energy plants and electric vehicles. The goal is to prevent these nations from remaining mere exporters of raw materials.

Selwin Hart, special adviser and assistant secretary-general for climate action, stated that without such support, the world risks repeating past mistakes where these countries are trapped at the bottom of global value chains. While the six selected nations will receive prioritized support, the UN will maintain its existing work in other mineral-rich countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo.