The development of many new technologies, particularly those crucial to the global energy transition, is dependent on rare earth elements (REEs), which has set off a global race to acquire them. With China holding a near monopoly on refining and mining REEs, assertive Chinese foreign policy has accelerated the West’s desire to diversify its REE supply chains. Central Asia is key to that diversification.
While Central Asia is a growing area of focus for the United States, evaluations of global REE endowments have continued to neglect the region. Proactive Western investment in the discovery and mining of Central Asia’s REEs is a crucial opportunity to diversify global REE supply chains and to support regional integration, sovereignty, and economic freedom among the Central Asian states.
A new report from the International Tax and Investment Center’s Energy, Growth, and Security Program, “Leveraging Central Asia’s Rare Earth Elements for Economic Growth,” analyzes the state of REEs development in Central Asia and the geopolitical opportunities for the region through maximizing the development and export of its rare earth deposits. Investment in the development of REEs can help increase economic growth in Central Asia and break China’s rare earth dominance, while producing components essential to the green energy transition.
What are the most significant challenges facing Central Asian countries as they look to develop their rare earth element resources? How can the West work with Central Asian partners to increase exports and grow their economies?
The Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and the International Tax and Investment Center gather the authors of the report to present its findings and a panel of experts to discuss how to leverage Central Asia’s rare earth elements for economic growth.
Speakers
Ariel Cohen
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Eurasia Center
Atlantic Council
Suriya Evans-Pritchard Jayanti
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Eurasia Center
Atlantic Council
Yerlan Galiyev
Chairman of the Board
National Geological Survey of Kazakhstan
Ambassador John Herbst
Senior Director, Eurasia Center
Atlantic Council
Wesley Hill
International Program Manager, Energy, Growth, and Security Program
International Tax and Investment Center
Wilder Alejandro Sánchez
President
Second Floor Strategies
Moderated by
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Between East and West
Central Asia
The Central Asian Republics—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan—are located at the nexus of Russia, China, South Asia, and the Middle East. Leveraging their critical geography, these nations are renewing their role as the crossroads of trade between the West and Asia—resulting in significant economic development, especially in the sectors of energy and natural resources. While moves toward reform and democracy have been made since independence in 1991, corruption and human rights issues remain prevalent throughout the region.
The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting policies that strengthen stability, democratic values, and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe in the West to the Caucasus, Russia, and Central Asia in the East.
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