US, Pakistan explore cooperation in minerals, sustainable investment

ISLAMABAD: President of the Critical Minerals Forum (USA) Robert Louis Strayer II and US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker met Finance and Revenue Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb here on Friday to deepen bilateral cooperation in Pakistan’s rapidly emerging minerals sector.

The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in critical minerals exploration, ensuring supply-chain security and promoting responsible, sustainable investment to unlock Pakistan’s vast mineral potential.

Both sides expressed commitment to continued engagement and collaboration in the minerals sector, aligned with Pakistan’s economic reform agenda and shared objectives for sustainable development. The minister welcomed the delegation and underscored Pakistan’s steady economic trajectory, noting improvements across macroeconomic fundamentals and governance reforms. “Our priority is fundamental fiscal hygiene—building the discipline where capital flows in, remains invested and is secured through sound policies,” he said. “This foundation is now translating into improved sentiment and positive signals from international rating agencies.”

President of the Critical Minerals Forum (USA), Strayer shared that the Critical Minerals Forum, funded by the US government, works globally to support secure and transparent mineral supply chains for US industry, particularly in emerging markets. He said the forum focused on rare and niche metals including copper and antimony and aimed to de-risk investments from both financial and security perspectives. He reiterated the forum’s commitment to support technology transfer, IP protection, and US private-sector investor confidence. The US delegation observed that the US viewed Pakistan’s science, engineering and mathematics talent as a competitive strength and acknowledged Pakistan’s potential to become a future hub for critical mineral development.

The chargée d’affaires noted the Embassy’s support for US commercial engagement in Pakistan and emphasised the importance of ensuring strong investor confidence and enabling regulatory frameworks in the minerals sector.