Kazakh Minister of Industry and Construction Kanat Sharlapayev and EBRD First Vice President Jürgen Rigterink signed a memorandum of understanding to advance and modernize Kazakhstan’s mining industry. This agreement aims to establish a sophisticated system for capturing, processing, and disseminating geoscientific documents, including maps and data.
Enhancing Legal and Regulatory Frameworks
A key element of the EU-Kazakhstan critical raw materials roadmap, this memorandum will propel the development of Kazakhstan’s mining sector’s legal and regulatory frameworks. The collaboration focuses on refining the regulatory environment to support modern mining operations.
Capacity Building for Sector Regulation
The partnership will bolster the ministry’s capacity to adopt, implement, monitor, and enforce sector regulations effectively. This step is crucial for maintaining a robust regulatory regime that supports sustainable mining practices.
EBRD’s Commitment to Responsible Mining
Aligning with the EBRD’s recently approved mining strategy, the memorandum underscores the bank’s commitment to the responsible exploration and mining of critical raw materials. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to support the green transition.
Investing in Critical Raw Materials
The EBRD plans to increase investment in the mining of critical raw materials essential for the green transition. These materials are vital for manufacturing wind turbines, solar panels, lithium-ion batteries, electric car batteries, traction motors, heat pumps, and similar technologies.
Emphasizing Sustainability
The bank stresses that the production of these raw materials must adhere to environmentally sound, sustainable, and circular practices. This commitment ensures that the mining activities contribute positively to the environment and the global green transition.
