[Title] 2026 IEA Ministerial Declaration Supporting the IEA’s Work on Critical Minerals Security, 297th Meeting of the IEA Governing Board at Ministerial Level

The International Energy Agency (IEA) Governing Board, at Ministerial Level, has adopted the following Ministerial Declaration:

1. We, the IEA Ministers, recognise the strategic importance of critical minerals. We commend the significant progress made by the IEA under the voluntary Critical Minerals Security Programme, such as the Critical Minerals Information Dashboard, particularly as access to these minerals is being used as a means of exerting leverage and control over global supply chains. We call for continued work on these efforts, and direct the IEA Secretariat as a key international platform to support countries in their efforts to enhance preparedness for potential supply disruptions, including those caused by export restrictions, and to accelerate the realisation of strategic projects that support diversification taking into account existing international efforts. Acknowledging that multiple elements of global supply chains contribute to energy security, we underline the need to take timely and focused action on critical minerals.

2. We, the IEA Ministers, stress the importance of the following:

- Enhance national preparedness to respond to short-term mineral supply disruptions through appropriate nationally, and where relevant, regionally determined measures.

- Support the development of diversified, resilient, reliable, and responsible supply chains, especially in refining and processing, including through enabling policies, investment facilitation and support for innovation and recycling, in partnership with resource-rich emerging and developing economies.

- Participate in and contribute to the IEA Critical Minerals Security Programme on a voluntary basis, using the Programme to exchange information, enhance transparency and coordinate national measures to address emerging challenges through cooperation.

3. We, the IEA Ministers, direct the IEA Secretariat to strengthen the Critical Minerals Security Programme in the following areas:

- Reinforce the IEA Secretariat’s role in secure data collection and market monitoring efforts across a broad suite of energy-related strategic minerals, reaffirming the IEA’s position as a reliable and respected source of market information.

- Continue to provide rapid assessments of market developments and their implications in the event of major supply disruptions.

- Assist IEA Members in coordinating responses to supply disruptions and export restrictions, leveraging secure information-sharing mechanisms under the Programme.

- Provide support to those IEA Members that choose to establish and expand critical minerals stockpiling systems, including guidance on technical and operational considerations.

- Organise regular emergency preparedness exercises (Table-Top Exercises) to enhance Members’ preparedness to respond to supply disruptions, including export restrictions.

- Expand the Critical Minerals Information Dashboard to cover a wider set of strategic minerals, enabling Members to identify diversification opportunities through a secure platform.

- Convene regular diversification workshops to assist with the acceleration of project development, facilitate strategic partnerships, and assess policy tools that can reduce investment barriers.

- Facilitate efforts to accelerate innovation in recovery, recycling and substitution technologies and boost circular economy, including by leveraging the newly established Technology Collaboration Programme on Critical Minerals and Materials Recovery.

- Enhance collaboration with governments, industry, financial institutions and other international fora, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, to mobilise investment, improve transparency, and develop standards- based markets that reflect the real costs of responsible extraction, processing and trade of critical minerals.