US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Morocco’s strategic importance in diversifying global critical mineral supply chains during a ministerial conference at the State Department, emphasizing the Kingdom’s unique combination of resources, transformation capacity, and international cooperation commitment.
“Morocco has a key role to play because of the deposits it possesses, but also because of the Kingdom’s willingness to invest in transformation and its cooperation in accepting to participate in this global initiative,” Rubio stated during a press conference attended by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and representatives from over fifty countries.
The American diplomat noted Morocco can leverage significant mineral reserves to develop its economy while benefiting from reliable, diversified global supply of transformed, finished, and refined materials usable for cost-effective economic development. “Morocco can therefore play a key role in this regard, and we are very pleased that it is here today, at the table with us,” Rubio affirmed.
Minister Bourita emphasized Morocco offers incomparable geostrategic relevance, attractive visibility, and responsible partnership in critical minerals under King Mohammed VI’s leadership, drawing on geographical positioning, resources, infrastructure, and political reliability and stability.
“Today’s world does not lack minerals or rare earths. What it lacks is responsible development, a language of trust between nations, transparent frameworks where partnership replaces dependence, and value chains that distribute prosperity rather than concentrate risks,” Bourita declared, calling for a “loyalty pact between producers, processors, and users based not on ideology but on strategic respect and sovereign balance.”
Bourita stressed Africa should be central to this pact, recalling King Mohammed VI’s message to the 2025 Ibrahim Governance Weekend Forum noting that with 40% of global raw material reserves and 30% of critical minerals, Africa can no longer merely export raw materials. The minister urged investment in African infrastructure, skills, and governance to transform natural wealth into sustainable economic growth, job creation, and long-term prosperity.
“Current mineral globalization is neither free, nor fair, nor resilient,” Bourita pointed out, advocating for an era of reliable partnerships, mutual respect, and shared stability. Morocco and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals and rare earths cooperation following the meeting.
Washington hosted on 4 February 2026 a Summit on critical minerals, attended by around forty delegations from Africa and beyond.
The Summit aims to secure strategic mineral supplies, including coltan, cobalt, and lithium, as the U.S. seeks to reduce Chinese dominance in the sector.
