Today, the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) partners and key minerals-rich countries held a vice-ministerial meeting to discuss priorities, challenges, and opportunities in responsible mining, processing, and recycling of critical minerals.

MSP partners participating in the meeting included: Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Additional countries in attendance included Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

MSP partners also announced support for the following principles for a shared commitment to high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. The announcement was made at the Investing in African Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town, South Africa.

These announced principles mark the public commitment to full integration of ESG standards into the MSP’s work, with the goal of achieving an equitable and just energy transition. The MSP will support socially responsible projects that meet recognized international ESG standards. Under these basic principles, the MSP will support projects that:

• Demonstrate responsible stewardship of the natural environment;

• Engage in consultative and participatory processes with regard to land access and acquisition;

• Commit to meaningful, ongoing consultation with communities;

• Ensure safe, fair, inclusive, and ethical conditions in the community and the workplace;

• Provide economic benefit for workers, and local communities; and

• Ensure transparent, ethical business operations.

Source: US State Department