Kazakhstan and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have agreed to collaborate on modernizing and developing the national mining sector. This partnership aims to enhance governance, transparency, and regulation in line with international standards and practices.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Industry and Construction, Kanat Sharlapaev, and EBRD First Vice President, Jurgen Rigterink. The signing, attended by the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, is a significant element of the EU-Kazakhstan critical raw materials roadmap and their strategic partnership.
The MoU outlines plans to develop a more modern system for capturing, processing, and disseminating geoscientific documents, such as maps and data. This cooperation will focus on improving the mining sector’s legal and regulatory frameworks and enhancing the Ministry of Industry and Construction’s capacity to adopt, implement, monitor, and enforce sector regulations.
EBRD First Vice President Rigterink emphasized that this MoU aligns with the Bank’s strategy for responsible exploration and mining of critical raw materials. The EBRD plans to increase investment in the mining of materials essential for the green transition, including those used in wind turbines, solar panels, lithium-ion and electric car batteries, traction motors, and heat pumps. These materials must be produced sustainably and in an environmentally sound manner. 
