Hon Shane Jones
Minister for Resources
 
Hon Simon Watts
Minister for Energy

NewZealand has joined international leaders at the 2026 International Energy Agency Ministerial meeting in committing to strengthen global co-operation on critical minerals to strengthen longterm energy security.

Energy Minister Simon Watts, who has been at the ministerial meeting in Paris this week, joined 32 member countries in endorsing a Declaration supporting the work of the International Energy Agency (IEA) on critical minerals security. The Declaration recognises that critical minerals are essential to the clean energy transition and that access to them is increasingly important for global supply chains.

“NewZealand is already an active member of the IEA’s Critical Minerals Security Programme, which focuses on security of supply, market transparency, sustainable and responsible sourcing, reliable data, and innovation,” Mr Watts says.

“Today’s Declaration recognises the strategic importance of these minerals for energy security and calls for timely, focused action—from shortterm preparedness to accelerating strategic projects that diversify refining and processing.”

NewZealand is wellpositioned to become a credible and reliable contributor to international supply chains as global demand rises and the need for a secure supply of critical minerals grows. Occurrences of minerals such as antimony, lithium, rare earth elements and vanadium—all increasingly vital to global cleantechnology systems—highlight clear opportunities for responsible development and investment.

Resources Minister Shane Jones says these resources need to be recognised as strategic assets for NewZealand’s economic resilience and international partnerships.

“In addition to our mineral endowment, we have innovative technology companies developing ways to extract critical minerals from byproducts of existing operations, lowimpact recovery, and supporting the circular economy,” MrJones says.

“Investing in the responsible development of these minerals means more highskilled jobs, greater selfreliance, stronger national resilience, and opportunities to build new capability, technology, and infrastructure here at home.

“Internationally, there is clear demand for stable, transparent, and responsible suppliers—a role NewZealand is well placed to play given our strong environmental, social and governance standards and trusted relationships with global partners. We stand with our IEA partners in supporting secure, resilient criticalmineral supply chains—and in using our endowment to be part of the solution.”

Notes:

The Declaration directs the IEA Secretariat to expand and strengthen its work in several key areas, including:

• Enhancing secure data collection and market monitoring across a broad suite of strategic minerals.
• Providing rapid assessments of major market developments and potential supply disruptions.
• Supporting members to coordinate responses to export restrictions and other shocks, including through secure informationsharing.
• Assisting countries that choose to establish or expand critical mineral stockpiles.
• Organising regular emergency preparedness exercises.
• Expanding the Critical Minerals Information Dashboard to help members identify diversification opportunities.
• Accelerating innovation in recycling, recovery and substitution technologies.
• Deepening collaboration with governments, industry, financial institutions and international partners to improve transparency and mobilise investment.

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