Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo's remarks to the Security Council on Energy, Critical Minerals and Security
Thursday, 5 March 2026
Mr. President,
I thank the United States for convening this meeting on an issue of tremendous importance.
Critical minerals are among the main drivers of the 21st century economy. Countless things we take for granted – smartphones, electric vehicles, and cutting-edge medical technologies – would not be possible without them.
A decade ago, minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel had limited strategic importance. Today, they underpin the technologies powering the digital economy and the energy transition.
In 2023 alone, the trade in raw and semi-processed minerals reached approximately $2.5 trillion dollars. This represents more than ten per cent of global trade. Demand could triple by 2030 and quadruple by 2040.
This dramatic rise in demand is a generational opportunity: to create jobs, diversify economies, and promote sustainable development.
However, the surge in demand for critical minerals is also fueling geopolitical competition and affecting global supply chains.
Mining for these minerals has been linked to human rights abuses and environmental degradation.
It is incumbent on both producing and consuming countries to enact governance and regulatory frameworks to manage these resources responsibly for the benefit of all.
Mr. President,
The opportunities and risks critical minerals represent are especially stark in the case of conflict-affected States.
The mining of these minerals is geographically concentrated. A number of countries and regions affected by conflict are major producers.
More than seventy per cent of global cobalt extraction, for example, occurs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most of the batteries that power our smart devices rely on this material.
Myanmar is one of the world’s largest sources of rare earth elements, essential for high-performance magnets used in advanced electronics.
Ukraine holds significant reserves of titanium and lithium, indispensable for aerospace technologies and advanced manufacturing.
In conflict-affected contexts, mining, when not managed responsibly, can have a devastating effect. It can weaken governance, spur illicit economies and fund criminal and armed groups.
The Security Council has recognized the link between natural resources and conflict. In several settings, it has imposed targeted measures, including sanctions, to stop the illicit trade of specific commodities and prevent the fueling of conflict.
The Panels of Experts supporting these sanctions regimes have helped identify violations, trace supply chains and strengthen the implementation of measures to curb illicit exploitation and trade.
Their work has yielded a wealth of knowledge and analysis on the broader phenomenon of how illicit resource extraction supports armed groups and sustains conflict economies.
The Council has, for example, established sanctions regimes in relation to the situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Libya, and imposed restrictions on Al-Shabaab.
The Council has requested UN peace operations to work with national governments to help curb illegal exploitation of natural resources by armed groups.
The Great Lakes region is a case in point.
In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, control over mineral-rich areas is a major driver of violence and shapes regional political dynamics.
Since the start of the current crisis in the area, the AFC/M23 coalition has reportedly earned more than a million dollars a month from illicit mining and smuggling.
UN peacekeepers in the country are working with Congolese authorities and regional partners to reduce armed group influence over mining areas and disrupt illicit mineral supply chains.
To complement these actions, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region is supporting efforts to address illicit resource extraction.
He has worked with the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the Kimberley Process to enhance traceability, strengthen compliance mechanisms and reinforce shared governance of natural resources.
Mr. President,
We see three priorities to help conflict-affected countries realize the potential presented by critical minerals.
First, the extraction of these resources must deliver just and equitable outcomes. Across the United Nations system, we are working closely with national authorities to help them strengthen institutions that manage their natural resources, enhance their regulatory frameworks, and maximize their peacebuilding benefits.
We help governments strengthen their ability to negotiate fair mining agreements, build domestic capacity for processing and refinement and mitigate any adverse effects of mining.
Second, we need multilateral and regional action to strengthen governance, improve the traceability of minerals to curb illicit flows, and build more resilient supply chains. Dialogue between producing and consuming countries — as well as with industry and regional organizations — is necessary.
Third, we must deploy our peacemaking instruments to mitigate and resolve natural resource disputes. Our mediators factor in considerations related to natural resources in peace talks.
This can help conflict parties identify ways to share benefits and develop cooperative relationships. With this Council’s support, we will continue to prioritize diplomacy and create the political space for engagement on these issues.
Mr. President,
The opportunities ahead of us are significant. The fair and responsible harnessing of critical minerals can help lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. And it can help promote peace.
Achieving these goals will require concerted action – by Member States, the private sector, civil society and the United Nations.
Thank you.
