In September 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance collaboration on critical minerals including lithium, rare earths, copper, and tungsten. The agreement stresses respecting Colombia’s sovereignty and integrating environmental and social governance standards to ensure sustainable benefits.
- Memorandum focuses on rare earths, lithium, copper, tungsten
- Highlights Colombia’s sovereignty and environmental governance
- Challenges include avoiding past mining-related social and environmental harms
What happened
On September 8, 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Colombia to sign a memorandum of understanding with President Abelardo de la Espriella concerning critical mineral cooperation. This agreement covers rare earth elements, lithium, copper, and tungsten with a framework for geological surveys, processing, trade, and incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. The memorandum is non-binding and confirms Colombia’s sovereignty over its resources without granting mining rights directly.
The agreement anticipates identifying potential joint projects and financing mechanisms within six months, including loans, equity investments, and government purchase agreements. This visit marks the highest-level US diplomatic engagement with Colombia in recent years, symbolizing renewed cooperation following previous bilateral tensions.
Why it matters
The memorandum aims to diversify global critical mineral supply chains, currently dominated by China, which produces a large majority of tungsten, rare earth elements, and copper refining worldwide. Strengthening US-Colombia ties could reduce reliance on Chinese exports and bolster North-South economic collaboration beyond simplified models of exploitation.
Historically, US-Colombia cooperation has contributed to Colombia’s modernization in sectors like coffee, railways, and security. This agreement represents an opportunity to stimulate Colombia’s economy via critical minerals while promoting better governance and sustainability standards to avoid repeating past negative impacts of extractive industries, such as environmental degradation and social inequities.
What to watch next
Additionally, the development of financing mechanisms and trade agreements under this cooperation will indicate how ambitious bilateral efforts are in practice. It is essential to follow how Colombia balances economic growth in the critical minerals sector with safeguarding community rights and sustainability, learning from past mining experiences in regions like La Guajira and Cesar.