Dominican Republic and U.S. sign agreement to develop critical minerals and rare earths

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic and the United States have agreed to expand cooperation on the extraction, processing and development of critical minerals and rare earth elements, with the goal of strengthening supply chains and attracting investment.

The new Cooperation Framework will allow both countries to identify strategic projects, explore financing opportunities and promote the development of mineral resources considered essential to the technology, energy and industrial sectors.

The agreement was signed by Dominican Foreign Minister Víctor-Ito Bisonó and U.S. Ambassador Leah F. Campos, with Energy and Mines Minister Joel Santos Echavarría also present.

Bisonó said the framework represents an opportunity for the Dominican Republic to develop its natural resources while ensuring they generate greater economic value and benefits for the country. He described the initiative as part of the government’s economic diplomacy strategy to attract investment and strengthen strategic industries.

Campos said the partnership goes beyond mining, linking critical minerals to economic security, supply-chain resilience and reduced dependence on third countries for strategic materials.

The agreement comes as critical minerals and rare earth elements become increasingly important to advanced technology, energy and industrial production, giving the Dominican Republic an opportunity to participate in emerging strategic supply chains.