RARE EARTH METALS IN CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES. GLOBAL COMPETITION AND STRATEGIES FOR COOPERATION DEVELOPMENT

This article is devoted to the analysis of the strategies pursued by the Central Asian states in the context of growing international interest in their reserves of rare earth metals (REMs). The relevance of the topic is determined by the intensifying global competition for access to critical mineral resources against the back-drop of China’s monopolistic position in the REM market and the simultaneous efforts of the United States and the European Union to diversify their sources of supply. While Beijing maintains control over REM production volumes by expanding quotas, EU member states are seeking to reduce their dependence on Chinese supplies through investment in the development of alternative deposits, including those located in Central Asia.

The aim of the study is to identify the specific features of the foreign economic strategies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as to assess the agency of these states under conditions of competition among the leading global players in the REM market. The scientific novelty of the work lies in defining and classifying the principal strategies of the Central Asian countries with respect to the development of the REM mining and processing sector. The authors identify the following strategies: “Balancing between centers of power” (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan); “An open mine for investors” (Kyrgyzstan); and “Development within the regional framework” (Tajikistan).

The differences among these strategies highlight the absence of a coordinated regional policy with regard to critical mineral resources. At the same time, the current stage is characterized by the emergence of preconditions for intensifying competition and clashes of interest among major external actors over access to key regional resources. Various mechanisms may be employed in this process, including the introduction of restrictive provisions (“green transition,” sustainable development) into agreements, manipulation of production quotas, and political pressure. In the absence of coordination among the Central Asian states, as well as without recourse to regional integration frameworks, the region’s dependence on raw material exports is likely to deepen, thereby increasing its political and economic vulnerability.

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