British News Agency

Lula emphasized the global importance of critical minerals, saying: “Critical minerals have become a central component of contemporary geopolitics. They are vital for technological development and the energy transition.”

He noted that in 2024, the energy sector accounted for 85% of the increase in demand for these resources and added: “It is impossible to fulfill the commitment to triple renewable energy use without including these minerals.”

Lula explained that the energy transition offers an opportunity to reassess natural resource use. “Countries with large mineral reserves cannot be seen only as raw material providers. The question is who controls the knowledge and value added.”

He stressed that critical minerals are a matter of sovereignty: “Sovereignty is measured not by the quantity of natural deposits, but by the policies that turn these resources into benefits for the people.”

Lula stated that Brazil has established the National Council for Critical and Strategic Minerals and said: “We will not be only exporters; we will be partners in the global value chain of critical minerals.”