(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, November 5. The Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic has launched a public discussion on a draft program for the development of the critical minerals sector through 2030, designed to boost economic growth and strengthen the country's sustainable resource base, Trend reports via the cabinet.

The program outlines a national strategy for the extraction and processing of polymetals, rare earth elements, and other strategically important resources vital to the high-tech and energy industries.

In addition to the draft program, the government has published several accompanying documents for review-an action plan, a resource cost assessment format, and a monitoring and evaluation matrix to measure implementation effectiveness.

The initiative will be funded from the state budget and other legal sources, with public consultations open until November 19, 2025. After the discussion period, the finalized program will be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval.

Kyrgyzstan is diligently formulating a comprehensive strategy for the development of critical minerals within the framework of its overarching National Development Program till 2030. Gold constitutes 40 percent of Kyrgyzstan's exports, but the nation possesses over 20 vital minerals necessary for green technology, such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements, utilized in batteries, energy storage, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and several other applications.

This underscores a substantial opportunity to diversify and enhance its presence in global markets. The principal objective is to utilize the nation's abundant mineral resources to diversify the economy, attract investment, and shift from reliance on raw materials to value-added industries.

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