{"id":119089,"date":"2026-02-04T17:01:44","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T22:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/?post_type=news&p=119089"},"modified":"2026-02-05T10:11:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T15:11:23","slug":"critical-minerals-ministerial-and-action-plans-raise-human-rights-environmental-questions","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/news\/critical-minerals-ministerial-and-action-plans-raise-human-rights-environmental-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Critical Minerals Ministerial and \u201cAction Plans\u201d Raise Human Rights, Environmental Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON, D.C \u2014\u00a0 Today, Vice President JD Vance addressed representatives from 50 countries gathered at the Trump administration\u2019s \u201cCritical Minerals Ministerial,\u201d announcing that some had signed onto nonbinding arrangements with the United States creating a \u201cpreferential trade zone\u201d and that more details about an \u201cAgreement on Trade in Critical Minerals\u201d from the U.S. Trade Representative would be forthcoming in a subsequent summit. Also today, the Trump administration announced a critical minerals \u201cAction Plan\u201d between the United States and Mexico and an intention to develop such \u201caction plans\u201d with the European Union and Japan.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Global Trade Watch director Melinda St. Louis issued the following statement:<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the wake of Trump\u2019s shocking Greenland gambit and his imperialist minerals deals with Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of Congo, other countries and the U.S. public should be very wary of any \u2018arrangement,\u2019 \u2018deal,\u2019 \u2018agreement,\u2019 or \u2018action plan\u2019 related to critical minerals \u2013 especially ones like these that emerge without any transparency or public consultation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCivil society organizations with strong ties to vulnerable communities in resource-rich regions have made <\/span>clear recommendations<\/span><\/a> for what should and should not be in any critical minerals-related deals in order to ensure accountability in the notoriously dangerous and dirty mining and processing minerals supply chain. Members of Congress have demanded transparency, but have been ignored.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike so many of Trump\u2019s announcements of \u2018deals,\u2019 it\u2019s unclear what, if any, real-world impact these deals will have. But Congress should exercise its constitutional authority over trade and demand a transparent and participatory process, <\/span>meaningful labor, environmental and human rights standards<\/span><\/a>, and a vote on any final deals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Background:<\/b><\/p>\n

Public Citizen joined 35 civil society, environmental, faith, and human rights organizations in calling on the Trump administration to halt any ongoing negotiations on critical minerals agreements until the process is opened to public input and affected communities are meaningfully consulted.<\/span>
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\n<\/span> In the<\/span> letter<\/span><\/a>, the groups warn that reports of new minerals-related deals being pursued with countries around the world \u2014 including last week\u2019s \u201cstrategic partnership agreement\u201d related to rare earth minerals between the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo \u2014 raise serious concerns about transparency, human rights, worker and environmental exploitation, and sovereignty.<\/span>
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\n<\/span> The groups urge the administration to commit to<\/span>
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