Kazakhstan participates in EIT Raw Materials Summit 2026

The EIT Raw Materials Summit 2026 is the leading European forum on critical raw materials. Organized by EIT Raw Materials, the event brought together policymakers, industry representatives, investors, and experts to discuss the implementation of the EU strategy for ensuring sustainable raw materials supplies.

On the sidelines of the summit, Kazakhstan's Ambassador to the EU, Roman Vasilenko, met with Valère Moutarlier, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.

The sides discussed the prospects for deepening the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union in the area of ​​critical raw materials, industrial cooperation, and sustainable supply chains, in line with the relevant 2022 memorandum.

Valère Moutarlier emphasized the importance of cooperation with Kazakhstan for the EU as a reliable and constructive partner, which possesses a significant potential in the field of mineral resources. The parties reaffirmed their mutual interest in further development of mutually beneficial business cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union, based on mutual respect and trust.

The parties emphasized the need to accelerate the implementation of joint initiatives, improve cooperation mechanisms, and create favorable conditions for private sector participation and investment attraction. Preparations for upcoming joint events at various levels were also discussed.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue working contacts and joint efforts aimed at expanding industrial partnerships, developing high-value-added projects, and strengthening investment cooperation under the Global Gateway initiative.

Saule Rakhmetullina, Rector of the Daulet Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University is also participating in the summit.

In an interview with Qazinform, she stated the University is currently steadily transforming into an international educational center for training next-generation engineers. Its academic programs are directly linked to the industrial and technological profile of the region: geology and mining, metallurgy and mineral processing, ecology and life safety, information and communication technology, architecture and construction, mechanical engineering, and energy.

“One of our university's strategic priorities is the development of the Kazakh-German Institute of Science and Technology in Metallurgy and Mining, established at the East Kazakhstan Technical University," she said.

The institute unites a consortium of German universities and research partners, including TU Bergakademie Freiberg, TU Clausthal, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund, BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, Universität Duisburg-Essen, and other organizations. Research activities are structured around three priority areas: metallurgy and materials science; geodesy, geology, and mining; sustainable development and ecology.

In this context, the participation of the East Kazakhstan Technical University in the EIT RawMaterials Summit 2026 is an important step in further positioning of the university on the international critical raw materials agenda.

The summit brings together leading experts, universities, research centers, industrial partners, and investors to discuss the sustainability of global supply chains, project financing in the fields of critical materials, circular economy, green technologies, and innovation.