US Upgrades MSP to FORGE to Build Resilient Supply Chains for Critical Minerals

On 4 February 2026, during the US Critical Minerals Ministerial, US State Secretary Marco Rubio announced the upgrade of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) to the Forum On Resource Geostrategic Engagement (#FORGE). The primary goal of FORGE is is to shift the focus from #ESG compliance to supply chain resilience, while maintaining high-quality standards.

It is to be recalled that the #MSP was established under the Biden Administration in 2022. The MSP is an association of 14 countries and the 27 members states of the European Union. Its aim was to bolster investment into responsible mining and recycling of #CriticalMinerals. On the other hand, FORGE has 56 nations, including G7, driven by a common goal.

When Trump came back into power in January 2025, his Administration reviewed the MSP under the #AmericaFirst doctrine. Officials concluded that traditional diplomatic engagement and project-level support were insufficient to counter rivals backed by the state.

Therefore, the concept for FORGE was hatched with a broader mandate and the objective to build and trade-and-investment coalition with bigger firepower. #FORGE shall coordinate and intervene to counter price manipulations that can kill Western mines and refineries.

The first action is to connect resource-rich nations like Australia and Canada with major processing or manufacturing hubs like Japan, South Korea, and India. South Korea has been appointed as the inaugural chair of FORGE. FORGE will operate alongside #PaxSilica, which focuses on Critical Minerals needed for semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) hardware.