Multilateral development banks, including the European Investment Bank Group, have agreed to work more closely on support for “critical minerals to manufacturing value chains” in developing countries, according to a joint statement adopted at the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings on 17 April 2026.
The banks said they would cooperate with governments, the private sector, workers and communities to develop supply chains that are “diversified, resilient, and responsible”, linking minerals extraction to processing and manufacturing, the organisation said.
They said the work would cover minerals used for clean energy technologies and digital infrastructure, with the banks seeking to mobilise capital for projects that meet their development objectives and environmental, social and governance standards, it added.
The statement set out different roles for participants, saying client countries provide mineral scale and ambitions to add value, global partners bring demand, technology and capital, and multilateral development banks provide policy and regulatory support as well as infrastructure finance, according to the EIB Group.
### Joint framework and areas of support
The banks said they would strengthen cooperation through a Joint Collaboration Framework and look for opportunities for joint operations, including co-financing and shared analytical work, the organisation said.
Work under the framework would include strengthening policy and governance such as legal, fiscal, trade and permitting rules, alongside environmental and social standards and practices around transparency and accountability, according to the statement.
The banks also said they would support infrastructure needed for minerals supply chains — including power, transport, logistics, digital connectivity and water — and back “corridor” approaches linking mines with processing hubs and wider markets, the EIB Group said.
A further focus would be mobilising capital and accelerating private investment by improving project preparation, structuring and risk reduction, while also working on market development through better data availability and management, the statement said.
