The economy ministers of the countries were preparing to sign an agreement on critical minerals, as seen by POLITICO.
The agreement will concentrate on the development of lithium, rare earth elements, copper tungsten, gallium, germanium, and nickel to counter China’s dominant control over materials necessary for military equipment, electric vehicles, and quantum computing.
“One of the big vulnerabilities that’s been exposed by the Ukraine war, it was exposed by Covid, it’s been exposed by the changing global trade dynamics, [is] our vulnerabilities in supply chains including in critical metals and minerals,” mentioned Carney. “Canada can play a role in accelerating that diversification for Germany and for Europe.”
Like Brussels, Berlin is eager to reduce its reliance on China for critical minerals needed to fuel the bloc’s green, digital, and defense goals. Ottawa is an appealing partner to accomplish that — Canada hosts approximately 200 mines extracting various minerals and metals, many deemed critical raw materials.
Several Canadian Cabinet members, including Defense Minister David McGuinty, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, and Energy Minister Tim Hodgson, accompanied Carney to Berlin.
Carney announced he would visit Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in Kiel, northern Germany, later Tuesday, alongside Joly and McGuinty, while Hodgson was planned to deliver a significant speech to CEOs from the energy, manufacturing, and defense sectors.
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