US EXIM Bank signals major support for Pakistan’s critical mineral projects

Pakistan’s efforts to expand its mineral and energy output have received a notable boost after the US Export-Import Bank signalled that it is preparing to support projects tied to the country’s critical minerals sector. The indication came as the bank outlined a sweeping international investment plan aimed at strengthening supply chains for minerals that power modern industries.

The chair of EXIM, John Jovanovic, highlighted the broader strategy in an interview published by the Financial Times on Sunday. He said the bank was preparing to move ahead with a global investment package worth up to $100 billion to secure access to key resources for the US and its partners.

The minerals in question are widely used in clean energy technologies, advanced electronics and defence manufacturing, and have become central to geopolitical competition.

Jovanovic said the first set of agreements under this programme would involve projects in Pakistan, Egypt and several European countries. He noted that many Western economies had become heavily dependent on a narrow set of suppliers and argued that the existing structure was neither balanced nor sustainable.

According to the report, Pakistan is expected to feature in the early pipeline through a sizeable loan planned for the Reko Diq copper and gold project, which is being developed by Barrick Mining. The financing, valued at around 1.25 billion dollars, would mark one of the largest US-backed interventions in Pakistan’s mineral sector in recent years.

Reko Diq is frequently described by industry experts as one of the world’s most significant untapped deposits of copper and gold, and its development is considered a potential game changer for the country’s export earnings.

Jovanovic also pointed to another planned transaction under the same initiative. This involves a credit insurance guarantee covering 4 billion dollars’ worth of natural gas shipments to Egypt by Hartree Partners, a New York-based commodities firm. He said both transactions were part of a wider effort to ensure that supply chains for essential materials are reliable and protected from disruptions.

The EXIM chief explained that the bank still has roughly 100 billion dollars available for deployment from the 135 billion dollars approved by the US Congress. The agency has been under growing pressure to play a more active role in global energy and resource financing, especially as Washington pursues policies that encourage domestic and allied production.

The investment plan aligns with President Donald Trump’s long-stated goal of expanding US energy output and loosening regulatory barriers. His administration has repeatedly argued that building resilient supply networks for critical minerals is necessary for both economic growth and national security.

EXIM has yet to issue an official public statement on the Pakistan-related financing, but the comments signal growing US interest in resource development across South Asia.