The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced the launch of the Critical Minerals-to-Manufacturing Financing Partnership Facility, a new financing initiative aimed at supporting the development supply chains for critical minerals – needed for clean energy, batteries, electric vehicles, and digital technology – in Asia-Pacific countries.
According to the ADB, the facility is designed to enable the region to move beyond mining and into higher-value activities including processing, manufacturing, and recycling. It will support project preparation, policy reforms, and mobilization of public and private capital across the critical minerals value chain.
The new facility includes two components, including a grant window and a catalytic finance window. The grant window will fund early project work, including feasibility studies, environmental and social assessments, technical assistance and knowledge-sharing. The catalytic finance window is designed to bring in cofinancing and risk-sharing from other financing partners.
The grant window has secured initial contributions of $20 million from the Government of Japan and $1.6 million from the Government of the United Kingdom, while the catalytic window has attracted commitments from Korea Eximbank and the Korean Trade Insurance Corporation, with each signing a $500 million memorandum as the facility’s first partners.
The facility builds on ADB’s 2025 strategy to support responsible and sustainable critical minerals-to-manufacturing value chains across the region. ADB is currently supporting battery manufacturing and recycling in India, geological data mapping in Mongolia, AI-driven critical metals production and circular approaches in Uzbekistan, a critical minerals strategy in Kazakhstan, and a critical minerals roadmap and regulatory reforms in the Philippines.
ADB President Masato Kanda said:
“Asia and the Pacific should be more than a source of raw materials. The region should also capture the jobs, technology, and value these minerals provide. This facility is about urgency and fairness: building responsible supply chains now, so our developing member countries can compete in advanced manufacturing and create opportunities at home.”
According to ADB, all projects supported through the facility will be subject to its environmental and social safeguards, due diligence processes, and impact assessments. The program is expected to support rising demand for clean energy and digital technologies, while promoting job creation and inclusive economic growth across Asia-Pacific markets.
