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New Zealand will invest NZ$80 million ($48 million) from its NZ$1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund to develop critical minerals resources. This investment aims to facilitate local projects and is part of the nation's strategy to enhance domestic processing of minerals such as copper, cobalt, and tungsten, released in 2025.

Concurrently, New Zealand participated in the 2026 International Energy Agency Ministerial meeting, where it joined 32 countries in endorsing a Declaration focused on strengthening global cooperation on critical minerals for energy security. This highlights the strategic importance of minerals like lithium and rare earths for clean technologies and positions New Zealand as a reliable supplier.