Kiribati was officially welcomed as the 86th Member of the Intergovernmental Forum (IGF) on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) during its 21st Annual General Meeting in Geneva this year. The Kiribati delegation—led by senior officials from the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, including the Deputy Secretary and the Director of the Geoscience Division—held constructive discussions with the IGF Secretariat on priority areas for national development.

Membership in the IGF positions Kiribati to strengthen its policy and legal frameworks and to improve governance of the mineral sector, including oversight of small-scale and artisanal non-metallic mining activities. The IGF also offers access to specialized services, such as conducting environmental risk assessments that can inform rehabilitation strategies for abandoned mining sites.

Kiribati’s engagement with the IGF demonstrates a firm commitment to sustainable development, stronger institutional governance, and the protection of national interests. This partnership ensures that Kiribati is better equipped to responsibly harness the long-term benefits of its mineral resources—both within its vast ocean territory and on Banaba—for the wellbeing of its people and the resilience of its islands.