United States Department of State
Washington DC
8 September 2026

During Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s trip to Barranquilla, Colombia, on September 8, he and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula signed two arrangements to advance cooperation in the fields of critical minerals and civil nuclear cooperation. These arrangements are part of our countries’ efforts to reinvigorate the over 200-year U.S.-Colombia partnership and restore it as a linchpin of security and economic cooperation in our hemisphere.

The Critical Minerals Framework:

Establishes a U.S.-Colombia framework to secure resilient, diversified, and fair supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths, committing both governments to mobilize government and private sector support—via guarantees, loans, equity, offtake arrangements, insurance, or regulatory facilitation—to jointly identify and finance mining and processing projects within six months of signing. Calls for streamlined permitting, market-protective pricing mechanisms such as price floors, national security review tools for critical minerals asset sales, investment in minerals recycling technology, and cooperation on geological mapping.

The Civil Nuclear Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding:

Establishes a bilateral framework for strategic civil nuclear cooperation between the United States and Colombia, grounded in Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, as Colombia considers deploying nuclear power to advance energy security and deepen the two countries’ broader strategic relationship. Expresses joint intent to collaborate across regulatory capacity-building, industry partnerships, and scientific and academic exchanges to support Colombia’s civil nuclear infrastructure and workforce development; explore U.S. nuclear technologies (including advanced and small modular reactors), fuel, equipment, and services; and pursue both power and non-power applications such as research reactors, radioisotopes, nuclear medicine, agriculture, and waste management—all while upholding the highest standards of safety, security, and non-proliferation.

United States Government (Taxpayers) As Shareholder In Both Companies?

Toronto, Canada-based Sherritt International Corporation (2025 revenue approximately US$389 million) has cobalt, nickel, and energy (30% interest in Energas S.A.) operations in the Republic of Cuba. Link: https://sherritt.com/

Bowral, Australia-based Antilles Gold Limited entered the Republic of Cuba in 2020 to develop copper, gold, and silver mining projects. Link: https://antillesgold.net/

Links To Related Analyses

Five Entities In Cuba's Banking, Energy, Mining Sectors And Grandson Of Raul Castro Added To SDN List September 3, 2026

DOD (War) OSC Could Be U.S. Taxpayer Partner Of Last Resort For Canada’s Sherritt And Australia’s Antilles. Cobalt, Copper, Gold, Nickel, Silver Are Strategic Minerals. August 30, 2026

Cuba: And Now There Are Two… Antilles Gold Has Until 25 January 2027 And Sherritt International Has Until 12 October 2026 August 27, 2026

Did Ontario Premier Make The Case For Why Canada's Sherritt Should Be Owned By U.S.-Based Suitor? “What would they do without the high-grade nickel that we ship down to the U.S.?” August 24, 2026

Can Antilles Gold Of Australia Convince The Trump-Vance Administration And Government Of Cuba To Restructure Company Operations And Assets In Cuba? July 31, 2026

Suitor For Canada's Sherritt Is Co-Chair (With Wife) Of September 2026 Republican Party Midterm Convention Host Committee. President Trump And Party Leadership (Elected And Appointed) Will Attend. August 24, 2026

Trump Administration Newly-Defined Cuba Doctrine Of "Temporary Escalatory Coercive Subjugation" Reflecting Share Price Of Canada's Sherritt. But, Some Made 336%. Preparing For Another Expropriation? August 22, 2026

U.S. Secretary Of State Rubio Meets With Minister Of Foreign Affairs Of Canada August 20, 2026

Trump-Vance Administration Increases Pressure On Cuba's Mining Sector. Impacting U.S. Control For Canada's Sherritt? August 20, 2026

Added To SDN List: Cuba Ministry Of Construction (MINCONS). August 20, 2026

U.S. Department Of State Sanctions ICAP And Nine Entities In Cuba August 20, 2026