$5 Million Deal: US DFC and Pela Global to Fund Critical Minerals Exploration in North Macedonia
A $5 million agreement between the US International Development Finance Corporation and Pela Global was signed in Washington to fund critical minerals exploration in North Macedonia.
The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Pela Global have signed a $5 million agreement to fund exploration of North Macedonia's critical minerals potential. The deal was signed at DFC headquarters in Washington by Conor Coleman, DFC's investment lead, and Nick Jovanovski, Pela Global's executive director.
The signing ceremony was attended by Energy Minister Sanja Bozhinovska and Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski, part of the Macedonian government delegation. The investment fits into the United States' broader strategy of securing alternative sources of critical raw materials essential to future industries, from batteries to semiconductors.
North Macedonia holds significant but so far underdeveloped critical minerals potential, with the Ilovica copper project currently the only concrete investment in the sector. The DFC agreement marks a step toward further diversifying mining-sector investment, at a time when the European Union itself has warned it is falling behind in the global race for critical raw materials.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · September 29, 2026
