In a high-level UN meeting on critical energy transition minerals, Pakistan's Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad delivered a powerful call to action: resource-rich developing countries face a once-in-a-generation opportunity as global demand for critical minerals nearly triples by 2030. He stressed that these nations must shift from mere raw extraction to processing, refining, and downstream manufacturing—a value-addition pathway essential for economic diversification and accelerated progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ahmad highlighted that this transition hinges on technology transfer under concessional terms, skills development, and targeted investment. He welcomed the Task Force's cluster on value addition as a practical mechanism to support this shift. In my opinion, this statement rightly underscores the historical injustice of resource-rich countries remaining trapped in low-value commodity exports. Without deliberate industrial policy and international cooperation, the energy transition could repeat extractive colonial patterns. The emphasis on concessional technology transfer is crucial—market-rate terms often widen inequality. Developed nations and multinational corporations must step up with genuine partnerships, not just rhetoric. The Task Force's focus on value addition is promising, but implementation remains the true test. For developing countries, this is a moment to assert sovereignty over their resources while building local capacities. The path to the SDGs does not lie in shipping raw minerals overseas; it lies in creating jobs, infrastructure, and innovation at home. The world must ensure that the green revolution benefits all, not just a few.