A press statement from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources confirmed that the third international ministerial meeting for ministers responsible for mining will witness an unprecedented level of participation, with more than 80 countries having confirmed their attendance so far, including 45 countries represented by ministers. Additionally, 20 official international organizations, 30 non-governmental organizations, and 13 business federations will be part of the event.
This record participation reflects the historic turning point for the global mining and minerals sector, especially considering the gathering of mining ministers and stakeholders in one meeting. This also underscores the leading role of the Kingdom in the mining sector and the broader region, which extends from Africa to West and Central Asia.
The third international ministerial meeting, set to take place on January 9, 2024, in Riyadh, is part of the International Mining Conference. The meeting aims to enhance international cooperation on the production of strategic minerals essential for the energy transition to modern technological sectors. It will highlight the mining potential of the major mining region, through discussions and exchanges of ideas and experiences among government representatives, ministers, high-level officials, international organizations such as the UN, trade federations, and mining producers, as well as non-governmental organizations concerned with sustainability and community development.
The goal is to establish sustainable development foundations for the global minerals industry and harness the vast potential of the region, build capacities, and make the mining industry a key driver of global economic and social development.
In a statement by His Excellency the Deputy Minister for Mining Affairs, Engineer Khalid Al-Mudaifer, he emphasized that the number of ministers confirming their attendance reflects the political and economic weight of the Kingdom and highlights the increasing importance of minerals in recent years. He further noted that this large participation shows that the International Mining Conference has established itself as a leading global platform for shaping the future of minerals.
The presence of high-level government representation from both mining-producing and consuming countries demonstrates that all governments around the world now recognize the importance of minerals, as countries seek to secure reliable mineral supply chains, particularly those related to strategic minerals involved in energy transition programs and related industries.
His Excellency also pointed out that the major mining region has the capacity to supply the world with the necessary minerals for its prosperity and growth, as it is expected to play a central role in providing approximately 3 billion tons of strategic minerals needed to build the necessary infrastructure to help the world achieve its net-zero emissions goals.
Among the topics to be discussed at the upcoming meeting is the competition in the global mineral market and how countries can cooperate amid this competition, as this is the only way to meet the world's mineral needs. By working together, mineral-producing countries can create high local value from their mineral resources, driving their communities towards further development and prosperity.
The meeting will also review the steps taken to turn discussions into practical actions, through four main initiatives identified in the previous ministerial meeting.
These include establishing principles for creating an international framework for strategic minerals cooperation, developing regional centers of excellence to assist in capacity building, establishing environmental, social, and transparent frameworks to ensure the region maximizes benefits from the expected growth in mineral extraction and production, and setting up centers for green mineral processing in the Kingdom and the region, focusing on the use of clean energy technologies.
It is worth noting that the International Mining Conference, which will take place from January 10-11, will be a global gathering to discuss the future of minerals and mining worldwide, and how to increase the contribution of the major mining region, extending from Africa to West and Central Asia. This year’s sessions will feature 220 speakers, including top executives from major mining companies and companies related to the mineral and finance sectors, with approximately 13,000 participants expected to attend.
