Riyadh: Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the fourth edition of the Future Minerals Forum kicked off today in Riyadh. The event features representatives from over 90 countries, including 16 G20 nations, 50 international governmental and non-governmental organizations, commodity trade associations, and leading figures in the global mining industry.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the forum began with the Fourth Ministerial Roundtable meeting, which aims to bolster international collaboration in producing the critical minerals essential for the global energy transition. It provides a platform for ministers and senior officials to discuss sustainable development strategies for the mining sector, focusing on positioning mining as a catalyst for economic growth and social progress.
The government officials met to lead global action on minerals around three key initiatives: Strategic Framework for Critical Minerals, which aims to develop a collaborative framework in the Super Region of Africa, West, and Central Asia to harness the region's mineral potential fully; Sustainability, aimed at the development of responsible supply priorities that reflect local realities in supplier countries and enhance transparency through supply chain certification; and Centers of Excellence, establishing a network to drive investments, develop human capital, and accelerate technological innovation within the Super Region and supplier countries.
The Ministerial Roundtable was attended by notable country and government representatives, including Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security Dr. Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, UK Minister of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds, Brazilian Minister of Mines and Energy Alexandre Silveira, Indian Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, Democratic Republic of the Congo's Minister of Mines Kizito Pakapomba Kapinga, Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Eng. Karim Badawi, Nigerian Minister of Solid Minerals Development Henry Dele Alake, and Moroccan Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali.
The inaugural Centers of Excellence and Technology meeting will bring together senior representatives from industry, academia, R and D, technology, and other sectors to establish a regional hub for capacity building and innovation in mining technologies.
The second meeting of International Geological Survey leaders featuring geological survey organizations from Africa, Asia, and renowned global institutions such as the US Geological Survey, British Geological Survey, BRGM (France), and GTK (Finland). Discussions will focus on building capacity to increase geological surveying, enabling more exploration and thereby increasing investment in the countries of the Super Region and other supplier nations.
The fourth edition of the forum, held between January 14 and 16, features 250 speakers, including CEOs of leading mining and mineral-related companies and financial institutions. Around 15,000 participants are expected to attend its sessions.