Laila Benali and Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef / Archive photo ‹ › On Wednesday in Riyadh, Morocco's Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, held talks with Saudi Arabia's Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, on the sidelines of the fifth edition of the International Mining Conference, held in the Saudi capital from January 13 to 15. The meeting focused on reviewing the progress of bilateral cooperation initiatives, which have been discussed during several previous exchanges between the working teams of both countries. Both ministers underlined the strategic importance of further strengthening cooperation in the mining sector. Priority areas identified included the development of strategic and critical minerals, the reinforcement of training and capacity-building programs, as well as the acceleration of digital transformation and the deployment of advanced technologies across the entire mining value chain. The two officials also stressed the need to support scientific research and foster innovative solutions, with particular emphasis on the mining services sector, viewed as a key lever for value creation and enhanced competitiveness within the mining ecosystem. They agreed to maintain close coordination between their respective technical teams to ensure the effective implementation of the orientations set during the meeting, notably in supporting private-sector engagement, stimulating investment, and strengthening partnerships between training institutions, scientific research bodies, and engineering entities specialized in mining.
