As part of efforts to strengthen Egyptian‑Saudi co‑operation in the mining sector, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi met Khalid bin Saleh Al‑Mudaifer, Saudi Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs, on the sidelines of Egypt Mining Forum 2026.
During the meeting, Badawi said Egypt‑Saudi relations represent a strong model of long‑standing partnership across various sectors, highlighting the importance of expanding co‑operation in mining given the shared geological characteristics of the Arabian‑Nubian Shield and the opportunities this offers for investment, expertise exchange and mineral resource development.
The minister pointed to Saudi Arabia’s advanced experience in developing its mining sector, stressing the value of benefiting from successful experiences in both countries to support sector development and enhance workforce capabilities.
For his part, Al‑Mudaifer praised the steps taken by Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources over the past two years to reform the mining sector, including restructuring the institutional framework and transforming the Mineral Resources Authority into an economic authority. He also commended Egypt’s move to undertake airborne mineral surveys, describing them as an important tool for providing more accurate geological data and attracting mining investments.
The Saudi official noted the strong participation of international companies at Egypt Mining Forum 2026, alongside growing interest from Saudi firms in investment opportunities within Egypt’s mining sector.
The two sides also discussed co‑operation in training, capacity building and knowledge exchange. Al‑Mudaifer expressed Saudi Arabia’s openness to expanding collaboration with Egypt in developing national mining talent and praised programmes such as the training of Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority personnel at Australia’s Murdoch University.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to broaden co‑operation in human capital development through joint training programmes, technical exchanges and sharing best practices to support the growth of the mining sector in both countries.
