Sunday 19 Jan
On the sidelines of the 4th International Mining Conference in Riyadh, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Engineer Karim Badawy, met with Sarah Jones, British Minister of Industry, in the presence of Engineer Moataz Atef, Deputy Minister for Ministerial Office Affairs, Technical Office, and Official Spokesman for the Ministry.
During the meeting, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening joint cooperation in the petroleum and mining sectors.
Minister Badawy acknowledged the
crucial role of leading British companies such as BP, Shell, and Harbour Energy
in supporting and developing Egypt's energy sector. He expressed his eagerness
to expand this successful partnership into the mining sector, highlighting the
achievements of Egypt's participation in the British Egyptian Business
Association (BEBA) meetings in the United Kingdom last December. These meetings
culminated in the signing of three memoranda of understanding aimed at boosting
investment and innovation in Egypt's energy and mining sectors.
He emphasized the significance of
the deep-rooted and resilient partnership between the two countries, which has
consistently demonstrated its strength despite challenges and evolving
circumstances.
The meeting discussed Egypt's
ambitious plans to modernize its mining strategy, aiming to significantly
increase the sector's contribution to the gross domestic product from 1% to 6%.
The Minister highlighted the
Sukari gold mine as a prime example of successful public-private partnerships,
expressing the Ministry's aspiration to replicate this model across the mining
sector.
He further emphasized the ongoing
efforts in exploring and producing phosphate. The Minister also explained that
regulatory reforms are currently underway to create a more attractive
investment climate. Additionally, the Ministry is developing a digital platform
to effectively showcase and market investment opportunities within the Egyptian
mining sector.
Minister Jones reiterated the
UK's commitment to supporting this collaboration. She invited Egypt to
participate in "Metals Week" in London next October and offered
British expertise in technology, finance, and education to enhance Egyptian
mining human capital.
The possibility of cooperation
between the British Geological Survey and the Egyptian Mineral Resources
Authority for training and capacity building was explored.
Minister Jones was invited to visit Egypt and attend the "Egyptian Mining Forum" in July 2025, fostering further dialogue and agreements to strengthen the UK-Egypt strategic partnership. Both ministers expressed optimism about the future of this vital cooperation.
