Riyadh – Mubasher: The Fourth Ministerial Roundtable meeting launched in Riyadh as part of the fourth edition of Future Minerals Forum (FMF), hosting government representatives from 90 countries of which 16 are G20 nations, according to a press release.
The event also featured participation from 50 international organiszations, NGOs, and global leaders in the mining industry.
The fourth edition will run from 14 to 16 January, aiming to deliver on its theme of 2025 being a ‘Year of Impact’. It will feature 250 influential speakers, including CEOs of the top 11 global mining companies and other industry leaders.
The forum is expected to attract nearly 20,000 participants, reaffirming Riyadh’s position as being at the centre of mining innovation and collaboration.
The first edition of the minerals forum launched in Saudi Arabia in January 2022, followed by the second edition in 2023 while the third edition of FMF took place in January 2024.
In 2025 edition, the high-profile, government-led meeting seeks to bolster international collaboration in producing the critical minerals essential for the global energy transition.
The meeting also 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 three main initiatives included in the meeting are as follows:
-Strategic Framework for Critical Minerals: Developing a collaborative framework in the Super Region of Africa, West, and Central Asia to fully harness the region’s mineral potential.
-Sustainability: Development of responsible supply priorities that reflect local realities in supplier countries and enhance transparency through supply chain certification.
-Centers of Excellence: Establishing a network to drive investments, develop human capital, and accelerate technological innovation within the Super Region and supplier countries.
Ministerial Roundtable Attendees
The Ministerial Roundtable was attended by notable country and government representatives, including:
-Karim Badawi, Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources
-Leila Benali, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development
-Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Italy’s Minister of Environment and Energy Security
-Jonathan Reynolds, the UK’s Minister of State for Business and Trade
-Alexandre Silveira, Brazil’s Minister of Mines and Energy
-G. Kishan Reddy, India’s Minister of Coal and Mines
-Kizito Pakapomba Kapinga, DRC’s Minister of Mines
-Henry Dele Alake, Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Development
The forum itself continues to expand its programme of events, with creatively themed sessions, including a new ‘Great Debates’ feature, that honor its commitment to “a year of impact”.
In order to accommodate this larger-than-ever program, the forum has been extended to an additional third day, facilitating essential meetings to complement its objectives, including
-The inaugural Centers of Excellence and Technology meeting will bring together senior representatives from industry, academia, R&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 U.S. 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.
On the first day of FMF 2025, there will be focus on Women in Mining, an initiative launched to promote gender equality and attract more Saudi women into the mining sector. It also focuses on creating opportunities and programs to empower women in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry.
Speaking about the initiative, Rana Abdullah Zumai, Head of Women in Mining Saudi, said: “We are committed to expanding opportunities for women in mining and creating an inclusive future for them. Through the initiative, we aim to break stereotypes, foster knowledge-sharing, and build a mining ecosystem that attracts and supports women.”
