Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi,  called for a unified Arab strategy to achieve “mineral sovereignty” during the 10th Consultative Meeting of Arab Ministers Responsible for Mineral Resources.

Held on the sidelines of the fifth Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh, the meeting focused on moving beyond raw material extraction toward localizing downstream industries.

Badawi emphasized that deeper regional integration is essential for uniting the Arab world’s role in the global energy transition, ensuring that the region’s critical and rare minerals become a pillar of collective economic security, according to a statement by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR).

To support this vision, Badawi announced that Egypt will launch its first comprehensive airborne geophysical survey in 40 years during the first quarter of 2026.

The high-resolution data will be integrated into a new digital mining platform, which Badawi proposed linking to the Arab Platform for Future Minerals to facilitate a seamless flow of data for Arab and international investors.

Egypt’s domestic reforms were a central theme of the discussions. Badawi noted that these reforms align with the proposed Arab Mining Model Law, which advocates for unified, investment-friendly legislative frameworks across the region.

Addressing the future of the industry, the Minister welcomed the Arab initiative to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) in mining activities to mitigate investment risks and reduce exploration costs.

He emphasized that the global shift toward renewable energy places a historic responsibility on Arab nations to manage their resources sustainably.

By transitioning from a traditional mining model to an integrated industrial one, the region can reduce its reliance on natural gas for heavy industry and maximize the value-added potential of its mineral wealth in line with Egypt Vision 2030.

In his address, Badawi praised the Arab Industrial Development, Standardization and Mining Organization’s (AIDSMO) role in advancing coordination and joint Arab action in the mining sector over recent years.

The meeting was chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, and brought together mining ministers from across the Arab world, alongside Adel Al-Saqr, Secretary-General of the AIDSMO, which organized the meeting.

Under the theme “Dawn of a Global Cause,” which serves as a primary platform for Egypt to showcase its geological potential and recent regulatory reforms, the FMF held from 13 to 15 January 2026 in Riyadh, discussing the future of global mineral supply chains.