Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, opened a Future Minerals Forum (FMF) session in Riyadh showcasing Egypt’s mining reforms, investment incentives, and upstream opportunities to international investors and executives.
The presentation marks Egypt’s shift from planning mining reforms to executing them, backed by legislative updates and streamlined licensing, according to a Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR) statement.
Over the past 18 months, MoPMR amended regulations, de-risked exploration, and shortened discovery-to-production timelines.
Badawi further noted during the session that in 2024 and 2025, Egypt implemented investor-focused fiscal and legislative reforms aligned with international best practices and based on continuous dialogue with industry stakeholders.
Moreover, he added that Egypt is preparing to launch a large-scale airborne geophysical survey, the first in 40 years, covering key mineralized belts and confirmed the imminent launch of the digital mining platform.
In November 2025, the MRMIA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Spain’s Xcalibur Smart Mapping company to technically cooperate on implementing the survey across six zones: the Eastern Desert, Western Desert, Sinai, Bahariya Oasis, and Abu Tartur.
In the end, Badawi invited investors to leverage Egypt’s available geological data and proactively engage with the MRMIA to identify low-risk, high-return investment opportunities.
He also encouraged mining companies to invest in downstream processing, beneficiation, and value-added industries within Egypt, rather than exporting raw ores, to maximize in-country value creation and local supply chain development.
Furthermore, the session featured technical presentations on Egypt’s mining portfolio delivered by Yasser Ramadan, Chairman of MRMIA; Amgad Ghoneim, Chairman of The New Valley Company for Mineral Resources and Oil Clay (WADICO); Islam Al-Ashqar, Operations Manager and Deputy General Manager of the Sukari Mine; Mostafa El Gebaly, Managing Director of Abu Zaabal Fertilizers and Chemical Industries; and Tamer Fahmy, Vice Chairman at Eqat Gold Mines.
In a related development, Badawi toured the Egyptian mining pavilion at the forum’s exhibition, which showcases ongoing sector transformation initiatives, Egypt’s diversified mineral resource base, and the operational capabilities of national mining companies.
The pavilion features participation from the MRMIA, Shalateen Mineral Resources Company, the Egyptian Company for Mineral Resources (ECMR), and New Valley Company for Mineral Resources and Oil Clay (WADICO). It also highlights new operating mechanisms, including the upcoming digital mining portal.
