Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, met with Axel Wabenhorst, Ambassador of Australia to Cairo to discuss investment cooperation opportunities between Egypt and Australia in the mining sector, as well as in the energy and natural gas domains.

During the meeting, Badawi pointed out the ongoing efforts to launch a package of incentives and facilities within the mining sector in the coming period. They aim to attract junior mining companies to invest in Egypt’s mining sector.

He also discussed the outcomes of his visit to Perth, Australia, last September, as well as last week’s visit of a delegation from leading Australian mining companies to Egypt, including Marvel Gold, SRK, BDO, and Australia-Africa Minerals and Energy Group. 

Badawi described both visits as important steps toward opening new horizons for cooperation with Australian mining firms, creating opportunities to closely explore Egypt’s promising mining potential, while learning from Australia’s experience in the mining industry.

For his part, Wabenhorst praised Egypt’s efforts to develop the mining sector and improve the investment climate. He highlighted his commitment to strengthening communication between both sides as well as supporting a strategic partnership based on common interests.

The meeting discussed cooperation in human capacity building in the mining sector, including the possibility of providing specialized training programs in cooperation with Australian universities and institutions to transfer technical and scientific expertise to Egyptian professionals in the mining domain.

Additionally, the two sides addressed cooperation in the energy sector, including the activities of Australian companies operating in Egypt, most notably Woodside Energy, which is a partner in natural gas exploration areas. They also explored potential areas for cooperation such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), infrastructure, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.