Representatives of the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR) held talks with Australian and Canadian mining investors to discuss expanding exploration activities in the Eastern Desert. The discussions, taking place during the Investing in African Mining conference (Indaba) in South Africa, focused on streamlining licensing procedures and leveraging international expertise to modernize Egypt’s mining infrastructure.
A high-level Egyptian delegation met with Doug Horak, CEO of the Australia-Africa Minerals & Energy Group (AAMEG), to establish a framework for attracting small and medium-sized Australian mining companies. Building on framework discussions initiated in late 2025, the meeting explored the transfer of advanced Australian technology to enhance the efficiency of Egyptian gold assaying and calibration laboratories, ensuring they meet global certification standards, according to a statement by the Ministry.
The ministry emphasized that the implementation of a new “one-stop shop” licensing system is a critical pillar of its reform strategy. This initiative aims to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and provide a rapid, transparent pathway for specialized international firms to enter the Egyptian market.
In a separate session, the delegation met with executives from Canada’s Red Sea Resources to review the company’s ongoing gold exploration plans in the Eastern Desert. Company officials praised the Ministry’s recently introduced investment incentives, noting that they have successfully positioned Egypt as a primary and highly competitive mining destination.
Following these private sector engagements, Yasser Ramadan, Chairman of the Egyptian Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority (MRMIA), represented Minister Karim Badawi at the African Mining Ministers’ Roundtable. The forum focused on strengthening regional integration and sharing best practices for mineral exploitation across the continent.
Red Sea Resources is a Canadian-based private exploration company. Positioned within the mineral-rich Arabian-Nubian Shield, the company leverages an experienced technical team to target world-class gold deposits similar in scale to the Sukari mine. As of early 2026, Red Sea Resources has completed initial surface exploration and is advancing a $10 million investment program, with active drilling operations scheduled through 2025 and 2026 to unlock Egypt’s untapped gold potential.
