Saudi Arabia, represented by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, has signed three international memoranda of understanding on cooperation in mineral resources with Chile, Canada, and Brazil.

The agreements were signed on the sidelines of the Ministerial Roundtable on mining affairs, held as part of the fifth annual Future Minerals Forum (FMF), which took place in Riyadh from January 13 to 15.

The MoUs reflect the Kingdom’s efforts to expand international partnerships and strengthen technical and investment cooperation in the mining and minerals sector, supporting mutual interests and the sustainable development of mineral resources.

The agreements were signed with the Chilean Ministry of Mining, the Canadian Department of Natural Resources, and the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy.

The Ministerial Roundtable achieved its highest level of international participation to date, with representatives from over 100 countries, including all G20 members and the European Union, as well as 59 multilateral organizations, industry associations, and non-governmental organizations.

The level of participation underscores the forum’s growing role as a global platform for aligning perspectives, fostering partnerships, and developing practical solutions to the challenges facing the mining and minerals sector.

Opening the ministerial roundtable, Bandar Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia, said the world is laying the groundwork for “a new era of global development, prosperity and stability through minerals,” framing the sector as a global priority rather than a purely industrial issue.

Alkhorayef highlighted the rapid expansion of the forum since its inaugural ministerial roundtable in 2022, which brought together 32 countries focused on Africa, West Asia, and Central Asia, describing it as “the right dialogue with the right representatives at the right time and place.”