Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan deepened their cooperation in the mining and mineral resources sector during the International Astana Mining and Metallurgy Congress (AMM), held on June 11-12, 2026, in the Kazakh capital.
In a strategic dialogue session on developing cooperation in the mining and minerals sector at the AMM Congress, Saudi Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs Khalid Al-Mudaifer highlighted growing collaboration between the Kingdom and Kazakhstan in the sector, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Emphasizing the two countries’ shared vision and ambitions, he pointed to plans aimed at increasing the mining sector’s contribution to GDP, accelerating economic diversification, and building a resilient and sustainable economic growth model that moves beyond traditional dependence on oil and petrochemicals.
Moreover, Al-Mudaifer praised the recent reforms in the mining and minerals sector for positioning Saudi Arabia 10th globally in the Fraser Institute’s 2025 Investment Attractiveness Index.
He also noted that phosphate, aluminum, steel, titanium, and rare earth elements provide key opportunities for joint investment, stressing that future mining competitiveness hinges on integrated value chains that seamlessly connect extraction, processing, logistics, and export markets.
On this occasion, Al-Mudaifer highlighted Riyadh’s annual Future Minerals Forum as a critical platform for addressing global mining challenges, with the sixth edition set for January 2027.
On the sidelines of the AMM Congress, Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation in the mining sector, exchange expertise in mineral exploration, and encourage joint mining investments.
Furthermore, the MoU, signed by Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef and Kazakh Minister of Industry and Construction Yersayin Nagaspayev, aims to strengthen cooperation in innovation and modern mining technologies and develop mining value chains.
