Saudi Arabia, Britain stress transition to green energy

Riyadh, The Gulf Observer: Saudi Arabia Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef has discussed with British Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Grant Shapps the need to take swift action to combat climate change to achieve envisioned global objective of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

They were participating in a penal discussion titled, “Enhancing the mineral development in Africa and west and central Asia”, organized on the sidelines of the International Mining Conference in Riyadh.

Al-Khorayef underlined that the emerging mining region, extending from Africa to west and central Asia, needs to swiftly take action to cope with the increasing global demand for minerals. He stressed the role of the United Kingdom in developing reliable supply chains not only for the Kingdom but for the entire region.

Al-Khorayef said the global objective of shifting to green energy cannot be realized without international collective efforts.

He underlined the need for greater efforts focused on developing minerals in the region and to establish coherent communities through unified policies that put in place solutions to attract investments and facilitate access to data and technology.

Al-Khorayef said Saudi Arabia is moving ahead with its endeavor to improve its value chains in gold, phosphate and aluminum and has achieved a great progress in laying down the infrastructure for e-cars. He pointed out that the future of mining in the Kingdom is promising with exploration unveiling reserves of minerals valued around SR5 trillion ($1.3 trillion). He explained that the participation of more than 60 countries in the mining conference is proof that the Kingdom has become a global hub for the mineral and mining industry.

For his part, the British minister said there is broad Saudi-British cooperation in green energy, noting that Saudi Arabia is the most suitable place to discuss the future of minerals.