Marrakech – Africa must develop an approach that protects its resources, enhances its human potential, and transforms its geological wealth into sustainable prosperity, said Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Monday in Marrakech.
Speaking at the opening of Morocco’s 2nd International Mining Congress (IMC), organized under the theme “Strategic and Critical Metals: Morocco, an open industrial and technological hub for regional and global added value,” Benali noted that “the continent has major reserves and a unique asset, namely the most dynamic young population in the world.”
“As Morocco positions itself as an industrial and technological hub, it does so with concrete experience and operational achievements,” the minister continued, citing in particular the full digitization of the national mining cadaster, the ongoing amendment of the law on mines and quarries to bring it into line with regional and global changes, as well as the digitization of artisanal and small-scale mining, including a unique digital platform, “fa7m.ma,” currently being rolled out in Jerada.
For his part, President of the Moroccan Mineral Industry Federation (FDIM) Mohamed Cherrat, emphasized that under the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the mining sector plays a strategic role in building a sovereign, competitive, and sustainable Morocco, noting that “our mineral resources directly and indirectly support major industrial sectors and strengthen Morocco’s production at the heart of global energy, technological, and geopolitical conditions.”
Organized by the FDIM in partnership with AME Trade Ltd, with the support of the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE), this international event positions Morocco as a benchmark for responsible mining and industrial processing in the 21st century, highlighting its role as a gateway to critical African minerals and the global green transition.
The program for this meeting, held until November 26, includes a ministerial panel organized by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, as well as high-level plenary sessions on sustainable value chains, geopolitical issues, mining sovereignty, responsible practices, and the role of strategic minerals in the energy transition.
