Rabat: 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.”

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the minister emphasized Morocco’s position as an industrial and technological hub, backed by concrete experience and achievements. This includes the full digitization of the national mining cadaster, amendments to the law on mines and quarries to align with global changes, and the digitization of artisanal and small-scale mining through a digital platform, “fa7m.ma,” being introduced in Jerada.

President of the Moroccan Mineral Industry Federation (FDIM), Mohamed Cherrat, highlighted the strategic role of the mining sector in building a sovereign, competitive, and sustainable Morocco under the guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. He noted that Morocco’s mineral resources support key industrial sectors, reinforcing the country’s production amid global energy, technological, and geopolitical conditions.

The congress, organized by the FDIM in partnership with AME Trade Ltd, with support from the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE), establishes Morocco as a leader in responsible mining and industrial processing. It emphasizes Morocco’s function as a gateway to critical African minerals and the global green transition.

The event’s program, running until November 26, includes a ministerial panel by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, along with high-level plenary sessions on sustainable value chains, geopolitical issues, mining sovereignty, responsible practices, and the significance of strategic minerals in the energy transition.