Morocco Confirms Its Ambition in the Mining Sector: “Transforming the Kingdom into a Center of Excellence for Serving Africa and the World”
The second edition of the International Mining Conference in Morocco kicked off in Marrakech under the theme of ambition, cooperation, and a renewed vision for the future of African mineral resources. In his opening speech, Mohamed Cherat, president of the Moroccan Federation of Mining Industry (FDIM), emphasized the strategic role of the mining sector in enhancing the economic sovereignty of the Kingdom and its position as a regional and global platform for the transformation of strategic minerals.
Cherat noted in front of an audience that included ministers, diplomats, international experts, and representatives from public institutions and the private sector that Moroccan mineral resources directly support various key industrial sectors in the country, from automotive to aerospace, agriculture to renewable energies, thus reinforcing Morocco’s position at the heart of global energy, technological, and geopolitical transformations.
The federation president highlighted FDIM’s continuous contribution for over eighty years in modernizing the sector, developing its infrastructure, and keeping pace with industrial transformations. He stressed that future goals include promoting an effective and responsible mining industry that aligns with the economic, social, and environmental objectives of the Kingdom.
The 2025 edition of the conference, titled “Strategic and Rare Minerals: Morocco, an Open Industrial and Technical Platform for Regional and Global Added Value,” aims to be a space for exchange and collaboration, bringing together decision-makers, economic actors, researchers, investors, and international partners. It features a structured scientific program organized around five main axes addressing the sector’s challenges in the framework of a royal vision to create an “African Atlantic Corridor” to enhance economic integration across the continent through modern logistical, industrial, energy, and technological networks.
Cherat explained that as Africa strengthens its position in global supply chains for resources, Morocco has become a strategic player in the transformation of strategic and rare minerals, supported by the expertise of Moroccan actors, advanced industrial systems, and several free trade agreements that provide exceptional access to international markets.
He also highlighted the extraordinary wealth of Moroccan mineral resources, describing it as a “geologist’s paradise,” and emphasized the importance of national human capital, noting that the skills of men and women in the sector are essential for developing “Mining 5.0,” a new generation of sustainable mining systems to ensure competitiveness and resilience in the coming decades.
Cherat concluded by affirming that Morocco, under royal leadership and the support of the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, will continue its efforts to transform its mineral wealth and that of the continent into economic, technological, and social value, stating that the International Mining Conference 2025 represents an event, a declaration of intent, and a collective action reflecting the shared will to build a sustainable, innovative, and integrated African mining future within global value chains.
