Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef, has concluded an official visit to Spain, where he engaged in bilateral meetings with Spanish government ministers and private sector leaders to enhance cooperation in the industrial and mining sectors. The discussions aimed to explore mutual opportunities in strategic and advanced industries, including aviation, automotive, and maritime sectors. Accompanied by Princess Haifa Al Moqrin, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Spain, Minister Alkhorayef emphasized the development of economic relations and the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two nations. The focus was on expanding Saudi-Spanish relations across various fields to foster broader industrial and mining cooperation, particularly in line with the national industrial strategy and the comprehensive mining strategy. The minister held discussions with key officials, including the Minister of Industry and Tourism, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs in the Spanish President's Cabinet, the Chairman of the Industry and Tourism Committee in the Senate, the Secretary of State for Energy, and the Director of the Geological and Mining Institute in Spain. Minister Alkhorayef explored opportunities with CEOs of leading Spanish companies to facilitate knowledge transfer, foster innovation, and localize manufacturing technologies across 12 promising industrial sectors aligned with the national industrial strategy. Special emphasis was placed on the aviation, automotive, and maritime industries. Discussions also covered advancing geological survey operations, attracting mining investments, and reviewing the services and opportunities available to investors in Saudi Arabia. Meetings with private sector leaders included companies such as Drone Hopper, Ferroglobe, Reinosa Forgings & Castings, ADIADA, and XCALIPUR. During his visit, Minister Alkhorayef met with members of the Saudi-Spanish Business Council to discuss the council's role in strengthening economic ties between the two countries and attracting investments for mutually beneficial opportunities in Saudi Arabia and Spain. The minister also visited IE University in Madrid, where he met with faculty members and Saudi students studying there, in addition to touring the Spanish Geological and Mining Institute to view mineral exhibits in their museum. He extended invitations to Spanish ministers and CEOs of major mining companies to attend the Future Minerals Forum (FMF), scheduled to take place in Riyadh at the beginning of the upcoming year. — SG
