Saudi Minister Of Industry And Mineral Resources Concludes Official Visit To The United States For Economic Collaboration

Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef recently completed a visit to the United States aimed at bolstering economic and industrial ties. The visit focused on enhancing strategic partnerships in line with Saudi Arabia's National Industrial Strategy, Comprehensive Strategy for Mining and Metals Industries, and Vision 2030 objectives.

During his visit, Minister Alkhorayef engaged with senior US officials, including US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley. Discussions centred on energy innovation, mining sector development, and supply chain resilience. Opportunities to boost trade relations and facilitate Saudi non-oil exports into US markets were also explored.

The minister met with leaders from major American companies across various sectors. These included General Mills (food processing), Lilac Solutions (lithium extraction technology), RTX (aerospace and defense), International Flavors & Fragrances (specialty chemicals), Guardian Industries (advanced materials), Abbott (medical devices), Skytower Global Investments (strategic development), MP Materials (critical minerals), and Albemarle (lithium extraction and processing). The discussions focused on joint investments, mining collaboration, technology transfer, and localising advanced industries in Saudi Arabia.

As part of his itinerary, Minister Alkhorayef toured key innovation hubs such as Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, Honeywell’s headquarters, its experience center, and Albemarle’s Kings Mountain Lithium Mine. These tours offered insights into cutting-edge technologies and best practices in lithium extraction, advanced manufacturing, and industrial automation.

The visit also featured a Saudi-US business roundtable where industry leaders discussed collaboration in priority sectors like renewables, mining, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. Additionally, Minister Alkhorayef met with Saudi students studying at North Carolina State University and Duke University. He encouraged them to contribute to the Kingdom’s economic transformation upon their return.

This visit underscores the ministry's dedication to building global partnerships that attract high-quality investments while diversifying the Saudi economy in line with Vision 2030. The outcomes of these engagements are anticipated to drive sustainable economic growth by enhancing knowledge transfer and creating new opportunities for bilateral trade and investment.

With inputs from SPA