Egypt Mining Forum 2026 will open in Cairo on September 28, with more than 6,000 attendees from over 50 countries expected to attend the largest edition in the event’s history.

The two-day forum will bring together government officials, mining companies, investors, financiers and technology providers as Egypt seeks to attract international capital to its underexplored mineral resources.

Held under the patronage of Abdel Fattah El Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and hosted by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources with support from MRMIA, the fifth edition will feature more than 500 conference delegates, 100 speakers, 100 exhibiting companies and more than 30 strategic and technical sessions.

The forum is designed as a platform for government-to-government discussions, government-business engagement, bilateral meetings and investor talks covering exploration licences, mining projects, financing, joint ventures, processing and technology procurement.

Egypt’s mining modernisation programme is seeking to improve conditions for market entry and long-term investment through the Model Mining Exploitation Agreement framework, lower rental fees for exploration licences, VAT and customs exemptions for equipment and services, flexible multi-commodity licensing, reconnaissance licences for junior explorers and a one-stop permitting mechanism.

The government is promoting the country’s geology, infrastructure, energy supply and regulatory reforms as the foundations of its investment proposition.

Egypt reports 3.1 billion tonnes of phosphate resources, 660 million tonnes of iron oxide deposits and 6.1 billion tonnes of kaolinitic sand.

The country also has 18 commercial ports, two economic zones, a 174,000-kilometre road network and 229 TWh of power supply.

Major mining and industrial assets highlighted by the organisers include Sukari, Abu Tartour, the Golden Triangle and the Black Sands complex. A nationwide airborne mineral survey, the first in more than four decades, is also expected to improve geological data, targeting and exploration planning across Egypt’s position within the mineral-rich Arabian-Nubian Shield.

Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Arab Republic of Egypt, said: “Egypt’s objective is clear: to convert mineral potential into investment, discoveries, operating mines and higher-value industries, supporting our ambition for mining to contribute 6 per cent of national GDP. We are building a competitive, integrated sector in which geology, infrastructure, energy and modern regulation create the foundations for investment, while exploration, project development, processing and manufacturing reinforce one another. Egypt Mining Forum will give serious investors direct access to the opportunities and government engagement required to move projects forward.”

The ministerial programme will include mining and resources ministers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Tanzania and Nigeria, alongside Egyptian officials and senior industry executives.

Confirmed participants include AngloGold Ashanti CEO Alberto Calderon, In2Metals Chairman Naguib Sawiris, International Council on Mining and Metals President and CEO Rohitesh Dhawan and Elsewedy Electric President and CEO Ahmed Elsewedy. Representatives from the World Bank Group, EBRD, African Export-Import Bank, Trafigura, Xcalibur Smart Mapping and Metso are also expected.

Yasser Ramadan, Chairman, Mineral Resources & Mining Industries Authority, said: “Investment decisions depend on credible data, transparent licensing and confidence in the route from exploration to development. MRMIA will use Egypt Mining Forum to engage directly with explorers, mining companies and technical partners on available opportunities, the frameworks governing them and the practical requirements for advancing the next generation of projects.”

Ramadan added: “A major priority within MRMIA’s strategy is to move beyond simply exporting raw minerals and establish integrated, high-value-added industrial projects. By shifting the focus towards downstream processing, Egypt aims to strengthen the value generated from its mineral resources and increase the mining sector’s contribution to national GDP to up to 6 per cent.”

Under the theme “Unlocking Egypt and the Arabian Nubian Shield’s Exploration Potential”, the forum’s strategic and technical conferences will address licensing, fiscal stability, geological risk, project finance, responsible sourcing, downstream competitiveness, exploration technologies and mine development.

Alongside the conference programme, bilateral meetings and an exhibition featuring more than 100 companies will provide opportunities for governments, investors, mining operators, project developers and technology providers to discuss projects and partnerships.

Egypt Mining Forum 2026 will take place on September 28–29, at The St. Regis New Capital, Cairo, as Egypt seeks to strengthen its position as a regional mining and minerals hub and advance its target of raising mining’s contribution to national GDP to 6 per cent. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service