Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef concluded an official visit to the United States, which spanned multiple key states, including New York, California, and Nevada. The visit aimed to foster industrial and mining cooperation, boost bilateral relations, and attract high-quality investments to the Kingdom.
During the visit, Alkhorayef met with executives from major American industrial and mining firms to discuss joint investment opportunities in advanced strategic industries being localized in Saudi Arabia. Key sectors included aviation, aerospace, electric vehicles (EVs), and renewable energy. Discussions also covered cutting-edge mining technologies, clean energy solutions, and adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution applications, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT), in manufacturing processes.
During the visit, Alkhorayef attended an event co-organized by Saudi Arabia and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
The event served as a platform to pave the way for Saudi Arabia to host the 2024 Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum IMIPF) and UNIDO’s 21st General Conference in Riyadh in 2025. Alkhorayef invited global industry leaders to participate in these events to advance innovative industrial solutions and policies for regional and global development.
The minister also visited the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), where he learned about its state-of-the-art electronic systems for evaluating companies and sectors, trading mechanisms, and best practices to enhance efficiency and competitiveness. At Columbia University, Alkhorayef met with faculty members and students, discussing Saudi Arabia’s transformation in the industrial and mining sectors in line with Vision 2030.
In Las Vegas, Alkhorayef attended MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2024, the world’s largest mining services exhibition. He explored the latest technologies in the sector and visited the “Invest in Saudi” pavilion, which showcased leading Saudi mining companies a
longside the National Industrial Development Center.
He held bilateral meetings with top executives from global mining service companies, focusing on localizing smart mining solutions and discussing promising investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s mining sector. A “Saudi Night” event was also organized in Las Vegas, where attendees were introduced to Saudi Arabia’s heritage, key development projects, Vision 2030 programs, and lucrative mining investment opportunities.
The minister visited Los Angeles, where he participated in a roundtable with major American companies to highlight opportunities in the Kingdom’s industrial strategy. Companies in attendance included Qualcomm, Beta Technologies, and SpaceX. Discussions centered on expanding cooperation in fields such as solar energy, AI, and EV manufacturing.
Alkhorayef also visited aviation manufacturer JetZero and aerospace giant SpaceX, where he explored collaboration opportunities in the aviation and aerospace sectors, aiming to develop local supply c
hains and utilize Saudi Arabia’s mineral resources to boost local manufacturing capabilities.
Accompanying Alkhorayef on the visit were key Saudi officials, including Vice Minister for Mining Affairs Eng. Khaled bin Saleh Almudaifer and National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) Chief Executive Eng. Suliman Almazroua. The delegation aimed to enhance industrial and mining ties between the two nations and explore joint investment prospects in promising sectors.
Source: Saudi Press Agency