“The 5th Ministerial Roundtable of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh has marked a historic milestone, convening ministers and senior representatives from over 100 governments—including all G20 member states—and 59 international organizations to advance responsible, resilient, and sustainable global mineral supply chains. Key outcomes include the establishment of a Permanent Ministerial Steering Group for ongoing strategic oversight, significant progress on three core initiatives encompassing infrastructure financing via the Future Minerals Framework, traceability standards for responsible mining, and a Network of Centers of Excellence for capacity building across Africa, Latin America, West and Central Asia. This gathering underscores a shared global commitment to minerals as a catalyst for economic development, energy transition, and inclusive growth in supplier nations.”
FMF’s Landmark 5th Ministerial Roundtable Wraps Up in Riyadh
The Future Minerals Forum’s 5th Ministerial Roundtable, held in Riyadh as part of the broader FMF event, has successfully concluded, solidifying its position as the world’s largest government-led platform dedicated to minerals. What began modestly in 2022 with just 32 governments has now expanded dramatically to include ministers and high-level representatives from more than 100 countries, alongside 59 multilateral organizations, industry associations, NGOs, and senior business leaders. This unprecedented scale reflects the growing consensus that securing critical mineral supplies is a shared global imperative, essential for powering the clean energy transition, digital infrastructure, and broader economic prosperity.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef, highlighted the event as a defining moment in international collaboration. The rapid growth in participation demonstrates widespread recognition that fragmented approaches to mineral development are no longer viable in an era of surging demand for lithium, copper, rare earths, and other critical materials.
A major structural advancement announced during the roundtable was the creation of a Permanent Ministerial Steering Group . This body, with an initial rotating membership of 19 countries to ensure balanced geographic representation, will provide continuous strategic direction to both the Ministerial Roundtable and the FMF. Its mandate includes monitoring the implementation of ongoing initiatives, proposing new areas for cooperation, and maintaining accountability across the global minerals ecosystem.
Vice-Minister Khalid Al-Mudaifer detailed substantial progress made throughout 2025 on three foundational initiatives that formed the backbone of discussions:
Future Minerals Framework — Focused on scaling infrastructure financing and harmonizing supportive government policies. The World Bank Group has been tasked with identifying and unlocking funding mechanisms for seven priority infrastructure corridors, five in Africa and two in Latin America. These corridors aim to address longstanding bottlenecks in transportation, energy, and logistics that hinder mineral project development in resource-rich but underdeveloped regions.
Responsible Mining and Traceability Standards — Efforts are underway to develop international standards for transparency and sustainability in mineral supply chains. Collaboration with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) is advancing a traceability scheme for materials like copper, tailored to local conditions while promoting environmental stewardship and equitable benefit sharing.
Network of Centers of Excellence — A coordinated network is being established across Africa, West and Central Asia, and Latin America to build technical, institutional, and human capacity. Examples include sustainability research centers in Morocco and mining technology hubs in Saudi Arabia, designed to empower supplier nations in value addition, innovation, and workforce development.
These initiatives position emerging supplier regions—often referred to as the “Super Region” encompassing Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, and Latin America—as active shapers of global mineral policies rather than passive participants. By prioritizing local value creation, infrastructure investment, and inclusive standards, the roundtable seeks to ensure that the minerals boom translates into sustainable development, job opportunities, and economic stability for producing countries.
The discussions emphasized that minerals are no longer just commodities but foundational to a new era of global progress. With demand driven by electrification, renewable energy deployment, and technological advancement, coordinated action among governments, multilaterals, and industry is essential to mitigate supply risks, enhance resilience, and align efforts with environmental and social goals.
This year’s roundtable builds on the FMF’s year-round momentum, where expert groups and regional coordination continue to drive implementation. As the platform evolves, it promises to accelerate practical solutions that bridge policy ambitions with on-the-ground realities.
Disclaimer: This is a news report based on publicly available information from the event. It is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or policy advice.