The Morocco International Mining Congress (IMC 2025) officially opened yesterday, initiating two days of strategic dialogue, ministerial engagement, and high-level collaboration under the theme “Strategic and Critical Metals: Morocco, an Open Industrial and Technological Hub for Regional and Global Added Value.”

Day 1 convened ministers, CEOs, global institutions, and leading experts to exchange perspectives on Africa’s mineral sovereignty, critical mineral value chains, and the continent’s positioning in the global energy transition.

Opening Ceremony: Morocco Champions a New Era of African Industrial Integration

Mr. Mohamed Cherrat, President of FDIM and co-organiser of IMC Morocco, delivered the inaugural address, highlighting the growing importance of Africa’s mineral endowment amid shifts in global supply chains and the accelerating energy transition. He called for deeper regional cooperation, harmonised standards, and a stronger focus on local value creation to ensure that Africa maximises the benefits of its mineral wealth.

H.E. Ms. Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition & Sustainable Development, outlined Morocco’s forward-looking mining strategy grounded in decarbonisation, traceability, and global governance alignment. She emphasised ongoing national investments in energy, mining, and logistics infrastructure, as well as the strategic opportunities presented by processing and transforming critical minerals within Morocco.

Following this, Mr. Mehdi Tazi, Vice President General of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, introduced the OTC Corridor, a new framework designed to advance digital traceability, standard harmonisation, and regional logistics integration. He underscored Morocco’s strategic role as a commercial and technological bridge linking Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and global markets.

Together, these addresses reaffirmed a strong continental commitment to transparency, responsible mining, and enhanced local industrial development.

Ministerial Panel: Africa’s Global Integration Through the OTC Corridor

Minister Benali was joined by high-level representatives including:

• H.E. Mr. Tidjani Thiam, Minister of Mines & Industry (Mauritania)
• H.E. Mr. Aboubacar Saïd Anli, Minister of Energy, Water & Hydrocarbons (Comoros)
• H.E. Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Belushi, Vice Minister of Industry & Mineral Resources (Saudi Arabia)
• Mr. Moses Micheal, Secretary General, Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG)
• H.E. Mr. Fahnseth B. Mulbah, Vice Minister, Ministry of Mines & Energy (Liberia)
• Mr. Thomas Mutwiwa Mwau, Secretary Mines (Kenya)

Discussions covered renewable energy integration, the strategic importance of the Dakhla Atlantic Port, geological potential across Africa, regulatory improvements, and opportunities for cross-border technology partnerships.

The panel concluded with a clear message: Africa’s mineral wealth can only drive sustainable prosperity through industrialisation, modern infrastructure, strong governance, and environmentally responsible practices.

The session closed with the signing of a cooperation agreement between Minister Benali and Mr. Moses Michael (AMSG), followed by the formal reading of the Marrakech Declaration in the presence of international delegations and ambassadors.

Keynote Address: Morocco’s Competitive Edge in Global Critical Mineral Value Chains

In his keynote, Mr. Emile Detry (Boston Consulting Group) highlighted Morocco’s strategic advantages—geological diversity, political stability, advanced logistics, and industrial know-how. He called for accelerated exploration, expanded refining capacity, digital transformation, and the creation of integrated industrial clusters, including gigafactories and renewable energy systems.

Session Highlights: Critical Metals, Energy Transition & Governance

Session 1: Critical Metals and the Energy Transition
Experts stressed the urgent need for Africa to strengthen its capacities in refining, recycling, battery manufacturing, and research and development. The panel identified four pillars essential for competitiveness:

• Coordinated regional strategies
• Long-term industrial planning
• ESG-aligned regulatory frameworks
• Cross-border technology and infrastructure integration

Esteemed speakers included:  Benjamin Gallezot, Interministerial Delegate on Critical Metals, Prime Minister’s Office, France, Zineb Zeryouhi, (COBCO), Mustapha Chaib (ONHYM), Eric Pirard (University of Liège), Mohamed Bachiri (Morocco Industry Group), Kassongo Bin Nassor, (Fédération des Entreprises du Congo, Chamber of Mines, Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Ismail Akalay (Sonasid)

Governance, Sovereignty & Alliances
Panellists emphasised Africa’s extraordinary geological potential—holding 30% of global mineral reserves, 80% of phosphates, and over 70% of cobalt—while remaining significantly underexplored. Discussions focused on:

• strengthening mining governance
• attracting long-term capital
• enhancing regional and continental value chains
• building reliable logistics and energy infrastructure
• embedding ESG practices to unlock sustainable financing

Moroccan and international panellists also highlighted Morocco’s emergence as a regional hub supported by regulatory stability, skilled talent, and infrastructure such as the new recycling unit in Kenitra.  Speakers included Benoit La Salle (Aya Gold and Silver), Mohamed El Moctar Mohamed El Hacene (Aura Energy), Anna Sobieraj-Kozakiewicz (KGHM Polska Miedź SA), and Mohamed M’Hamed (Ministry of Mines and Industry, Mauritania), among others.

Additional sessions featured discussions on Women in Mining, Exploration Trends, and Critical Metals Development.

A Unified Vision for Africa’s Mining Future

Day 1 concluded with a shared message: Africa has the resources, Morocco has the strategic positioning, and together the continent is poised to become a global leader in critical minerals, industrial growth, and the energy transition.