Saudi Arabia's Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef, spoke at the Saudi African Summit and said that he did not expect the progress that has been made in the past two and a half years in addressing the challenges facing Africa in the mining sector. The minister announced the establishment of Manar, a joint venture between Invest Saudi and Ma'aden, which demonstrates the Kingdom's strategic plan to prioritize Africa with regard to mining opportunities. The minister expressed his optimism about signing agreements with other African countries that will enable the Kingdom to showcase projects that bring value to the continent. One such project is Waad Al-Shamal, a comprehensive small city focused on phosphate mining. The minister's speech aimed to highlight the potential for further collaborations between Saudi Arabia and African countries in the mining sector.