2024-05-09 05:41:34
Speaker at a meeting of the Committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Mines and the Environment in the House of Representatives, devoted to the presentation of the government’s position on the subject of the opinion of the Economic and Social Council and environmental (CESE) entitled “strategic and critical minerals contributing to the industrial sovereignty of Morocco”, Ms. Benali underlined that Morocco occupies an important place on the world stage in the production of minerals such as silver (17th in the world and first in Africa), cobalt (12th in the world and third in Africa), nickel (28th in the world and sixth in Africa) and barite (fourth in the world and first in Africa).
The minister welcomed, in this regard, the opinion of the CESE which made it possible to establish a diagnosis of the situation of minerals in Morocco and to identify the requirements for their development, while presenting recommendations capable of contributing to the realization of national ambitions in the areas of energy transition, industrialization, digitalization and other strategic projects supported by the new development model.
She notes that the report helped to highlight the central role of strategic and critical minerals in strengthening national industrial sovereignty, noting that the mining sector in Morocco contributes significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and national exports. , in addition to its positive impact on regional and rural development and on transport and port traffic.
Referring to the measures proposed by the CESE, Ms. Benali noted that these proposals are likely to secure the supply chains of this type of resources and to strengthen their valorization, specifying that they are part of the fundamental pillars of the strategic vision of his ministry in matters of development of the mining sector in general and strategic minerals in particular.
The ministry is working to adapt the development strategy of the national mining sector to the revision of the legal framework governing the sector, as well as the adaptation of the institutional framework of the sector and the digitalization of administrative procedures, she said , also citing the development of a global vision for the development of the sector, as part of a participatory approach involving different actors from the public and private sectors.
According to the minister, government measures include the development of a draft revision of the mining law, taking into account the requirements related to strategic and critical minerals, the creation of a national commission for strategic minerals responsible for identifying and update the list of these minerals, as well as the establishment of appropriate governance mechanisms to meet the needs of the national industry in this area.
And to conclude that these measures aim to strengthen Morocco’s position in regional and international value chains, to consolidate the bases of national industrial sovereignty and to put the mining sector at the service of the energy and digital transition.
2024-05-09 05:41:34