Petroleum Minister Praises Afaq and Shalateen Results in Gabal Elba Gold Exploration
Eng. Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, held a meeting with senior officials of Afaq Mining, one of the Egyptian companies working in gold exploration and prospecting in the Eastern Desert, headed by Geologist Amr El-Marsafawy, Chairman of the company.
Petroleum Minister Praises Afaq and Shalateen Results
The meeting was attended by a number of ministry officials and representatives of the Egyptian Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority, as part of efforts to follow up on the company’s results and expansion plans during the coming period.
During the meeting, Afaq Mining reviewed the latest developments in its concession area west of Gabal Elba in the southern Eastern Desert.
The company presented the positive results achieved through its exploration and prospecting activities, reflecting the promising mining potential of the area and confirming the Eastern Desert’s ability to attract further serious investments in gold and precious metals.
Afaq Mining officials praised the legislative and regulatory reforms recently introduced in Egypt’s mining sector, particularly the transformation of the Egyptian Mineral Resources Authority into an economic authority under the name of the Egyptian Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority.
They also highlighted the amendments approved by the Cabinet to the Authority’s executive regulations, which have contributed to improving the business environment and enhancing the sector’s attractiveness to both local and international investors.
For his part, Eng. Karim Badawi stressed that the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources attaches great importance to supporting serious national companies working in exploration and prospecting through the Egyptian Mineral Resources and Mining Industries Authority.
He noted that such support helps accelerate operations, maximize the benefit from Egypt’s mineral wealth, and turn promising opportunities into productive projects that add real value to the national economy.
The minister explained that the ongoing reforms in the mining sector aim to align Egypt’s mining system with international best practices, while reinforcing transparency and competitiveness.
He added that these reforms support the attraction of capital and technical expertise and open the door for greater expansion in exploration, prospecting, and production activities.
Badawi also praised the results achieved by Afaq Mining in cooperation with Shalateen Mineral Resources Company, stressing that this cooperation represents a successful model of partnership between the state and mining companies.
He added that it contributes to maximizing the added value of precious metals, foremost among them gold.
The meeting sends an important message to the mining investment community, confirming that Egypt is moving forward with serious steps to develop its mining sector and open wider horizons for companies capable of operating on clear technical and economic foundations, in line with the ministry’s strategy to increase the mining sector’s contribution to GDP.
