Khartoum — The Minister of Minerals Professor Hashim Ali Salem stressed that Sudan has made great strides in the development of the mining sector to become the most important sectors in the Sudan economy.

In his address to the International Mining Forum and Exhibition at the Friendship Hall Monday, the minister said that since its establishment, his ministry has laid down solid plans to develop the mining industry in Sudan. He pointed to the diverse natural resources in Sudan including the mineral wealth found in more than 10 states where there are more than 40 investmentable minerals, revealing that Sudan in 2017 ranked second in Africa and ninth in the world in terms of gold production.

Professor Salem pointed to the availability of industrial, agricultural, strategic and land minerals in addition to the rare metals and precious stones. He said that there were more than 360 companies operating in the mining sector, explaining that the traditional mining sector is one of the largest sectors with more than 2 million miners produce more than 80% of the total country production of gold.

The minister reviewed the ministry's efforts in regulating and organizing the traditional mining and changing it into a regulated sector, referring to the state's efforts in creating an attractive environment for investors from all over the world, reiterating the ministry's support for the companies engage into mining field and helping stabilize investment to attain sustainable mineral production.

Professor Salem stressed the importance of benefiting from the global experiences and the leading schools in this sector, pointing out to the ministry openness to Asia, China, Russia, India, Europe, America and the rest of the world countries and to its engagement into smart partnerships to exploit the mineral resources optimally according to rational policies to bring technology and capital to indignize the mining industry to dd value to the mineral production.