New york: Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil, participated in the High-Level Meeting on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, held at the UN headquarters in New York. The meeting, which convened governments, international organizations, the private sector, and civil society, aimed to enhance international cooperation in critical minerals value chains. According to Saudi Press Agency, Ambassador Alwasil delivered Saudi Arabia's statement, emphasizing the Kingdom's commitment to a national vision that positions the energy, mining, and industrial sectors as strategic pillars for economic growth, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030. He underscored the importance of global energy security, highlighting the Kingdom's efforts to ensure stable energy supplies, advance the circular carbon economy, and develop significant renewable energy programs. Ambassador Alwasil advocated for an energy transition guided by a comprehensive approach, allowing coun tries to utilize diverse energy sources and technological solutions based on their unique circumstances, resources, and development needs. He highlighted the Kingdom's new Mining Investment Law, which reduced the tax rate on mining investments from 45% to 20%, and noted Saudi Arabia's ranking among the top 20 countries with the lowest legal and financial risks in the mining sector, as per the Global Risks Report 2023. Additionally, Ambassador Alwasil called for recognizing critical minerals as strategic resources essential to renewable energy technologies and other energy transition pathways, including hydrogen and carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies. He emphasized the need for stronger international cooperation and increased investment and innovation, particularly in developing countries, to build a resilient and sustainable global system.