日サウジ、重要鉱物確保で覚書　アフリカ・中南米の鉱山へ投資

　日本とサウジアラビア両政府は２５日までに、電気自動車（ＥＶ）などの脱炭素製品の製造に不可欠な重要鉱物のサプライチェーン（供給網）強化に向けて覚書を締結した。豊富な資金力を持つサウジと連携し、アフリカや中南米などで鉱山開発や権益取得を進める。重要鉱物の安定確保で脱炭素化と経済安全保障の強化を目指す。
　同日、サウジの首都リヤドで記者会見した斎藤健経済産業相は、「両国関係を産油国と消費国にとどまらず、脱炭素時代における新たなグローバルパートナーシップへと進化させる」と強調した。（2023/12/25-23:40）

Japan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to strengthen supply chains for minerals essential for the production of green products such as electric vehicles, it was learned Monday.
   Japan hopes to achieve decarbonization and boost economic security by securing stable supplies of key minerals through the development of mines and the acquisition of interests in Africa and Central and South America.
   Japan's industry ministry and the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources signed a memorandum of understanding Sunday.
   The government-backed Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, or JOGMEC, and Manara Minerals Investment Co., a Saudi company established to invest in mines around the world, also signed such a document.
   The two governments plan to exchange information on mineral resources and cooperate in human resource development.