Riyadh, September 13, 2022, SPA -- The "Second Saudi International Iron and Steel Conference" continued its second day, with participation of a group of industry leaders, and investors in the sector in Saudi Arabia and the world. Five working sessions were held that dealt with the prospects and future of Iron and Steel industry in the industrial, economic and urban development. In the opening speech of the first session, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for the Arab States, Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf, stressed the need to address the challenges facing the iron industry, stating that the Coronavirus pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war led to the disruption of supply chains and damaged the global economy along with the energy crisis. He added that GCC states adopt regional and international cooperation to meet these challenges. Following, Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Eng. Osama Al-Zamil, and Deputy Minister of Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Eng. Khaled Al-Mudaifer, confirmed that Saudi Arabia is a pioneer in the petrochemical industries, and has been distinguished in the iron and steel industry, pointing out that SABIC and its ilk have invested a lot in developing their capabilities in this industry. The second-day conference witnessed an intense activity of research and in-depth discussion through four scientific sessions, with the participation of government speakers and executives of major companies in the iron and steel industries. The second session of the conference was entitled "The Status of the Iron and Steel Market in the Middle East and North Africa", while the third session entitled "Game Changers in the Global Iron and Steel Market". The fourth and final session on the second day of the conference is entitled “Supply Chains, Energy, and Raw Materials”, addressing the crisis facing the supply chains and raw materials that resulted from the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021 and impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war. --SPA 18:16 LOCAL TIME 15:16 GMT 0024 www.spa.gov.sa/w1784269