Saudi industry minister boosts trade ties with Tunisia during official visit

Bilateral trade between Saudi Arabia and Tunisia is on track to expand thanks to ongoing discussions between the two countries.

The development emerged during the official visit of the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef to Tunisia.

The visit aims to explore avenues for strengthening cooperation and mutual investments, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The minister led the Kingdom’s delegation to the 11th session of the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee, held in Tunis. He was also set to participate in the Saudi-Tunisian Investment and Partnership Forum.

During his visit, Alkhorayef held a number of meetings with Tunisian officials including Tunisian Minister of Trade and Export Development Kalthoum ben Rejeb, where the two explored ways to increase Saudi non-oil exports to Tunisia.

This aligns with the Kingdom’s aspiration to actively participate in Tunisia’s economic developments by examining investment opportunities and sharing them with the private sector, according to a statement.

“I would like to stress the importance of establishing clear working mechanisms through which all issues raised in the committee’s work are followed up on their implementation and the challenges and obstacles facing their implementation are resolved,” the minister said, according to a statement.

He also met with Tunisia’s interim Minister of Economy and Planning Sihem Boughdiri who heads the Tunisian delegation in the 11th session of the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee.

In addition, Alkhorayef also met with Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries of Tunisia Abdelmonem Belati to address plans to formalize a memorandum of understanding in the field of water resources.

Furthering the dialogue on economic ties, the Saudi minister also engaged with the chief of staff of Tunisia’s Ministry of Industry, Mines, and Energy Ahlam Al-Baji Al-Sayeb to explore prospects for bolstering partnership in the industry and mining sectors.

The two officials also tackled potential joint investments involving the private sectors of both countries.

Additionally, Alkhorayef also conferred with Tunisian Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani on strong relations between the two countries and the qualitative leap they have achieved in various economic, political, security and cultural fields in recent years.

This comes following the visit of King Salman to Tunisia in March 2019, as well as the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Tunisia in November 2018.

During the meeting, the Saudi minister and Hachani discussed enhancing cooperation between the two countries many in vital sectors such as industry, tourism, investment, along with the investment advantages that stimulate investors in the two countries.

Alkhorayef is heading the Kingdom’s delegation to the 11th session of the Saudi-Tunisian Joint Committee, currently held in Tunis, as well as participating in the Saudi-Tunisian Investment and Partnership Forum.