The “Saudi–French joint committee” reflects the common ambition to strengthen the Franco-Saudi strategic partnership and deepen our special relationship through the improvement of France’s trade and investment relationship and the identification of a new cooperation prospects within the framework of the National Transformation Program 2020 adopted by the Kingdom to implement the Saudi Vision 2030.
More than 600 people took part in the first Saudi-French business forum in Paris.
The second one in October 2015 was organized in Riyadh with the presence of French Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
More than 2000 participants were registered and 130 French firms came to the event: It was the biggest business delegation to visit the Kingdom.
They have shown a real interest in the Saudi market. The third one should take place next fall.
Indeed, France supports the Vision 2030. It is the occasion to show another face of the Saudi-French partnership by providing know-how transfer and capacity building.
For example, France works on energy but also in transportation: In their offer for the Makkah Metro Project, Alstom has included a proposal to build a regional hub in the Kingdom for the transportation industry. It means France is keen to promote localization.
French groups are dedicated to hire more and more young Saudi nationals and to welcome more students.
Furthermore, France is the first touristic destination in the world that draws more than 80 million tourists per year and tourism industry is another field of common interest to discuss.
Financial services are another field of French excellence that has to be shown in the Kingdom and can also contribute to achieve the target of “a country of investment”.
During Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit in Paris in last June, France and the Kingdom discussed several contracts and agreements in various fields such as defense, energy, health care, agriculture, transportation and infrastructure, culture, education and sport as well as sciences and technology, information, environment, housing, tourism and heritage.
A certain numbers of agreements and contracts are expected to be signed during the next session of the “Saudi – French joint committee”.
2016 Statistics of bilateral trade between France and Saudi Arabia
Although it is too early to announce statistics for 2016, it can be said that the bilateral trade between France and the Kingdom is going well.
As far as 2015 is concerned, France’s exports to Saudi Arabia increased by 6 percent up to 3.1 billion euros.
Conversely, our imports contracted by 25 percent to 5.3 billion euros because of the lower oil price.
With $15.3 billion of French foreign direct investment (FDI) in Saudi Arabia, France is the third biggest investor in the Kingdom.
More than 80 French subsidiaries have an active presence in Saudi Arabia, and most of the big groups of CAC40 (Paris Index) are represented in the Kingdom.
They employ about 27.600 people, including 10 000 Saudi nationals, a Saudization rate of 36 percent much higher than the average of the Saudi economy (16 percent).
Twenty-four Saudi companies are located in France (mostly by acquiring existing entities).
They employ 3200 persons directly and achieve a combined turnover of approximately EUR 350 million.
Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Plan will offer a lot of opportunities to develop new partnerships in many different fields: from tourism and culture to mining, including energy, transportation, agriculture, health, housing and many more, France is committed to bring the best of its technologies and know-how to accompany the Kingdom in its ambitious transformation program and to make it a success.
Paris can offer its expertise in privatization programs, especially in the water sector to Saudi Arabia.
Indeed France has long experience in PPP and privatization as it was the first country in the world to implement PPP in the 19th century with the first concessions for the water distribution networks.
French companies and state entities also have a long experience in privatization since the beginning of the 80s. France was at that time in the same configuration as the Kingdom today and can now share experiences in many fields such as energy, water, transportation and IT services for example.
An institutional cooperation could be implemented with ministries and national agencies.
France is one of the largest European countries that import large quantities of oil from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia is first partner of Paris in the region and France is one of the leading European countries importing Saudi crude.
French imports are mainly composed of oil and oil products and France’s bilateral trade is in favor of the Kingdom.
Saudi investments in France
One of France’s priorities is to increase and diversify Saudi investments in France which total less than 1 billion euros, and are mostly directed toward real estate.
France is the leading destination for foreign investment in industry and the fourth largest FDI receiver in the world.
The entrepreneurial and innovation policy is also proving effective, since France has been ranked as the leading country for R&D support and for newly founded businesses.
By easing the entrepreneurial process and fostering innovation, the French industry offers a lot of different investment opportunities for Saudi investors (public and private), and represents a major know-how transfer potential in a long term cooperation perspective.
French companies ready to participate in Saudi Arabia’s needs for solar plants.
Indeed, Energy sector is a cornerstone of our strategic partnership.
Various French companies are willing to work with Saudi Aramco, Saudi Electricity Company and KACARE.
Many delegations came to the Kingdom in order to work on renewable energy especially for solar projects.
The role of France to reduce carbon impact all over the planet must be reminded. Indeed, the COP 21 was a great success and Paris is determined to pursue those efforts by offering the best solutions. TOTAL, EdF and numerous groups already made proposals to work on solar investments.
Saudi housing projects
In this framework, French companies can also contribute to the Saudi housing projects by bringing their experience (delivery housing units on an industrial scale since the 50s), knowhow (rich eco-system of companies) and new technologies (smart cities, Internet of things, good build materials, etc…) in order to tackle the growing need of housing units in the Kingdom but also to have energy efficient units.
To build smart should be as important as to build quick and affordable.
France can contribute to the changing landscape of subsidies as described in the National Transformation Plan.
Thus, cheaper access to housing units for nationals of low and middle income categories will not comply with the Vision 2030 if these units perform poorly in operating cost notably for the end user when he will have to pay for electricity and water.
A common ambition to strengthen Saudi-French strategic partnership
A common ambition to strengthen Saudi-French strategic partnership
Mawhiba to host ‘Beyond Creative Minds’ conference this month
- The organization, which nurtures the talents of gifted students, says event is a ‘global platform for talented and creative youth to collaborate in building a prosperous future’
- It is expected to attract experts and researchers in the fields of science, technology and innovation from more than 50 countries
RIYADH: Mawhiba, an organization that works to nurture the talents of gifted students in scientific fields, will hold its third international conference this month with the theme “Beyond Creative Minds.”
Its Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity will take place from Nov. 24 to 26 at King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center in Riyadh. Khalid Al-Sharif, the organization’s acting secretary-general, described the event as a “global platform for talented and creative youth to collaborate in building a prosperous future through the exchange of ideas and expertise.”
He told the Saudi Press Agency: “The event reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting and empowering talent and promoting a culture of innovation to address future global challenges.”
The conference is expected to attract experts and researchers in the fields of science, technology and innovation from more than 50 countries, many of whom will give keynote speeches, take part in panel discussions and lead workshops.
Al-Sharif said the event will include a “‘creathon’ aimed at finding creative solutions to contemporary challenges. Attendees will also have access to exhibitions and various cultural visits scheduled alongside the conference.”
He added that Mawhiba, more formally known as the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, will continue to develop talent, support creativity and provide resources to nurture the potential of gifted individuals. He thanked Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan for the substantial support he provides for the biennial conference.
Saudi and French ministers discuss cultural cooperation
- Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan and Rachida Dati discussed cultural exchanges and cooperation relating to museums, libraries, theater, the arts, cuisine, heritage and film production
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s minister of culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, and his French counterpart, Rachida Dati, held talks in Paris on Wednesday on cultural cooperation.
They discussed cultural exchanges between their countries and cooperation relating to museums, libraries, theater, the arts, cuisine, heritage and film production.
Riyadh and Paris are looking to strengthen partnerships, nurture talent through training programs for workers in cultural sectors, and exchange expertise, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The Kingdom’s assistant culture minister, Rakan Al-Touq, also took part in the meeting.
Riyadh governor receives Albania’s envoy
Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar received Ambassador of Albania to the Kingdom Saimir Bala in Riyadh on Wednesday.
They discussed various topics of common interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Meanwhile, Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz met with Ukrainian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Anatolii Petrenko in Dammam on Wednesday.
Prince Saud welcomed the ambassador to the Eastern Province. During the meeting, the two exchanged friendly talks and discussed a number of topics.
Biofach offers look into Saudi Arabia’s agricultural growth, future
- The Kingdom and MENA region represent an emerging market for organic food, says organizing official
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is among the Gulf Cooperation Council nations taking significant steps to invest in developing its organic food and beverage sector, which has experienced a growth surge in recent years.
The three-day Biofach Saudi Arabia, which was held alongside Saudi Organic Food Day and concluded on Wednesday, is a key platform showcasing the Kingdom’s commitment to developing its agricultural future.
Biofach was organized by 1st Arabia Tradeshows and Conferences in collaboration with NurnbergMesse, with support from the Saudi Ministry for Energy, Water and Agriculture and the Saudi Organic Farming Association.
Christian Beyer, manager of international events at NurnbergMesse, highlighted the potential of the Middle East and North Africa region: “The MENA region, especially Saudi Arabia, represents an emerging market for organic food that was estimated at USD 7 billion in 2022 and can expect ongoing growth.”
Recognizing the importance of organic farming for food security and environmental sustainability, Saudi authorities are focusing on enhancing rural production and improving supply chains to ensure organic products reach consumers efficiently.
The exhibition’s knowledge-exchange platform addressed local challenges, including effective water and fertilizer management, which are crucial for the region’s arid climate.
Among the exhibitors was the Saudi company Aamal Al-Andalus, which provides organic fertilizers to address soil degradation and declining fertility. Their products are said to help treat and reduce environmental stress, increase agricultural production, and improve the quality of crops to enhance export opportunities.
Youssif Abdulqader, sales manager and engineer at Aamal Al-Andalus, told Arab News: “Food around the world is increasingly going organic, particularly when all inputs in the plants come from organic and safe sources.”
He noted that this shift is largely driven by the health issues linked to consuming fruits and vegetables produced through conventional farming methods, which are often less beneficial or even harmful to human well-being.
Abdulqader explained: “Conventional farming practices are generally well-structured and effective; however, they face challenges such as the excessive use of pesticides and their persistence in the soil.”
Farmers often encounter bacterial issues within their crops that need to be addressed cost-effectively to maximize profitability.
“This is where organic alternatives can be prohibitively expensive, prompting conventional farmers to seek cheaper, often internationally banned options,” he added.
He added that the use of pesticides results in chemical residues that can remain in the plant’s environment.
These residues pose significant health risks when consumers ingest vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes.
“There is a concern that these chemicals may contain heavy metals that the human body cannot process, leading to serious health issues such as cancer, kidney failure, and liver diseases, which are frequently associated with traditional farming practices,” he explained.
Prophet’s Mosque imam attends India peace forum
- More than 50,000 Muslims attended the event, which was broadcast on several media platforms and garnered more than 4 million views
RIYADH: The imam and khatib of the Prophet’s Mosque, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Baijan, took part in a peace conference themed “Islam is the Religion of Humanity and Peace” during his recent visit to India
More than 50,000 Muslims attended the event, which was broadcast on several media platforms and garnered more than 4 million views, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
As guest of honor, Al-Baijan delivered a speech in which he said that Islam was a religion of security and peace. He warned against divisions among Muslims and said that such discord threatened national unity, led to chaos and could incite wars.
Minister for Wakf and Haj in the government of Kerala Shri. V. Abdurahiman also spoke at the event, praising Saudi Arabia for its efforts in promoting Islam, peace and moderation.
Al-Baijan also joined the 35th All India Ahle Hadith Conference in New Delhi, where he commended Saudi Arabia’s efforts, led by its leadership, to promote security, peace, stability and the safeguarding of human dignity globally.
