Daily Times

A 30 member Pakistani trade mission including Ahmed Hassan Moughal, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry visited Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA)t and held productive B2B meetings with Saudi counterparts to explore prospects for enhancing Pak-Saudi bilateral trade and investment cooperation, particularly in building material/construction and food sectors.

The Pakistani delegation met with Deputy Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Abdul Aziz Al-Abdulkarim and Eng. Saleh S. Al-Solamim Secretary General, Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA). Both sides held fruitful meetings and discussed the prospects for enhancing bilateral trade between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in non-oil products including meat products, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, bakery & confectionary, fruit juices & beverages, cooking oil & fats, electric wires & fittings, pipes & tubes, glass & ceramics, paints & dyes.

Welcoming the Pakistani trade mission, Saleh S. Al-Solami, Secretary General SEDA said that visit of Pakistani entrepreneurs to Saudi Arabia reflected their keen desire for enhancing trade, economic and investment cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He also highlighted the strong relationship between the two countries and said the leaders of both countries were keen to consolidate this relationship for mutual benefit.

It was for the first time that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia engaged their private sectors at broader level to enhance bilateral trade in non-oil products. The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan extended facilitation to the Pakistani delegation in visiting Saudi Arabia.

The ICCI delegation led by Ahmed Hassan Moughal President also visited Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) and held meeting with Saudi entrepreneurs. Sheikh Mazen Al Batterji Vice Chairman Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry welcomed the ICCI delegation and stressed for regular exchange of trade missions between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to explore untapped areas of potential cooperation between the two countries. He said JCCI would facilitate Pakistani entrepreneurs during their visit to Saudi Arabia. He said JCCI would also help in resolving customs issues and trade barriers to further improve Pak-Saudi trade relations.

Ahmed Hassan Moughal, President, ICCI said that both Chambers should work together for trade and investment facilitation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. ICCI also signed an MoU with JCCI to facilitate frequent interaction between the private sectors and further improve trade cooperation between the two countries.

Published in Daily Times, January 17^th 2019.