The decision to merge the General Authority for Foreign Trade and the Saudi Export Development Authority into a single body, the General Authority for Foreign Trade and Export, aims to strengthen institutional integration and unify efforts to support Saudi exports and expand the presence of Saudi products in global markets.
The cabinet, chaired by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, approved the merger and ordered the necessary preparations, with matters requiring regulatory action to be submitted within 180 days.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, minister of industry and mineral resources, will chair the new authority’s board, with the commerce minister serving as deputy chairman.
The move comes as foreign trade assumes growing importance as a driver of economic growth, a means of making Saudi products more competitive and a gateway for domestic businesses to reach broader international markets.
Support for exporters
Consolidating responsibilities and coordinating initiatives is expected to improve efficiency, expand access to foreign markets and develop tools to support exporters, in line with goals to diversify the Saudi economy and increase the contribution of non-oil exports to economic growth.
Specialists told Asharq Al-Awsat that, as merger requirements are completed within 180 days, attention will turn to the new authority’s operations, performance indicators and ability to translate organizational integration into broader export opportunities and lasting gains for the Saudi economy, while supporting the private sector by creating more opportunities for domestic companies.
Small and medium-sized enterprises
Osama bin Ghanem Al-Obaidi, a consultant and professor of commercial law, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the next phase, following the merger of the two authorities, “requires a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises, helping them overcome export challenges and build lasting international trade partnerships.”
It also requires “developing clear performance indicators that measure growth in non-oil exports, track the number of new markets reached by Saudi products and assess how much exporters benefit from the services provided,” Al-Obaidi said.
He said the decision brings together efforts to open markets and enable Saudi products to reach them, “in a step that strengthens their competitiveness and shortens their path to global markets.”
The move “simplifies procedures and facilitates trade by improving integration between the two bodies and developing a unified platform that saves users time and money, strengthening the kingdom’s economic competitiveness and attracting more domestic and foreign investment,” he added.
“In my view, the new authority’s success will be measured by the value it adds to the national economy, rather than simply by the consolidation of organizational structures,” Al-Obaidi said.
“The more institutional integration translates into increased export opportunities, stronger competitiveness for Saudi products and diversified sources of income, the closer this step will come to achieving its economic objectives, supporting Vision 2030 goals and strengthening the kingdom’s position in global trade.”
Strategic dimensions
Economic researcher and technology consultant Fadwa Al-Bawardi said the merger represents a pivotal organizational shift, reflecting the national drive to strengthen trade governance and unify efforts to integrate trade policy with export development.
The decision’s strategic implications extend beyond administrative restructuring, she said. The new body will provide a vital bridge between the opening of global markets and the strengthening of the production capabilities of Saudi contractors and companies.
Investors are seeking more than new sales outlets, Al-Bawardi told Asharq Al-Awsat. They also want to build a strong production base that encourages exports.
She said the new body’s real challenge lies in “overcoming logistical and regulatory obstacles and making Saudi products more competitive in international trade.”
Trade disputes and restrictions
“The competitive presence of Saudi goods and services in global markets does not depend on quality alone,” Al-Bawardi said.
“It also requires an integrated support system that facilitates market access, addresses trade disputes and restrictions, and steps up international promotion initiatives, giving domestic exporters the support they need to compete with confidence and capability.”
She said the true measure of the move’s success would be “the new structure’s ability to translate institutional consolidation into a tangible economic impact, measured by simpler procedures, unified service platforms and faster responses to the needs of businesses and domestic factories, as well as entry into promising markets that expand the presence of non-oil exports.”
