Saudi Medical Industry Seeks African Market

Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA) logo
Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA) logo
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Saudi Medical Industry Seeks African Market

Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA) logo
Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA) logo

The Saudi Export Development Authority (SEDA) wants to promote the medical and health industries in the Kingdom, this time, through an African Conformity Conference.

SEDA announced its participation in a trade mission consisting of 15 Saudi companies specialized in pharmaceutical industries and medical devices at the annual African Business Forum held in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, which concluded on Friday.

The Forum is considered one of the most prominent trade events in Africa specialized in the field of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.

The Saudi participation in the forum comes within SEDA’s keenness to open new international markets for the Saudi product and organize direct business meetings with importers around the world.

The Authority stressed that the growing interest in African markets for pharmaceutical products and medical devices is in line with the competitive advantage gained by the pharmaceutical industry in Saudi Arabia.

It noted that the Saudi medical industry reached over 65 countries around the world with an export volume of $426.6 million in 2018, and a total of $2.2 billion over the last five years.

During the Forum, 15 Saudi companies showcased their pharmaceutical and medical products to delegations and trade missions from 13 African and Arab countries such as Tunisia, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Mauritania, Nigeria and other countries with promising commercial markets.

SEDA increased its participation in conferences and major economic and trade events around the world as one of the innovative solutions to promote the quality of the national product and the development of human competencies in the field of export.

The Saudi Exports Development Authority is an independent national authority that seeks to develop Saudi non-oil exports. The Authority hopes to do this by achieving three strategic themes in the Saudi export ecosystem including enhance SME export readiness, generate opportunities for export-ready businesses, and advocate ecosystem efficiency and international market access.

The Authority also provides incentives to exporters and facilitates opportunities and markets appropriate for enterprises. It also facilitates linking exporters with buyers and potential partners to contribute to Vision 2030 targets related to raising non-oil exports from 16 percent to 50 percent of GDP.



Starbucks Strike to Expand to over 300 US Stores on Christmas Eve, Union Says

Starbucks employees, union members and supporters strike outside of a Starbucks store which is closed down due to the strike on December 23, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
Starbucks employees, union members and supporters strike outside of a Starbucks store which is closed down due to the strike on December 23, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Starbucks Strike to Expand to over 300 US Stores on Christmas Eve, Union Says

Starbucks employees, union members and supporters strike outside of a Starbucks store which is closed down due to the strike on December 23, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)
Starbucks employees, union members and supporters strike outside of a Starbucks store which is closed down due to the strike on December 23, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images/AFP)

A strike at Starbucks' US stores will expand to over 300 stores on Tuesday, with more than 5,000 workers expected to walk off the job, before the five-day work stoppage ends later on Christmas Eve, the workers' union said.

Starbucks Workers United, representing employees at 525 stores nationwide, said more than 60 US stores across 12 major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Seattle, were shut on Monday.

Talks between Starbucks and the union had hit an impasse with unresolved issues over wages, staffing and schedules, leading to the strike.

The Christmas Eve strike on Tuesday was projected to be the largest ever at the coffee chain, the union added. "These strikes are an initial show of strength, and we're just getting started," an Oregon barista said in a union statement.

When asked for a response, a Starbucks spokesperson referred to a company statement it released on Monday.

It said that the vast majority of Starbucks stores will continue to operate and serve customers, adding that it expects a "very limited impact" to overall operations. Starbucks has over 10,000 company-operated stores across the US.

"We are ready to continue negotiations when the union comes back to the bargaining table", the company said.

The Seattle-headquartered firm had previously claimed that the union delegates prematurely ended the bargaining session.

Earlier this month, the workers' group rejected an offer of no immediate wage hike and a guarantee of a 1.5% pay increase in future years.

The union also said that Starbucks has yet to present its workers with "a serious economic proposal."