GAMI Launches Military Industries Supply Chain

GAMI’s Governor Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Ohali - Asharq Al-Awsat
GAMI’s Governor Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Ohali - Asharq Al-Awsat
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GAMI Launches Military Industries Supply Chain

GAMI’s Governor Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Ohali - Asharq Al-Awsat
GAMI’s Governor Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Ohali - Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), the regulator, enabler, and licensor of the Kingdom’s military industries sector, has announced the targeted opportunities in Supply Chains in the Military Industries Sector in Saudi Arabia aiming to enhance the Kingdom’s efforts to localize more than 50% of military spending by 2030.

GAMI’s thorough analysis of the local supply chain’s priorities, capabilities, and gaps has identified 74 investment opportunities, across six domains of the military industries sector. The opportunities are open to local and international companies in this sector.

GAMI’s Governor, H.E. Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Ohali, said the project is key to enhancing Saudi Arabia’s domestic capabilities and strengthening the collaboration between local and international suppliers, resulting in rapid progress toward meeting the localization goals set forth under Vision 2030.

“As GAMI, we have covered a lot of ground in a very short time in terms of localization. With the Supply Chains in the Military Industries Sector and targeted Opportunities our localization efforts will gather even more momentum and strengthen the military industries ecosystem to prove once again the Kingdom’s role in the defense market,” Al-Ohali said.

To enable investors to access localization opportunities, and learn about the industrial capabilities of investors in the sector, GAMI has launched the Military Industry Marketplace (MIM). The MIM is a platform that links the sector with all of the investors that are authorized, licensed (by GAMI), and registered on the platform. All local and international registered companies can easily identify localization opportunities provided by the sector once they have been published on the MIM.

Moreover, linking local companies with international companies, especially Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), also becomes possible. This is due to the MIM being an electronic platform that is updated all the time and accessible via the link marketplace.gami.gov.sa

“Our tireless efforts have shown themselves in numbers, as we have doubled the localization rate in the industry from 4% to 8% in just three years. We have also licensed 99 companies in less than two years to operate in the sector. This enthusiasm and involvement by local companies are what makes us confident in the success of the Supply Chains in the Military Industries Sector and Targeted Opportunities,” said Governor Al-Ohali.



Iran FM to Visit Saudi Arabia to Avert Major Regional Military Escalation

 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference after his meeting with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference after his meeting with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP)
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Iran FM to Visit Saudi Arabia to Avert Major Regional Military Escalation

 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference after his meeting with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference after his meeting with Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP)

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will arrive in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday morning as part of a regional tour aimed at averting a major regional military escalation.

He is scheduled to meet with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.

Iran’s ISNA news agency said Araqchi’s tour will focus on regional issues and efforts to end the “Israeli crimes” in Gaza and Lebanon.

Political Science Professor Dr. Saleh al-Khathlan said the Riyadh visit aims to avert a regional escalation.

Saudi Arabia will employ its efforts with regional and world partners to prevent the region from being dragged to a dangerous military confrontation, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Iran is in a very difficult position and it needs countries with political regional weight, such as Saudi Arabia, to help it out of the crisis it has found itself in,” he explained.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted Araqchi as saying that after consultations in New York and Doha, and trips to Beirut and Damascus, “I will continue these visits and head to Saudi Arabia and regional countries to seek measures to stop these crimes.”

The consultations are ongoing to stop the crimes and condemn Israel, he added.

“Iran has repeatedly said it does not want war, even though we do not fear it,” he declared.

“We are prepared for any scenario and all necessary targets have been decided. Our policy aims to end the conflicts and reach an acceptable truce,” the FM said.

Al-Khathlan noted that Araqchi is carrying out his tour in wake of the latest escalation in the region and the possibility that Israel could launch destructive attacks against Iran after its ballistic missile strikes last week.

Iran is facing major dangers and so the FM will focus with Saudi officials on averting escalation, he added.

Tehran fully realizes that Riyadh, given its strong ties with regional and international players, can assume a pivotal role in restoring calm and preventing the spillover of the conflict into the region, he stressed.

Ultimately, however, the success of regional efforts lies in the hands of the Israeli government and its American backer, he noted.

At the moment, the United States is preoccupied with its presidential elections and any uncalculated action may hamper the chances of Joe Biden’s successor, Kamala Harris, in becoming president, Al-Khathlan said.