Saudi Arabia, US Plan to Promote Promising Sectors

Saudi Minister of Commerce Majid al-Qasabi during his meetings on Thursday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Commerce Majid al-Qasabi during his meetings on Thursday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia, US Plan to Promote Promising Sectors

Saudi Minister of Commerce Majid al-Qasabi during his meetings on Thursday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Commerce Majid al-Qasabi during his meetings on Thursday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Minister of Commerce Majid al-Qasabi met with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in Washington on Thursday to discuss advancing bilateral trade relations.

Qasabi, who headed a delegation from the Kingdom, said the talks are part of both countries' keenness to increase coordination according to a joint action plan that can raise the commercial exchange opportunities in several promising economic sectors.

The targeted sectors include: building the green economy, strengthening the role of women in doing business, developing small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and promoting innovation.

Later, the Saudi Minister met with the President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Reta Jo Lewis to discuss boosting the economic partnership.

The delegations also held bilateral meetings with several officials at the US Department of Commerce to enhance communication at all levels and reviewed the top reforms implemented to increase Saudi Arabia's competitiveness.

The Saudi delegates and US officials tackled bilateral ties and promising opportunities in hydrogen production and waste management, as well as promoting innovations through protecting intellectual property.

They addressed bolstering the knowledge economy based on artificial intelligence, cloud storage, data flow, developing SMEs, and women's role and participation in economic development.

The delegation included Governor of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) Saad al-Qasabi, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SIAP) Abdulaziz al-Suwailem, and representatives from several ministries, the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monshaat), Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA), the General Authority for Foreign Trade, National Competitiveness Center (NCC), Saudi Aramco, and Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC).



Saudi Arabia, Italy Sign MoU to Strengthen Collaboration in Renewable Energy

The MoU focuses on key areas such as energy transitions and security, renewable energy and electricity interconnection. SPA
The MoU focuses on key areas such as energy transitions and security, renewable energy and electricity interconnection. SPA
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Saudi Arabia, Italy Sign MoU to Strengthen Collaboration in Renewable Energy

The MoU focuses on key areas such as energy transitions and security, renewable energy and electricity interconnection. SPA
The MoU focuses on key areas such as energy transitions and security, renewable energy and electricity interconnection. SPA

Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has met in Riyadh with Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin to explore avenues for cooperation across various energy sectors.

The two sides signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Italy, serving their shared interests.

The MoU focuses on key areas such as energy transitions and security, renewable energy, electricity interconnection, energy efficiency, geothermal energy, methane emissions reduction, advancing energy storage solutions, petroleum, natural gas, and conventional and transitional fuels.

It also addresses enhancing the stability and reliability of petroleum and natural-gas markets, reducing market volatility, and improving energy supply security and supply chains.
The agreement highlights innovation and technology, such as hydrogen project development, climate-change mitigation solutions, the circular carbon economy, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Additionally, it emphasizes digital transformation, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence in the energy sector while fostering joint initiatives to support engineering and construction projects in energy. These efforts align with the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.