Riyadh Seeks to Boost Food Security with Thai Partnerships

The Saudi delegation meets with Thai officials in Bangkok. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi delegation meets with Thai officials in Bangkok. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Riyadh Seeks to Boost Food Security with Thai Partnerships

The Saudi delegation meets with Thai officials in Bangkok. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi delegation meets with Thai officials in Bangkok. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

A Thai official revealed his country’s efforts to build bilateral partnerships with Saudi Arabia to enhance food security, stressing that his country would study and address challenges facing Saudi investors in exporting to Thailand.

He made his remarks during a meeting in Bangkok on Tuesday that brought together Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperative Societies and a delegation from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Riyadh.

The Thai official underlined the importance of the meeting, noting that the Saudi delegation, which boasted over 100 businessmen, was the first and largest to visit Thailand in 32 years.

Chairman of the Agriculture and Water Committee in the Riyadh Chamber Dr. Ibrahim Al-Turki said the Kingdom was interested in strengthening its capabilities and developing its investment and trade relations with countries across the globe to promote food security. He noted that Thailand’s huge agricultural wealth would have a major role in forging more partnerships with Saudi Arabia.

He added that Thailand’s advanced technologies in agriculture were a source of confidence and a great opportunity for the Saudis to build multiple partnerships in this particular field.

Trade and economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Thailand were recently revived after being suspended for three decades.

The Saudi-Thai Investment Forum was launched in May in the Saudi capital, where a number of MoUs were signed between the Ministry of Investment and an official Thai delegation.

The delegation of the Riyadh Chamber discussed in Thailand opportunities for cooperation in mining technologies, in addition to strengthening partnership in the field of research and industrial consultancy.



Libya Oil Exports Plunge as NOC Cancels Cargoes due to Crisis

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Libya's El Sharara oilfield December 3, 2014. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Libya's El Sharara oilfield December 3, 2014. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny/File Photo
TT

Libya Oil Exports Plunge as NOC Cancels Cargoes due to Crisis

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Libya's El Sharara oilfield December 3, 2014. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Libya's El Sharara oilfield December 3, 2014. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny/File Photo

Libyan oil exports fell around 81% last week, Kpler data showed, as the National Oil Corporation cancelled cargoes amid a crisis over control of Libya's central bank and oil revenue.

The standoff began last month when western Libyan factions moved to oust a veteran central bank governor, prompting eastern factions to declare a shutdown to all oil output.

Libyan ports shipped 194,000 barrels per day (bpd) on average of crude last week, down about 81% from just over 1 million bpd in the previous week, Kpler's data showed, Reuters reported.

Although Libya's two legislative bodies said last week they agreed to jointly appoint a central bank governor within 30 days, the situation remains fluid and uncertain.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which is attempting to defuse the crisis, said on Tuesday it would resume facilitating talks on Wednesday in Tripoli.

NOC, which manages Libya's fossil fuel resources, has not declared force majeure on all port loadings and has so far opted to use the measure on individual cargoes, trading sources with knowledge of the matter said.

It had declared force majeure on all crude production at El Feel oilfield on Sept. 2 and on exports from the Sharara field on Aug. 7, before the crisis over the central bank began.

NOC last week cancelled several Es Sider cargoes, Reuters reported and two trading sources told Reuters NOC has also cancelled cargoes of the Amna and Brega crude grades.

Some tankers have been allowed to load crude from storage at Libyan ports to fulfil contractual obligations and avoid financial penalties, an NOC source has told Reuters.

NOC said on Aug. 28 that oil production had dropped by more than half from typical levels to about 590,000 bpd. It was not immediately clear where production levels now stand.