Saudi Arabia Establishes Duty-Free Markets in Airports, Ports

Saudi Arabia agrees to establish free markets at land, sea and air ports (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia agrees to establish free markets at land, sea and air ports (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Establishes Duty-Free Markets in Airports, Ports

Saudi Arabia agrees to establish free markets at land, sea and air ports (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia agrees to establish free markets at land, sea and air ports (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has opened a new trade path by approving the establishment of duty-free markets in airports, seaports, and land ports. This supports the Kingdom’s aspirations for infrastructure development, logistics support and providing a unique business environment in the transport sector.

The Cabinet, chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Tuesday at Al-Salam Palace, approved the establishment of duty-free markets in airports, seaports, and land ports.

The Cabinet decision permits sale, in these markets, to passengers arriving and departing from the Kingdom.

Establishing duty-free markets aligns with Saudi Arabia’s plans for strategic transformation in providing support services and operational processes.

The Kingdom’s Transport Ministry is focused on upgrading provided services, developing the operational aspect in line with future plans, building strong alliances and providing a distinctive travel experience through integrated work and by investing with the private sector to achieve the highest standards of efficiency and operation.

In other news, Saudi Arabia is scheduled to inaugurate on Wednesday the Port of Jazan Primary and Downstream Industries (JPDI), located in the south of the Kingdom on the Red Sea, which represents one of the most prominent global trade corridors.
The inauguration is set to be sponsored by Governor of Jazan Prince Mohammed bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz.

The Royal Commission in Jubail and Yanbu, represented by the Jubail and Yanbu Industrial Services Company, and Hutchison Ports had announced the signing of an agreement to invest and operate JCPDI Port, which consists of world-class, multipurpose terminals within the Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries (JCPDI).

The port is located on the international trade corridor across the Red Sea, near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Horn of Africa, and on China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Establishing the port is an important step in the Kingdom’s journey towards economic development and diversification of sources of income. The port, as a logistical gateway, will serve to be a great supporter of the city’s economic, industrial, and logistical renaissance.



Saudi Arabia, Canada Discuss Smart Industrial Cities

The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA
The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA
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Saudi Arabia, Canada Discuss Smart Industrial Cities

The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA
The meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries. SPA

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef has discussed with Canadian government ministers ways to bolster industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries, opportunities for developing industrial innovation, and building an effective partnership to establish smart industrial cities in the Kingdom by leveraging Canadian expertise.

During his meeting with Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne, and accompanied by National Industrial Development Center Chief Executive Saleh AlSulami, Alkhorayef underscored the Kingdom's commitment to benefiting from the applications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, to develop the industrial sector and create added value, while improving production efficiency in industrial facilities.

Meeting participants discussed enhancing cooperation in the field of industrial digitization, utilizing AI technologies to improve industrial processes, and exploring opportunities for collaboration in building smart industrial cities in the Kingdom, benefiting from Canadian advancements in digital infrastructure.

The two sides also discussed collaboration between the Kingdom and Canada in the field of innovation, including the partnership between the Saudi Ministry of Education and Metax, a Canadian research organization funded by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry with a focus on providing joint research opportunities for graduate and doctoral students in both countries.

During a meeting with Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen, Alkhorayef discussed ways to enhance economic relations and non-oil trade between the two countries, given the fact that the Kingdom is the largest trading partner for Canada in the Middle East and North Africa. The ministers reviewed the role of industrial development globally in advancing communities, increasing their well-being, and improving individuals' living standards.

Alkhorayef and Canada's Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MIHR) executive director Ryan Montpellier discussed opportunities to benefit from council's expertise in workforce human capabilities development strategies in the mining sector.

The meetings held by the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources with Canadian ministers are part of his visit to Canada, aimed at strengthening industrial and mining cooperation between the two countries, exploring mutual opportunities in both sectors, and attracting foreign investments to the Kingdom.