Kenya Proposes 23-Point Plan to Strengthen Economic Ties with Saudi Arabia

Council of Saudi Chambers (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Council of Saudi Chambers (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Kenya Proposes 23-Point Plan to Strengthen Economic Ties with Saudi Arabia

Council of Saudi Chambers (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Council of Saudi Chambers (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Kenyan Minister of Trade and Industry Moses Kiarie and an accompanying delegation of Kenyan institutions and companies have met with representatives of the Saudi business sector at the headquarters of the Federation of Saudi Chambers.

During the meeting, the minister proposed a 23-point plan to strengthen and advance Kenya's economic ties with Saudi Arabia, including the creation of a joint business council, an e-commerce platform, and an economic cooperation committee.

He also called for encouraging Saudi businesses to invest in Kenya’s infrastructure and energy projects and private economic zones.

The minister stressed the importance of establishing a joint Saudi-Kenyan committee for trade and investment cooperation, calling on Saudi companies to invest in electricity, water, roads, housing, telecommunications, mining, financial center, hotels, airports, livestock production sectors, among other projects.

Chairman of Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry Ajlan Al Ajlan, for his part, affirmed the Saudi business sector’s preparedness to push commercial and investment cooperation between Kenya and the Kingdom.

The volume of trade exchange between the two countries amounted to about 5.7 billion riyals in 2021, which constitutes an increase of 73 %, revealed Al Ajlan.

He added that there is an opportunity to expand the scope of economic cooperation on targeted and promising sectors.

In other news, the Saudi Chambers’ Standards, Metrology and Quality Committee urged enhancing integration and cooperation in related fields within the framework of supporting the aspirations of the Kingdom’s national transformation plan, Vision 2030.

It also called for enhancing local content in various sectors in the Kingdom, through the localization of the production of goods and services to raise quality and competitiveness.



Syria to Receive Electricity-generating Ships from Qatar, Türkiye

FILE PHOTO: A view shows electricity pylons in Kiswah, Damascus suburbs, Syria September 8, 2021. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A view shows electricity pylons in Kiswah, Damascus suburbs, Syria September 8, 2021. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo
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Syria to Receive Electricity-generating Ships from Qatar, Türkiye

FILE PHOTO: A view shows electricity pylons in Kiswah, Damascus suburbs, Syria September 8, 2021. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A view shows electricity pylons in Kiswah, Damascus suburbs, Syria September 8, 2021. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo

Syria will receive two electricity-generating ships from Türkiye and Qatar to boost energy supplies hit by damage to infrastructure during President Bashar al-Assad's rule, state news agency SANA quoted an official as saying on Tuesday.
Khaled Abu Dai, director general of the General Establishment for Electricity Transmission and Distribution, told SANA the ships would provide a total of 800 megawatts of electricity but did not say over what period.
"The extent of damage to the generation and transformation stations and electrical connection lines during the period of the former regime is very large, we are seeking to rehabilitate (them) in order to transmit energy,” Abu Dai said.
According to Reuters, he did not say when Syria would receive the two ships.
The United States on Monday issued a sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria for six months after the end of Assad's rule to try to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance.
The exemption allows some energy transactions and personal remittances to Syria until July 7. The action did not remove any sanctions.
Syria suffers from severe power shortages, with state-supplied electricity available just two or three hours a day in most areas. The caretaker government says it aims within two months to provide electricity up to eight hours a day.