Saudi Arabia, Indonesia Discuss Investment in Hajj, Umrah

Pilgrims practice social distancing as they perform Umrah in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, October 3, 2020. Reuters
Pilgrims practice social distancing as they perform Umrah in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, October 3, 2020. Reuters
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Saudi Arabia, Indonesia Discuss Investment in Hajj, Umrah

Pilgrims practice social distancing as they perform Umrah in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, October 3, 2020. Reuters
Pilgrims practice social distancing as they perform Umrah in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, October 3, 2020. Reuters

An Indonesian delegation met on Tuesday with a number of Saudi businessmen and investors to discuss available investment opportunities in the Hajj and Umrah sector in the Kingdom.

Joko Asmoro, chairman of the Indonesian Muslim Association for Hajj and Umrah, said that pilgrims from his country would arrive successively after the re-opening of holy sites for the Umrah, following a seven-month closure caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vice Chairman of the Chamber Marwan Shaban said the Indonesian delegation was interested in exploring investment opportunities that would include hotels, the import of Saudi dates and trade exchange in various Indonesian products.

Mazen Darar, member of the Makkah Chamber, said that means of cooperation and available investment opportunities were discussed during the meeting. He added that the two sides agreed on an expanded agenda and the organization of future workshops that would include a large number of investors from both sides.

Dr. Houriya al-Islami, member of the Indonesian Hajj Fund Management Agency in Indonesia, said that around one million Indonesians perform the Umrah annually, while 230,000 pilgrims perform the Holy Hajj.

“This encourages us to launch investments in this field,” she said.



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.