Saudi-Turkish Trade Summit Set for Istanbul in October

A ferry crosses the Bosphorus on a cloudy morning a day after heavy rains in Istanbul, Türkiye, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (AP)
A ferry crosses the Bosphorus on a cloudy morning a day after heavy rains in Istanbul, Türkiye, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (AP)
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Saudi-Turkish Trade Summit Set for Istanbul in October

A ferry crosses the Bosphorus on a cloudy morning a day after heavy rains in Istanbul, Türkiye, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (AP)
A ferry crosses the Bosphorus on a cloudy morning a day after heavy rains in Istanbul, Türkiye, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. (AP)

The Türkiye Exporters Assembly, in coordination with the Turkish Ministry of Commerce, is organizing a Saudi-Turkish trade summit scheduled to take place on October 8-12.

The summit will feature the participation of 70 members from Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Chamber of Commerce.

Deputy Chairman of the Assembly Ahmet Gulec has invited Turkish exporters to actively engage in this trade summit.

He highlighted that a delegation from the Assembly, representing 43 companies operating in various sectors such as food, non-ferrous metals, textiles, ready-made garments, chemicals, and furniture, had accompanied Turkish Minister of Commerce, Omer Bolat, during his visit to Riyadh in July 2022.

Bolat held meetings with 150 Saudi businessmen during his visit.

He also met with the Kingdom’s Commerce Minister Majid Al-Qasabi, Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih, Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing Minister Majid Al-Hogail, and Industry and Mineral Wealth Minister Bandar AlKhorayef.

During a visit to Türkiye last month, Al-Hogail met with Bolat and held several other meetings with Turkish ministers and officials.

The Assembly, in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce, arranged visits to four different trade bodies in Riyadh, Al-Hogail said.

A delegation of Turkish businessmen had visited Riyadh on September 11-14, holding meetings with Saudi officials with the aim of enhancing bilateral trade. Multiple cooperation agreements were signed between the two parties.

In a statement on Saturday, the Assembly disclosed a fourfold increase in Turkish exports to Saudi Arabia in the past eight months compared to the same period last year, reaching a total of $1.6 billion.



Aramco, Rongsheng Petrochemical Sign Framework Agreement to Advance SASREF Expansion

Aramco, Rongsheng Petrochemical Sign Framework Agreement to Advance SASREF Expansion
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Aramco, Rongsheng Petrochemical Sign Framework Agreement to Advance SASREF Expansion

Aramco, Rongsheng Petrochemical Sign Framework Agreement to Advance SASREF Expansion

Saudi Aramco, one of the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, Aramco affiliate Saudi Aramco Jubail Refinery Company (SASREF), and an affiliate of Rongsheng Petrochemical Co. Ltd. (Rongsheng Petrochemical) signed a Development Framework Agreement in Beijing, China, that paves the way for an expansion project at SASREF in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

The tripartite agreement outlines the cooperation mechanism and planning for the project's design and development. The project aims to expand SASREF's refining and petrochemical capabilities while fostering international collaboration, said Aramco in a statement on Tuesday.

Aramco Downstream President Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani said: "By aligning our efforts, Aramco and Rongsheng Petrochemical aim to deliver additional value to our stakeholders. This Development Framework Agreement underscores Aramco's intentions to foster closer collaboration with key partners and progress its strategic downstream expansion, both in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and internationally. It also highlights the potential of the Kingdom's downstream sector to attract overseas players."

Rongsheng Petrochemical Chairman Li Shuirong said: "The signing of the Development Framework Agreement sets the stage for Rongsheng Petrochemical's in-depth participation in the SASREF expansion project."

"Saudi Arabia has abundant energy resources and significant market potential, and Rongsheng Petrochemical will bring strong momentum to the partnership through our excellent operation and management capabilities and market competitiveness," he added

"This collaborative project not only has important strategic value for the future development of both companies but will also make contributions to China's Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030," he stressed.

In April, Aramco and Rongsheng Petrochemical signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement relating to the planned formation of a joint venture in SASREF and significant investments in the Saudi and Chinese petrochemical sectors. Preliminary documentation relating to the Development Framework Agreement was signed in September.

The SASREF expansion project is located in Jubail Industrial City, which is along the Arabian Gulf coast in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. The city has a well-developed infrastructure and strategic geographical advantages.

The project, which is currently in the PREFEED stage, envisages the construction of large-scale steam crackers and the integration of associated downstream derivatives into the existing SASREF complex, enhancing its ability to meet the growing demand for high-quality petrochemical products.