JOHANNESBURG: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the National Competitiveness Center Dr. Majid Al-Kassabi, who is leading a high-level delegation on a trip to South Africa to bolster trade and economic ties, held discussions with several South African ministers: Parks Tau of trade, industry, and competition; Patricia de Lille of tourism; Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams of small business development; and John Steenhuisen of agriculture, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The SPA reported that key topics were means to strengthen trade ties, promising opportunities for businesses in both nations, ways to facilitate trade in goods and services, and South African firms’ participation in the Biban24 forum.
It added that the meetings also addressed steps aimed at supporting and empowering small and medium-sized enterprises and proposed collaboration in areas of common interest.
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A highlight of the trip was the inaugural Saudi-South African Business Forum, held by the National Competitiveness Center in partnership with the South African Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Competition, the SPA reported. More than 400 business leaders from the two nations attended the forum, which also focused on expanding trade partnerships, as well as identifying investment opportunities, and also showcased the Kingdom’s economic reforms.
Al-Kassabi also inaugurated the operations center of SMSA Express, a market leader in the courier industry, in South Africa, an important step in enhancing logistical solutions for businesses in both nations, the SPA further reported.
