Riyadh: The 10th session of the Saudi-South African Joint Committee concluded in Riyadh, co-chaired by Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef and South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau, with participation from official delegations of both countries.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Minister Alkhorayef, in his opening address, called for wider partnerships that include knowledge transfer, skill development, and technological innovation, aligning with the programs of Saudi Vision 2030. Minister Tau highlighted this session as a pivotal moment for deepening the strategic partnership, reflecting both countries’ commitment to enhancing mutual interests and launching into new areas of cooperation.
At the conclusion of the meetings, both delegations affirmed the strength of bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and South Africa. They expressed a commitment to expanding cooperation across economic, developmental, and social sectors to serve mutual interests and advance sustainable development. There was an emphasis on the importance of continued communication between government and private sectors to open new avenues for investment and trade, alongside strengthening cultural and educational partnerships.
The session featured mutual presentations on investment opportunities. The “Invest Saudi” initiative showcased key incentives for South African investors, while “InvestSA” highlighted promising sectors for Saudi investors, such as mining, agriculture, and energy. These initiatives aim to stimulate mutual investments and enhance economic integration.
The two sides agreed to launch initiatives in trade, investment, energy, mining, and infrastructure sectors. They also agreed to enhance agricultural and health cooperation, exchange expertise in environment and logistics, and develop partnerships in maritime and air transport to boost the movement of goods and services. The session’s agenda included enhancing cooperation in science, technology, sports, and culture, in addition to technical and vocational training programs and expanding scholarships.
The Saudi delegation included representatives from various government ministries and national entities, while the South African side was represented by senior officials from government ministries and authorities related to trade, energy, and social development.
The session concluded with the signing of the minutes of the 10th session of the Joint Committee, including all the proposed initiatives and agreements. The two delegations agreed to hold the 11th session in the Republic of South Africa, underscoring the importance of building on this session’s outcomes and following up on the implementation of agreements to enhance cooperation in the coming years.
