The Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a high-level German delegation, headed by former President Christian Wulff, met here today to discuss ways of bolstering cooperation between the two countries in line with the Saudi Vision 2030. Among the issues discussed were cooperation in the fields of energy, water, technology, electrical engineering and pharmaceuticals. Faisal Al-Quraishi, member of the Eastern Chamber Board of Directors, noted the strong trade and economic relations existing between the Kingdom and Germany, besides excellent diplomatic ties. Al-Quraishi said the delegation represents key sectors, especially renewable energy, which is of great interest to the Kingdom. Al-Quraishi commended the role of the German-Saudi Liaison Office for Economic Affairs (GESALO) in boosting and promoting trade relations between the two countries. He noted the popularity of German products and technology in the Eastern Province. He said the German companies enjoy a good image in the Saudi market as more than 400 of them are currently involved in various projects and trade deals, with investments of more than $ 8 billion. For his part, Wulff, who is also President of Euro-Mediterranean Organization for Economic Cooperation, expressed the readiness on the part of German companies to provide expertise and technology necessary for achieving the objectives of Vision 2030. He said trade relations between the two countries were growing in recent years, and emphasized the need to promote cultural relations. He pointed out that Germany has issued more than 74,000 visit visas to Saudi citizens in 2015. Meanwhile, Dr.Hatem Al-Saman of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, presented a working paper during the meeting, highlighting the Authority's program to accelerate the Kingdom competitiveness, and turn the Kingdom into a favorite destination for regional and international investors. In coordination with various government agencies, the program has become an important part of the National Transformation Plan, he said.
