RIYADH — Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef said that the national industry was Saudi Arabia's safe haven during the coronavirus pandemic period and that Saudi products have reached as many as 178 countries around the world. Attending the periodic government communication briefing here on Wednesday, he said that the Kingdom at present has 26 industrial activities, producing 7,400 items, which are sent to more than 178 countries. "Amid the pandemic period during which most countries stopped exporting their products, the national industry was the Kingdom's safe haven. Despite the pandemic that affected the world's economies, we issued nearly 900 new industrial licenses, production began in 515 factories during the past year," he said while noting that the national industry is of high quality and is subject to strict standards that have enabled it to compete internationally. Replying to a question about the major products that people may not know are among the products that the Kingdom is exporting, Al-Khorayef said that Saudi Arabia has one factory for gas-insulated high-voltage switchgear, the first of its kind factory in the Middle East. "We export metal wires and integrated circuits to the United States market and export motors and generators to Colombia. Among the top 10 products exported to India are water filter devices." The minister said that Saudi medicine and medical supply exports amount to SR1.7 billion. "The Kingdom possesses economic and geographical components that reinforce its position as a country that provides more than just crude oil products. National products are of high quality and great competitiveness, which make them the first choice for consumers," Alkhorayef added that the "Made in Saudi" program aims at achieving the goals of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program to create more than 1.3 million jobs by 2030 in the industrial and mining sector.
