A follow-up team from the Philippines is visiting Riyadh and Eastern Province on Nov. 17 and Nov. 18, respectively, to discuss economic development projects agreed upon between Saudi Arabia and the Philippines during the state visit of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the Kingdom last Sept. 20- 23. During the visit of Arroyo, she held a series of meetings with leading businessmen in the Eastern Province, Riyadh and Jeddah on how to expand trade and investment cooperation between the two countries. The visit of the follow-up team will focus on the agreed areas of investment collaboration between the two countries; these are mostly joint ventures in agriculture, infrastructure and processing zones development, collaboration in construction projects, human resource training, and tourism, Paisal D. Abdulla, head of the Trade and Investment Center, Philippine Consulate in Jeddah, said. The follow-up team is headed by Elmer C. Hernandez, Department of Trade and Industry vice minister for investment and deputy managing director of the Board of Investment. As requested by the Saudi business leaders during their meeting with Arroyo, they asked that they be linked to a high-ranking Philippine government offi cial who will solely handle and decide on investment cooperation between the two countries. Abdulla said that Hernandez has been designated to be the link in fostering investment collaboration between Manila and Riyadh. Hernandez will meet with the group of Sheikh Hamad A. Al-Zamil in Eastern Province and with the Al
