JEDDAH: Minister of Commerce and Industry Abdullah Zainal Alireza yesterday called on both the public and private sectors to make joint efforts to expand trade relations between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Alireza made the call at the concluding session of the second Saudi-Yemen Business Council’s joint meeting at the Conference Palace in Jeddah yesterday. “We look optimistically forward to greater growth and development in diverse areas of commerce and industry with Yemen,” Alireza said.
In a statement to Arab News yesterday, the Saudi minister promised governmental support for efforts for the development of trade between the two countries.
Yemeni Minister of Commerce and Industry Yahya Al-Mutawakkil, who attended the meeting, said, “The presence of Yemeni businessmen in the joint meeting is a proof of the interest shown by the Yemeni government in developing business relations with the Kingdom.” Al-Mutawakkil also urged businessmen from both countries to greater initiatives and cooperation in mutual trade and joint investments.
The topics of discussion in the meeting also included the development of several border crossing points between the two countries. The meeting also approved a final study on the ways to develop the Al-Wadeah crossing point, which is a strategic point in the creation of an integrated economic zone between the two countries.
Yahya said Yemen was on the road to joining the Gulf Cooperation Council in the wake of the Muscat GCC summit which paved the way by admitting Yemen to several GCC activities. The visiting minister ruled out the possibility of recent events in Yemen making any impact on the investment climate there.
“Investments in any region in the world are made after feasibility studies about every possible factor that might influence business in that region. Problems can be found anywhere in the world. Mostly the issues in Yemen are passing events which can be handled and resolved by the government.”
Secretary-General of the Council of Saudi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Fahd Al-Sultan said the joint meeting discussed issues such as the obstacles in the way of movement of Saudi goods to Yemen and the plan to develop the Al-Wadeah border crossing. Abdullah Mahfouz, vice chairman of JCCI, said various committees had been set up in the meeting to study the ways to increase the volume of trade between the two countries, the investments and to guarantee protection for Saudi investments in Yemen.
