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RIYADH: Space exploration involving Saudi Arabia and the US will strengthen thanks to a new agreement aimed at advancing discovery methods.
Amid the visit made by Minister of Communications and Information Technology and Chairman of the Saudi Space Agency Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha to the North American country, both nations agreed to further stimulate commercial opportunities as well as exploratory missions related to space, according to a joint statement.
This move falls in line with the collaborative efforts between nations to push advancements within the sector. It also aligns well with recent partnerships formed in various fields and industries.
Moreover, this step is projected to enhance research and development activities, accelerate the growth of space-related technologies, and ensure the sustainability of the sector as a whole.
The new partnership will also help develop talents and qualified national cadres by exchanging and transferring experiences between the two sides.
Under the terms of the collaboration, both parties will work hand in hand to foster the development of aerospace industries, thereby boosting trade opportunities.
In addition, the Kingdom and the US have disclosed mulling several framework agreements to help expand collaboration in the space sector.
In terms of future cooperation prospects, the two countries are investigating new horizons for joint activities in space and earth sciences and space missions.
During the same visit, Al-Swaha met with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to expand bilateral cooperation in digital innovation and technology.
In May 2022, Saudi Arabia and the US were in talks to boost trade cooperation in the digital economy and innovation fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported at the time.
During that time, Al-Swaha met with US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and briefed him regarding the steps taken by the Kingdom to support digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
Backed by a resilient digital infrastructure, stimulating legislation, and a large market size, the information technology market in the Kingdom exceeded $40 billion at that time.
During the meeting, both parties discussed joint efforts to promote trade, investment, and economic exchange in the telecommunications, information technology, and innovation sectors.
At that time, the two nations also discussed how to benefit from the commercial opportunities offered by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.