(MENAFN - Arab News) A visiting Czech business delegation, led by Minister of Agriculture Petr Bendl, yesterday explored with Saudi businessmen means of expanding joint investment projects at Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).
The two sides agreed to remove obstacles facing flow of commodities and ease procedures related to exchange of visits between businessmen of both countries.
The Czech minister reaffirmed that his country seeks to create strong business ties with the Kingdom, particularly in industrial and agricultural sectors. He said a committee has been set up to facilitate visa arrangements for Czech businessmen as a step to increase the volume of trade exchange.
The minister said the location of his country in central Europe gives it several economic and business advantages, including proximity to the European markets. This comes in addition to the development witnessed by his country in the area of downstream industries using high technology.
He stressed the fact that trade exchange between the two countries does not satisfy ambitions sought by both parties, adding that his current visit to the Kingdom was aimed to address this issue.
The minister said Czech businessmen were ready to listen to their Saudi counterparts to know their perceptions of how to develop business relations to reach the desired level of partnership.
RCCI board Chairman Abdulrahman Al-Zamil said the low-level trade exchange between the two countries calls for the introduction of new approaches to upgrade the level of trade exchange to cope with the reality of economies prevailing in the two countries, particularly in light of promising investment opportunities available in the Kingdom and its need for Czech partners in food industries.
Al-Zamil emphasized the need of Saudi markets to help downstream industries, petrochemicals in particular, and referred to the incentives and advantages provided by the Saudi government to investors.
