Saudi- German trade delegation leaves after five-day visit 

(MENAFN - Arab News) A German delegation comprising 17 companies from Baden Wuerttemberg and headed by Hartmut Reichl, director general at the German Ministry of Finance and Economics, left the Kingdom Tuesday after visiting Riyadh and the Eastern Province to promote their products and boost bilateral trade relations.

Reichl said the delegation arrived in Riyadh last Friday and met the following day with officials of the Council of Saudi Engineers headed by Suliman Al-Mamoud and Dr. Mohamed Al-Affendi, dean at Prince Sultan University, to discuss issues of mutual interest.

"Germany enjoys an excellent reputation as a successful export nation. The federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg is proud of its role as a major contributor to this success story. During the past year, companies in Baden Wuerttemberg achieved record exports of 172 billion euros," Reich told Arab News.

He added that during the past 12 years, the Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg had been the biggest exporter to Saudi Arabia among the German federal states.

He said that globally, recognized companies in Saudi Arabia such as Daimler, Porche, Bosch, Zeiss and SAP determine "the status of our economy and our success with regards to exports as well as numerous small and medium-sized companies."

"Their ideas and innovations make a decisive contribution to the international competitiveness of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Nowhere else in Europe do companies invest more in research and the development of innovative products than in Baden-Wuerttemberg.

In addition, nowhere else is it possible to find so many active cluster initiatives and industry-specific networks, which additionally boost the innovative strength of the companies in the state," he said.

On Sunday, the delegation met with Tariq Assaloum of the Saudi Industrial Cluster Program. The delegation then proceeded to the Eastern Province and held talks on Monday with businessmen at the Sofitel Hotel as well as officials from the Asharquia Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Dammam.

"The trade delegation's visit certainly boosts the bilateral trade ties between Saudi Arabia and the Federal State of Baden Wuerttemberg," Benjamin Godel, deputy delegate for German economy in Saudi Arabia, told Arab News.

He added that the companies comprising the delegation promoted products in industrial IT solutions, industrial spare parts, concepts for industrial application and plant building and automotive mobility.

He added that Baden Wuerttemberg had been the biggest exporter to Saudi Arabia among the German federal states for the last 12 years.

Godel expressed hope that trade visits between the Kingdom and Germany be further intensified.