Argentina arranging visit of high-level official delegation

Jaime Sergio Cerda

RIYADH: A high-level Argentinian delegation’s visit to the Kingdom is being arranged with Saudi authorities to explain the Latin American country’s new policies.
The delegation will hold talks with various Saudi authorities and organizations such as the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
“We’re also currently holding talks with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD),” said Argentina’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Jaime Sergio Cerda.
Cerda made the statement in the run-up to the celebration of the 200th Independence Day anniversary of Argentina on Sept. 29.
The country’s Independence Day falls on July 9 but is being celebrated on Thursday because many Saudi officials and diplomats will not be present in the Saudi capital on that date.
Cerda said that if and when the visit materializes, it would be the first high-level delegation to visit the Kingdom since President Mauricio Macri assumed the presidency last December.
Macri, who was sworn into office on Dec. 10, 2015, is focused on bolstering the country’s economic growth.
“We’re looking forward to the visit, which would define our support for the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan,” the Argentinian envoy said.
He added that the visit heralds a strengthening bilateral ties between Argentina and Saudi Arabia, adding that last week, Prof. Dr. Abdulkarim bin Hamoud Al-Dakhil , director of the Saudi Institute of Diplomatic Studies, visited Argentina.
“He was in Argentina for three days to implement the bilateral cooperation program between the two countries at the invitation of the Argentinian government,” Cerda said.
He said that one aspect of the bilateral ties “that we have to work on is trade.”
“Of the total bilateral trade volume of $1 billion between the two countries, Argentina’s share is 90 percent,” Cerda said.
He added that Argentina will work to increase the volume of Saudi exports to Buenos Aires during the remaining years of his stint in the Kingdom.
Argentina’s exports to the Kingdom include foods such as chicken, corn, vegetables and fruits, while Saudi Arabia exports petrochemical products, including plastic, to the Latin American country.
He expressed his thanks to the Saudi leadership, headed by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, for the support to the embassy and his country.