JEDDAH, 9 August — Austrian President Dr. Thomas Klestil will visit Saudi Arabia later this year.
The federal head, who will have meetings with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, will be accompanied by ministers and a 50-member trade delegation comprising presidents of various chambers of commerce, manufacturers and businessmen.
The president will visit the Kingdom between Oct. 16 and 18, Austrian Consul Walter Friedl told Arab News.
While Klestil will return home after meeting with King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah in Riyadh, the rest of his delegation will continue their tour of Jeddah and the Eastern Province.
Austria will set up an official stall in the biennial Saudi Health Care and Saudi Hospital 2001 in Jeddah from Sept. 26 to 30.
The country will also set up a national pavilion at the SaudiBuild exhibition in Riyadh from Oct. 7 to 11.
“The country’s participation in these exhibitions is in keeping with its practice of maintaining a strong presence at the Kingdom’s major international events,” Friedl said.
The trade balance between the two countries remains slightly in favor of Austria.
Austrian exports to the Kingdom total $200 million a year, while its imports from the Kingdom are valued at $160 million.
“Aside from Oil and petrochemical products, our imports from the Kingdom include industrial products. Our exports to the Kingdom mainly consist of machinery and transport equipment as well as automobile parts and food items,” Friedl said. “And the trade volume between the two countries is growing annually at the rate of 25 percent.”
Friedl expressed his hope that the upcoming visit by the president and the accompanying trade mission would further boost bilateral trade, especially our exports to the Kingdom in the context of the euro weakening against the dollar.
Meanwhile, Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions, which is organizing the biennial Saudi Health Care event, said the international show will incorporate medical, insurance, dental, pharmaceutical, scientific equipment and labware exhibition and symposium.
“Also, for the first time, the major show will be joining forces with Saudi Hospital, the premier international event for non-medical hospital infrastructure, supplies and furnishings. Holding these two shows under one roof will provide a unique combination which will benefit visitors and exhibitors alike,” an ACE source remarked.
