RIYADH, 8 March 2005 — The Kingdom has announced plans to set up 24 new industrial cities as part of a long-term vision to diversify its industrial base, improve the quality of products, promote investment and strengthen industrial technology. Saleh Ibn Eid Al-Husseini, deputy minister for industrial affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, unveiled these plans for industrial growth, while inaugurating an industrial exhibition here on Sunday evening.
After inaugurating the international exhibition featuring printing, packaging, plastics and petrochem technology, Al-Husseini said that the new cities will further boost the country’s industrial growth. The new industrial estates will offer integrated facilities equipped with all public utilities. The deputy minister said that the low tariffs realized at Saudi ports and the simplified procedure for starting industrial and trading operations in the Kingdom will eventually give major boost to the local economy.
“Moreover, the Saudi government has also created a new apex agency called Saudi Industrial Cities and Technology Park to address the issues related to industrial infrastructure and technology”, he noted. Referring to the expo titled “Saudi Print, Pack, Plas and Petrochem 2005”, he expressed happiness over the participation of some 350 local and international companies. He said that such participation reflects businessmen’s confidence in Saudi Arabia.
Major local participating companies include Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Clearpack Pte Ltd., Al-Omran Industrial Group, Al Sharq Plastic Industries, Al Watania Plastics and Obeikan Graphic Center. This is in addition to the participation of a number of companies from the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Jordan, Bahrain, South Korea, Lebanon, Singapore, Syria, Turkey, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates. In all, 20 countries are represented in this international exhibition with their pavilions, which are open to visitors from 4 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. daily.
Referring to the comprehensive industrial strategy adopted by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Al-Husseini said that “we are also working to streamline the customs procedure to facilitate exports and imports of industrial goods”. He pointed out that the existing 14 industrial estates across the Kingdom including industrial cities of Jubail and Yanbu have more than 3,700 industrial units”. “The total investment in these units stands at SR270 billion today compared to SR36 billion in 1975”, said the minister.
He, however, reiterated that there is still a need for making the non-oil sector more productive in terms of its income and manpower employment potential.