RIYADH: US aircraft giant Boeing hosted a conference of aerospace suppliers in Riyadh on Monday. Seven Saudi and 16 US companies were represented at the event which was intended to introduce the US companies to Saudi aerospace companies and identify areas of potential industrial cooperation and future development.
“Boeing is excited about promoting aerospace cooperation between US and Saudi companies,” said Ahmed Jazzar, president of Boeing Saudi Arabia. “Continued advances in Saudi industrial capability not only spur development in Saudi Arabia but opens new avenues for the US industrial base.”
While the conference introduced interested US companies with counterparts in Saudi Arabia with the objective of exploring areas of cooperation and future work, the meetings helped familiarize US companies with their Saudi counterparts and Saudi Arabia’s goals of “Saudization” in the fledgling aerospace industry. Hopes were high among the participants that the conference could lead to major endeavors between Saudi and US companies that might result in job growth and technological development in both countries.
“Saudi companies want to be a major force in the global aerospace industry,” Mohammed Fallatah, president and CEO of Alsalam Aircraft Co. said. “A forum like this fosters constructive dialogue on issues like technology transfer and emerging market opportunities.”