JEDDAH: Since last year, there has been acceleration in the relations between Saudi Arabia and Sweden.
“This follows the exchange of high-profile visits that took place between the two countries,” Swedish Ambassador Jan Thesleff told Arab News on the sidelines of the Swedish National Day celebration hosted by Sweden’s Honorary Consul Ghassan Al-Sulaiman here on Wednesday.
Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman’s visit to Sweden was followed by the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf’s visit to the Kingdom in 2008. This year, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt visited the Kingdom.
This was followed by the visit of a Swedish health care delegation to Riyadh last month, which held a meeting with Minister of Health Abdullah Al-Rabeeah. “We have invited Health Minister Al-Rabeeah to visit Sweden,” the Swedish Ambassador said.
Prince Turki Al-Faisal will visit Sweden and speak at the Institute for International Studies in Stockholm this month. He will in connection with this event also be received by the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
The Ambassador said expansion of bilateral cooperation in education and research is among his country’s priority areas.
“In this connection, we have already signed memorandums of understanding with King Saud University and other institutions in the Kingdom. We welcome Saudi students as we are now covered by the King Abdullah Scholarship Program of the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques.”
On the trade front, there was a 22 percent jump last year. Swedish exports to the Kingdom totaled 1 billion euros, while its imports from the Kingdom grossed 200 million euros, mostly minerals.
Several medical and environmental companies are interested in promoting business in the Kingdom. One of them, Stockholm-based ENVAC is involved in waste handling.
Aside from the furniture giant Ikea, which is represented locally by Ghassan Al-Sulaiman, fashion retailers including H&M and Lindex from Sweden have their strong presence in the Saudi market.
