JEDDAH: A 12-member trade mission from Canada’s province of Quebec is on a visit to Saudi Arabia studying the prospects for greater economic ties. “We are here to explore the Saudi market for expanding our trade volume and also for scouting and identifying the sectors for new investment,” Francois Bouilhac, assistant deputy minister at the Quebec Ministry of Development, Innovation and Export, told Arab News. He was speaking at a meeting hosted by Mohamed Attar, honorary consul of Canada, on Saturday.
Quebec’s exports to the Kingdom have gone up by 200 percent between 2004 and 2008. “Our exports range from $600 to $700 million a year, and the trade balance remains in favor of Quebec,” he said. Quebec’s exports to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states were $640 million in 2007 and increased to $746 million in 2008. These form 20 to 30 percent of Canada’s overall exports to the GCC, he added.
The mission is scheduled to meet the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Sunday and spend the next two days in Riyadh. It comprises companies specializing in water treatment, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, and infrastructure development. “In fact, some of the companies represented in the mission already have their presence in the Kingdom, but they together with the others are here to identify new investment areas.”