Sharon T. Freeman, an expert in small business enterprises and author of several books on a variety of subjects including export and import, also praised the Saudi economy, saying the Kingdom has done well by building infrastructure and investing heavily in human resource development.

This, according to her, was unlike other oil-based economies in Africa that failed to use their income wisely.

Talking to Arab News on Wednesday, Freeman said she saw good prospects for small enterprises in Saudi Arabia because young men and women were very enthusiastic and keen to learn about the various aspects of business.

"Besides, their level of English language was excellent. It is the lingua franca and helps in doing business with the outside world," she said.

Freeman is in the Kingdom as part of the US government's public diplomacy program. Before coming to Jeddah she visited Dammam and Riyadh and held meetings with business people.

She was especially pleased to have exclusive meetings with women entrepreneurs in Dammam. She said she found the Saudi women totally different from many veiled women in the United States.

"They (the Saudi women) strictly follow their customs and religion but at the same time they are forward-looking and have desire to learn about new things."

Freeman visited the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) earlier in the day and interacted with men and women involved in small businesses.

She spoke on franchising, small business plans, patents of small companies, business in the US and its relationship to American companies and e-commerce.