“There is a lack of financing channels for the exports of SMEs. This has reduced the SMEs’ share in exports as well as the Kingdom’s non-oil exports,” Alsorayai told a press conference.

He estimated the percentage of SME exports at less than 20 percent of the total non-oil exports.

He called for opening special departments at commercial banks to finance exports.

“We hope the Islamic credit institutions to finance exports would contribute to increase the rate of SME exports,” he said.

There are more than 1,600 SMEs that supply competitive products of high quality.

Muhiyuddin Hekami, assistant secretary-general of JCCI, the seminar would discuss all issues related to exports in order to find viable solutions.

“Nonoil industrial exports are vital for the Kingdom’s diversification drive,” he said.

He supported Alsorayai’s proposal to open special departments at banks to finance exports.

“Exporters and industrialists have been demanding for this service for quite a long time,” he added.

Hekami said the establishment of new industrial cities in different parts of the country would boost the industrial sector and create more jobs for Saudis.

Nasser Basahl, head of the working team for exports at the industrial committee, said the seminar would highlight the facilities offered by the government to Saudi exporters.

He called for greater coordination between the related departments and agencies to overcome difficulties facing Saudi exporters.

“The industrial committee has adopted a strategy to meet the requirements of the industrial sector, including training of Saudis to take up important jobs and improving services at industrial cities,” he said.

The Saudi Export Development Center will present a paper at the seminar on how to make use of export financing by the SMEs while the committee will present a paper on problems facing exporters and their solutions.