RIYADH: Abdulrahman Al-Zamil, chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC) and the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) signed a cooperation agreement with the chairman of international section for Africa and Middle East at the Mexican Council for Foreign Trade, Investment, and Technology (COMCE). The deal aims to further promote the business and trade ties between the business sectors of both the Kingdom and Mexico.

The signing took place at the presence of the Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto who visited the CSC before meeting Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman during his recent visit to the Kingdom.

Nieto staid he was highly pleased to visit the Kingdom and meet King Salman, top government officials and Saudi businessmen for taking the bilateral ties to a new level.

"I am very happy to visit Saudi Arabia after four decades of my predecessor President Luis Echaverria’s visit to the country in 1975," Nieto said while addressing a large business forum for Saudi and Mexican business leaders held at the CSC headquarters.

President Nieto highlighted his country’s economic advantages with a view to encouraging Saudi businessmen to invest in his country.

"Mexico is a global exporting platform that enjoys excellent geographical location as it is situated between North and South America. It has a large biological diversity along with growing logistic infrastructure. Its economy is stable and has highly dependable institutions," he said.

"There are many fields that we can cooperate for mutual benefits. In light of energy sector reform in my county, for example, we need Saudi expertise in laying infrastructure and providing services so we can better benefit from our large energy resources," he pointed out.

Nieto mentioned that Saudis can benefit from investing in Mexican products like coffee, fruits, vegetables, halal meat, and vehicles, in addition to other goods of high added quality and value.

He noted that Saudis can also benefit from tourism and leisure activities in his county. Some 5,000 Saudi tourists enjoyed the Mexican hospitality in 2015.

Welcoming Nieto's visit to the CSC, Al-Zamil thanked him for bringing a large delegation to the Kingdom.

Al-Zamil called on businessmen of the two countries to work closely and help establish a joint Saudi-Mexican Business Council.