Lee Yi Shyan, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development, met with Abdulrahman Al-Zamil, chairman of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), and other officials at the RCCI headquarters in Riyadh.

Senior Minister Lee was also scheduled to meet with Trade and Industry Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah and other officials. He had earlier called on Riyadh Gov. Prince Khalid bin Bandar.

On Monday night, businessman Sheikh Abdullah Al-Meleihi, chairman of the Saudi-Singapore Business Council, also played host to Lee and his delegation at his farm outside Riyadh.

Speaking at the event, Lee said he and his 15-member delegation were in the Kingdom on an official visit to promote bilateral trade between the two countries.

The delegation comprises business representatives from the various sectors such as Infocomm Technology (ICT), water solutions, power and utilities, confectionery products, construction equipment, office and home furnishings, investment and asset management, and venture capital financing.

“About 100 local businessmen are expected to attend each of the forums organized in Riyadh and Jeddah,” he said, adding that from Jeddah, the delegation will proceed to Muscat in Oman.

He said Saudi Arabia was Singapore’s second largest trading partner in the Middle East and 14th largest trading partner in the world in 2013 with S$17.6 billion.

The delegation members also held one-on-one meetings with Saudi counterparts and company representatives interested in their products and services.

Trade has increased 37.5 percent over the past five years and Saudi Arabia is Singapore’s 2nd largest source of crude oil.

While in Ruyadh, Lee also co-chaired the first meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (GSFTA) Outreach Forum with Dr. Hamad Al-Bazai, coordinator general of GCCFA Negotiations, GCC Secretariat.