150 Belgian firms to join Saudi trade talks

Belgium is expected to send its largest-ever business delegation to Riyadh, Jubail and Jeddah from Saturday to Tuesday.
“This is a very important mission in our bilateral relations and is the largest economic mission we have ever organized in the Kingdom,” Belgium Ambassador Marc Vinck told a press conference.
Princess Astrid, representing the Belgian king, will lead the delegation comprising three ministers and more than 350 executives from 150 major firms.
This is Belgium’s eighth business mission in 40 years.
They will offer Saudi Arabia strategic partnerships in health care, infrastructure, energy and the information technology sectors, in line with the Kingdom’s plan to diversify its economy.
Vinck said Belgium opened its mission and embassy in Jeddah in 1955 after recognizing the country in 1935.
“Since then, we have exchanged numerous high level visits.”
“I would like to underline that Belgium has always supported economic development in the Kingdom and its efforts to diversify its economy,” he said.
He said 16 partnership agreements would be concluded during this trip in various sectors.
The Belgian delegation includes Didier Reynders, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs; Jean-Claude Marcourt, vice president and minister of economy, and minister of higher education of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation; and Celine Fremault, minister of economy, employment, scientific research, trade and foreign trade for the Brussels-Capital Region.
Marc Bogaerts, director of the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency, said several meetings would take place with Saudi government officials and private sector executives.
He said the mission kicks off in Riyadh with Princess Astrid visiting the National Museum, where she would be briefed on the Saudi-Belgian archaeological project in Al-Ghat.
On March 16, Princess Astrid will hold a working breakfast with Mohamed Al-Mady, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation. A working session will follow with Abdullah Al-Muqbel, mayor of Riyadh.
An opening session “Saudi Arabia at a Glance” will be held at the Council of Saudi Chambers after which the AGFA Healthcare Saudi Arabia office will be opened. They will also visit the King Abdullah Financial District.
Princess Astrid will meet Abdulrahman Al-Zamil at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where business-to-business talks will take place, followed by a workshop on nuclear energy and technologies.