RITADH, 12 June 2004 — Saudi-British relations cover a broad spectrum of fields, from manpower training to trade and investment, and they have endured all the challenges over the decades.
One of the highlights of these relations was the visit to the Kingdom of the Prince of Wales in March this year to inaugurate a basketball coaching course for the disabled run by the General Presidency of Youth Welfare in Riyadh.
Two British basketball coaches, Paul Hudson and Malcolm Tarkenter, ran the session as part of the sports cooperation program.
Peter Waddell, the BAE Systems manager who directs the coordination of the sports agreement between Saudi Arabia and Britain said, “This visit marks the success of the sports co-operation program, and the importance to which it is seen in Britain as well as within Saudi Arabia. I am delighted and honored that the prince has found time to visit.”
British Ambassador Sherard Cowper-Coles, who was also with the royal delegation, added, “The sports cooperation program Britain has with Saudi Arabia is certainly one of the best in the Middle East. In these times when the differences between Saudi and Britain are often highlighted it is always good to remember that programs such as these continue seamlessly and help to build understanding between the peoples of the countries.”
Cooperation in the area of sports and youth welfare between Saudi Arabia and Great Britain has been taking place ever since 1987. BAE Systems, the defense company, has been operating in the Kingdom for 30 years and has been responsible for helping to coordinate the program since its inception. In the past few years, the program has increased in intensity, with 50 events or more being held annually.
The ongoing sporting activities include friendly matches and training camps, coach education programs, sports medicine initiatives, sports development, administration and organization, recreation and sport for all programs which all invest in the future of sport.
In other areas, Britain has indicated its strong interest in entering the Kingdom’s mobile telecommunications sector, which has been thrown open to overseas investors.
Sir Stephen Brown, chief executive of UK Trade & Investment, told reporters that while the Saudi economic reforms program had generated interest among overseas investors, they would, at the same time, like to see how it is being implemented.
“My message to your government is: Set the right policy framework as it thinks fit; let it be transparent so that everybody can see it; and then implement it consistently. A country may be having excellent laws. But what if they are not implemented?”
During his stay in the capital, Sir Stephen met with Minister of Communications and Information Technology Jameel Mullah and Commerce Minister Dr. Hashim Yamani. He thanked Dr. Yamani for lifting the ban on British dairy products and expressed hope the import of British beef and lamb products would also resume. He invited a delegation from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to inspect their facilities in Britain.
The chief executive visited the Saudi-British Training Institute, one of the 150 Saudi-British joint venture firms operating in the Kingdom. The total value of British investment in the Kingdom stands at $3.5 billion.
During his talks with the deputy governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, he was briefed on the economic reforms program.
As for the mobile telecom sector, he said there was a great deal of interest among some of Britain’s major telecommunication companies, especially as the Saudi government wants to license an overseas mobile telephone company. Britain was among the first countries to deregulate the telecom sector and open it up to foreign competition, he said.
“By encouraging competition, we have driven down cost and improved service,” he said.
During his talks with Dr. Yamani, Sir Stephen commended Saudi Arabia’s efforts in streamlining regulations for entry into the WTO.
“It has been calculated that if we can achieve the right deal, then 300 million poor people will be taken out of the poverty trap. This can be done essentially through trade liberalization.”
The advantages, he pointed out, would be twofold. It would stimulate the world economy and also contribute significantly to improving world security. “There is no doubt that in some countries poverty could breed terrorism, disaffection and political instability. So if we can help these 300 million people out of the poverty trap, it will have a practical benefit.”
Asked about his assessment of the current situation in the Kingdom and whether it would impact negatively on the investment prospects, Brown said investors were here for the long haul and did not seem unduly perturbed over the current security concerns.
