RIYADH, 1 January 2006 — The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has issued a decision lifting the ban on importing sheep and goat meat of all kinds (fresh, cold, frozen and canned) from Iran. After reviewing the report by a Saudi technical team that visited Iran and reports by the World Organization for Animal Health, the ministry allowed the import from one (Fasarin) slaughterhouse and the Amirabad Factory for cutting, packing and packaging meat.
Makkah Gateway Real Estate Plots Sold
MAKKAH, 1 January 2006 — Owners of the Bawabat (Gateway) Makkah real estate plan succeeded in selling 70 percent of the plots within two hours at an auction on Friday despite the problems caused by individuals claiming ownership of the land. The auction was supposed to take place Thursday but some individuals disrupted it by claiming that the land was their tribe’s and they had a case in the court. Security officials were called in and stopped the auction but allowed it to resume the next day, reported Al-Eqtisadiya newspaper. Most of the buyers were from Riyadh. The prices ranged from SR250 to SR750 per square meter. The partners in the plan, which is located less than 12 kilometers from the Holy Mosque in the direction of Jeddah, bought the remaining 30 percent.
Industry Sector Faces Obstacles
RIYADH, 1 January 2006 — A report by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry shows that there are several obstacles that the industry sector faces, the most notable is lack of support and high price of raw material which led to the suspension of more than 800 factories during the past years. The report indicates that 91 plots in the standing industrial cities need the development and support of its infrastructure and 21 of the standing industrial cities need more services and equipment, according to Al-Watan newspaper. The report also pointed to the need of future industrial cities to 31 million square meters of developed land during the next five years. The ministry had established a supreme committee to prepare a national industrial strategy until the year 2020 which will look at all these issues.
CIT Set to Begin Activities Abroad
RIYADH, 1 January 2006 — The Committee for International Trade (CIT) will begin its 2006 activities abroad with a visit to the United Kingdom with the theme “The Trip of Investment Opportunities”. The purpose is to promote a large Saudi investment package worth SR2.3 billion. Omar Bahlaiwa, secretary general of CIT, said that Saudi Arabia aims at attracting foreign investors especially from Europe, the United States and Japan to implement the investment opportunities in various sectors and in different regions of the Kingdom until 2020.
