RIYADH, 25 November 2007 — A total of 43 French companies are exhibiting their products and services at the French Technology Exhibition and Conferences at the Four Seasons Hotel here.
The three-day show was jointly inaugurated by Fahd Al-Sultan, secretary general of the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI), and French Ambassador Bertrand Besancenot yesterday.
“The event is a unique opportunity to discover the latest of what the French technology has to offer and it provides a chance for the Saudi businessmen to hold an effective business dialogue with their counterpart,” Al-Sultan said during the inauguration. He pointed out that there are plenty of opportunities for the exhibitors to transfer their technology in the power, communications, transport, water, engineering and IT sectors in the Kingdom. “The high-speed trains will help the Haj and Umrah pilgrims to travel from Makkah to Madinah within an hour and half because of its high velocity,” Sultan noted.
Francois Lacote, senior vice president of Alstom, which specializes in high-speed trains, said that his company is making all arrangements to bid for new railway projects in the Kingdom. He said that his company will be in a position to build high-speed trains for Haj and Umrah pilgrims between Makkah-Madinah which would cut down the travel time by half for those using bus services.
Lacote said that France is the world leader in very-high speed trains. “The latest model which was experimented recently could run at a speed of 578km/h and has a capacity of 500 passenger seats with two decks. “It was a fantastic experience with comfort and ease,” he added. Sultan said that there are 98 joint venture projects between the two countries valued at $ 7.6 billion. French companies have 54.3 percent stake in these ventures, which employ around 20,000 workers in the Kingdom.
Besancenot said that his country offers the best technology in some of the areas exhibited at the show. “This is a good opportunity for Saudi and French businessmen to exchange their experience and pave the way for the partnership to provide the best services to their customers,” he added.
The bilateral trade between France and the Kingdom stood at 6 billion euros. Saudi exports to France were valued at 4 billion euros and its imports from France totaled 2 billion euros.
Schneider Electric, which has been serving in the Kingdom for more than 25 years, had come out with a wide range of convenient solutions in the power sector. Its communication consultant Laurent Belle-Perat said that the company has innovative solutions to make “smart” buildings in power supply.
“The new system which is being introduced in the Kingdom ensures flexibility, comfort, safety security and cost efficiency,” he said. He pointed out that at the touch of a single button, one can activate a whole series of functions such as lights can be dimmed or switched off, room temperature can be adjusted and several other features that can be done from a central switch board.
The show was sponsored by UBIFRANCE, the French agency for international business development, in cooperation with the SCCCI.
