27/01/2015 06:48 AST
Plans are under way to set up open markets with selected countries to export Saudi products, according to Commerce and Industry Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah.
He was speaking at the inaugural session of the GCF 2015 on "Competitive governments and Saudi Arabia: Gateway to the world" at the Four Seasons Hotel here on Monday. It was organized by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and attended by more than 1,500 invitees.
The others who were in the panel discussion included Abdulrahman A. Al-Barrak, minister of civil service, Nika Gilauri, former prime minister of Georgia and executive director of JSC Partnership Fund, Abdulrahman Al-Jadhai, CEO of Elm, Boris Ruge, ambassador of Germany, and British Labor Party politician and International Think Tank Policy Network President Lord Peter Mandelson, the coordinator.
Al-Rabiah stated that the Kingdom is currently holding discussions with various friendly countries for marketing its products and receiving their products to the local market. The Kingdom has conducted 13 international trade shows in those countries to highlight the quality of Saudi products, which can be sold at competitive prices, he added.
The Kingdom has given a major role for the private sector in the development of infrastructure projects in the country. “Mega projects such as the Riyadh Metro, economic cities, construction of health care facilities, developing desalination plants, organizing hydro projects, building of colleges and universities have been assigned through local companies,” Al-Rabiah said. This has given way for closer cooperation between the private and public sectors in the Kingdom, he added.
Regarding the decline in oil prices, the minister said that the Kingdom has wisely diversified its economy to face new challenges.
Stressing the importance of improving competitiveness among the government sectors, Al-Rabiah said his ministry is in the process of shifting to the electronic system and there will be less use of paper in its various operations.
Outlining the importance of public and private sector participation in national development, Al-Barrak said the citizens are partners in the public service. Partnership between the private and public sectors will go a long way to reach national goals, and in keeping the global changes, the country has to meet new challenges in the field of competitiveness, he added.
In the race of competitiveness, he said, accountability, efficiency and survival of the fittest become imperative in the civil service.
Al-Jadhai said his company's cooperation between the Ministry of Labor and the Human Resources Fund is a clear example of competitiveness and making use of modern technology for the nation's development.
To carry out businesses successfully, Nika Gilauri pointed out that one needs to create conducive climate for business development. “Georgia was able to establish a good business system within a short period because of the setting up of the right environment for its businesses.
He said that according to his country's regulation an application for approval from the public sector is deemed to have been given to the applicants in the absence of a reply from the issuing authority.
This year the GCF 2015 focused on the country’s priority investment sectors and major development projects, including Jeddah’s Burj Al Arab and the Kingdom’s economic cities. It also included the Invest in Saudi Arabia exhibition.
Only event of its kind, the GCF is an annual meeting of global business leaders, international political leaders, and selected intellectuals and journalists brought together to create a dialogue with respect to the positive impact organizational and national competitiveness can have on local, regional and global economic and social development.
Arab News
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