The Saudi Malaysia Business Council aims to help raise trade between the two countries to SR50 billion within the next five years, according to its chairman Mansour Al-Fuqairi.
The value of trade between the two countries is around SR15 billion but the current level does not “meet our ambition,” said Al-Fuqairi, who was interviewed by the Okas Arabic newspaper.
The council plans to establish a center in Malaysia to accommodate the kingdom’s date exports. The center will reportedly be the largest in the world of its kind.
“Our strategy in the council is to increase Saudi exports to east-Asian countries in general and Malaysia in particular, in addition to attracting Malaysian factories to open in the Kingdom,” Al-Fuqairi is reported as saying.
The Saudi side is also cooperating with the Islamic University in Malaysia to send young Saudis to benefit from the Malaysian expertise in work and development, as well as attracting Malaysian professionals to work in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia can largely benefit from the Malaysian expertise in the field of small and medium businesses and in training and development in different fields, said Al-Fuqairi.
Malaysia is a country that is attractive to investments because of several reasons including its security and economic power, he added.
The council also intends to attract different Malaysian industries to open factories in the Kingdom including car, airplane and engine manufacturers, as well as transferring knowledge of saline-water desalination and transportation, he said.
“Establishing an Arabic TV channel in Malaysia is sought, but it is still an idea and requires more study and work,” said Al-Fuqairi.
Malaysian investors in the field of health have the desire to enter the Saudi market through establishing research centers and operating and maintaining hospitals “and we have started communicating with our Malaysian brothers in this regard,” he said.
Business council targets Saudi-Malaysian trade worth SR50 billion
Business council targets Saudi-Malaysian trade worth SR50 billion
First EU–Saudi roundtable on critical raw materials reflects shared policy commitment
RIYADH: The EU–Saudi Arabia Business and Investment Dialogue on Advancing Critical Raw Materials Value Chains, held in Riyadh as part of the Future Minerals Forum, brought together senior policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to advance strategic cooperation across critical raw materials value chains.
Organized under a Team Europe approach by the EU–GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project, in coordination with the EU Delegation to Saudi Arabia, the European Chamber of Commerce in the Kingdom and in close cooperation with FMF, the dialogue provided a high-level platform to explore European actions under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and ResourceEU alongside the Kingdom’s aspirations for minerals, industrial, and investment priorities.
This is in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and broader regional ambitions across the GCC, MENA, and Africa.
ResourceEU is the EU’s new strategic action plan, launched in late 2025, to secure a reliable supply of critical raw materials like lithium, rare earths, and cobalt, reducing dependency on single suppliers, such as China, by boosting domestic extraction, processing, recycling, stockpiling, and strategic partnerships with resource-rich nations.
The first ever EU–Saudi roundtable on critical raw materials was opened by the bloc’s Ambassador to the Kingdom, Christophe Farnaud, together with Saudi Deputy Minister for Mining Development Turki Al-Babtain, turning policy alignment into concrete cooperation.
Farnaud underlined the central role of international cooperation in the implementation of the EU’s critical raw materials policy framework.
“As the European Union advances the implementation of its Critical Raw Materials policy, international cooperation is indispensable to building secure, diversified, and sustainable value chains. Saudi Arabia is a key partner in this effort. This dialogue reflects our shared commitment to translate policy alignment into concrete business and investment cooperation that supports the green and digital transitions,” said the ambassador.
Discussions focused on strengthening resilient, diversified, and responsible CRM supply chains that are essential to the green and digital transitions.
Participants explored concrete opportunities for EU–Saudi cooperation across the full value chain, including exploration, mining, and processing and refining, as well as recycling, downstream manufacturing, and the mobilization of private investment and sustainable finance, underpinned by high environmental, social, and governance standards.
From the Saudi side, the dialogue was framed as a key contribution to the Kingdom’s industrial transformation and long-term economic diversification agenda under Vision 2030, with a strong focus on responsible resource development and global market integration.
“Developing globally competitive mineral hubs and sustainable value chains is a central pillar of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s industrial transformation. Our engagement with the European Union through this dialogue to strengthen upstream and downstream integration, attract high-quality investment, and advance responsible mining and processing. Enhanced cooperation with the EU, capitalizing on the demand dynamics of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act, will be key to delivering long-term value for both sides,” said Al-Babtain.
Valere Moutarlier, deputy director-general for European industry decarbonization, and directorate-general for the internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs at European Commission, said the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and ResourceEU provided a clear framework to strengthen Europe’s resilience while deepening its cooperation with international partners.
“Cooperation with Saudi Arabia is essential to advancing secure, sustainable, and diversified critical raw materials value chains. Dialogues such as this play a key role in translating policy ambitions into concrete industrial and investment cooperation,” she added.
