RIYADH: Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Monday called on Saudi businessmen to partner with their Iraqi counterparts to take advantage of the huge investment opportunities in Iraq.
A senior corporate communications official from the Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC) told Arab News on Tuesday that the Iraqi minister made the statement at the Saudi-Iraqi Business Council meeting held at CSC headquarters on Monday.
Al-Sudani led an Iraqi delegation comprising experts in the fields of industry, minerals, and electricity.
He praised Saudi Arabia’s private sector for its success in building strategic partnerships with major international companies, and for its use of advanced technology, which helped produce high-quality goods.
“The Iraqi market of 37 million people is in need of Saudi goods and products,” Al-Sudani said, adding that his visits to a number of Saudi factories had reinforced his belief that they manufacture “the finest types of products.”
He also urged both parties to facilitate the smooth flow of Saudi goods into Iraq.
CSC Chairman Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi noted that the Kingdom and Iraq are linked not just by common interests, but also by “brotherhood, blood, history and culture.”
He expressed his hope that the meeting would produce practical ways to “facilitate investment, exploit the industrial and mining opportunities available in both countries, and remove obstacles facing businessmen in this regard.”
Saudi Arabian Business Council Chairman Mohammed Al-Khorayef also spoke at the meeting, discussing the achievements of the Saudi-Iraq Business Council since its establishment in November and also presenting a working paper called “Saudi Industry: The Best Choice for Iraq.”