French Minister of Industry Arnaud Montebourg said his two-day visit to Riyadh and the talks with Saudi officials on the peaceful use of nuclear energy have been fruitful.
France called for the establishment of a joint investment fund with the Kingdom to achieve industrial projects and exchange of technology.
The minister had aimed to enhance cooperation in the fields of domestic nuclear industry.
The volume of French trade exchange with the Kingdom in 2011 amounted to SR 43 billion. The value of Saudi exports to France reached SR 25 billion, and the value of Saudi imports was SR 18 billion.
He also said that his visit to the Kingdom would be followed by the visit of French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.
In 2011, an agreement between France and Saudi Arabia was signed to offer atomic know-how and training for local staff in the Kingdom.
Montebourg announced that during his visit, a $ 400 million (SR 1,500 million) contract was signed with the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat) to launch the sixth generation satellite.
The new satellite Badr-7 will be co-located at Arabsat’s exclusive Hot Spot 26°E with Arabsat’s other Badr satellites. Badr-7 will provide large satellite capacities for television broadcasting, telecommunications and information exchange services.
The consortium of Astrium and Thales Alenia Space will manufacture Badr-7. Arianespace will launch the satellite. The new satellite will cover the Middle East, Africa, Asia and parts of Europe.
Saudi Arabia is considering building 17 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2032, says King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-CARE) on its website.
“Saudi Arabia will only deploy the most advanced and thoroughly tested technologies, paying maximum attention to safety, security and safeguards of the highest international standards,” KA-CARE said on its website.
Nuclear talks with French ‘fruitful’
Nuclear talks with French ‘fruitful’
KSrelief’s efforts alleviate suffering worldwide
- Among the Kingdom’s most notable humanitarian achievements is the Saudi Separation of Conjoined Twins Program, launched in 1990, which has gained regional and international recognition for its excellence
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia continues to consolidate its leading role in international humanitarian work, embodying the values of generosity and human solidarity through wide-ranging relief efforts across the globe.
Since its inception, the Kingdom has provided more than $142 billion in humanitarian, development, and charitable assistance and implemented 8,457 projects in 173 countries worldwide.
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center was established in 2015, with the aim to boost transparency, impartiality, and professionalism.
Its work extends beyond the provision of emergency assistance to include empowering affected communities and enhancing their capacity to recover from crises, reflecting the Kingdom’s enduring commitment to sustainable humanitarian impact.
Among the Kingdom’s most notable humanitarian achievements is the Saudi Separation of Conjoined Twins Program, launched in 1990, which has gained regional and international recognition for its excellence.
