INTERVIEW: French minister affirms France’s dedication to extend, diversify investments in Saudi financial system
PARIS: Arab Information en Français met with Minister for Overseas Commerce, Attractiveness and French Nationals Overseas Olivier Becht on the eve of his first go to to Saudi Arabia to debate his program, which is able to strengthen Saudi-French financial and business ties.
“This yr, we celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the very first Franco-Saudi archaeological mission launched in Hegra underneath the supervision of archaeologist Laila Nehme. This cooperation has, since then, flourished, and now we’ve greater than 15 Franco-Saudi archaeological missions, 11 of that are nonetheless being explored right now,” stated Becht.
He highlighted that the signing of the intergovernmental settlement for the event of AlUla on April 10, 2018 was an actual enhance to cooperation within the area of archeology and heritage conservation.
Our firms acknowledge the financial attractiveness of the Kingdom, and I’m certain that in 2023 a lot of them will take the leap and settle there.
Olivier Becht, Minister for Overseas Commerce, Attractiveness and French Nationals Overseas
“As illustrated within the case of AlUla, archaeological cooperation is a primary pillar of our bilateral relationship, and it paves the way in which for a lot of partnerships within the fields of tourism, tradition, analysis and coaching,” he stated.
“The principle aim of my go to is to strengthen our financial and business partnerships, (in addition to cooperation) within the well being sector. I’m delighted {that a} robust delegation of firms from the sector, led by the Well being Care Affiliation, is accompanying me on this go to,” stated Becht.
“Our firms acknowledge the financial attractiveness of the Kingdom, and I’m certain that in 2023 a lot of them will take the leap and settle there,” he added.
Throughout his first go to to Saudi Arabia, the minister could have the chance to satisfy Saudi Minister of Funding Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Commerce and Media Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi and Minister of Trade and Mineral Assets Bandar Ibrahim Al-Khorayef.
“We are going to primarily talk about methods to strengthen our financial partnership within the well being sector, but additionally in all the opposite strategic sectors,” stated Becht, stressing that his hope is to make the discussions as fruitful as doable.
“French firms are dedicated to rising and diversifying their investments within the Saudi financial system, according to the priorities of the Kingdom’s Imaginative and prescient 2030, notably in renewable energies, hydrogen, water, the surroundings, the digital financial system, the good metropolis and, in fact, tourism providers and infrastructure,” he stated.
“A number of partnerships between French startups and Saudi firms and buyers have been established within the latest years…particularly the delegation of startups led by Technology 2030, over the past Future Funding Initiative in 2022 in Riyadh,” Becht stated.
The minister added that France is able to use its experience in lots of high-tech and digital fields — together with good cities, cybersecurity and synthetic intelligence — to develop new financial partnerships with the Kingdom.
“On this context, we’re happy to welcome a delegation of Saudi startups and buyers, led by the Ministry of Funding, to tour the French tech ecosystem (equivalent to Station F, Saclay and Toulouse) in early 2023 and strengthen the ties between each international locations on this area,” he stated.
The Kingdom launched a number of tasks in 2022, together with The Line in NEOM, thought-about one of many largest tasks on this planet. Becht instructed Arab Information en Français that French firms are absolutely dedicated to taking part within the giga-projects of Saudi Arabia’s financial diversification plan.
“A number of French firms are already taking part within the improvement of NEOM, notably within the transport and infrastructure sectors. Many different sectors maintain alternatives for our firms: info and communication applied sciences, vitality and sustainable improvement, development, engineering consultancy, tourism and safety,” Becht stated.
The French minister’s go to, which begins on Monday, Dec. 19 and extends over a number of days, is just not restricted to Riyadh. He additionally expressed his intention to go to AlUla to find the area and the richness of its archeological websites, notably from the Nabataean, Dadanite and Lihyanite eras.
“This go to can even present us with the chance to reiterate the complete dedication of the French authorities to help the event of AlUla on every of the next points: tradition, archaeology, tourism, agriculture and vitality,” he stated, including that the French Company for the Improvement of AlUla “works day by day” with the Royal Fee for AlUla to this finish.
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