Georgian, Saudi economy ministers discuss "priority areas" in economic ties
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili met Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim. Photo: Ministry of Economy
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Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili and Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim, discussed "priority areas" of economic relations as part of a Georgian Government delegation’s ongoing visit to Saudi Arabia, the Georgian Ministry of Economy announced on Thursday.
The state body said the discussions had involved discussions of ties in trade, tourism, civil aviation, maritime transport, energy, real estate and mining sectors. It also added the Georgian side had raised the issue of establishing a joint economic commission that would contribute to the deepening of bilateral trade and economic relations.
The discussions also involved the start of consultations over a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council.
In the meeting, the two sides reviewed cooperation in the energy sector, with Davitashvili promoting Georgia's renewable energy potential and stressing the importance of the recently signed deal on building a high-voltage underwater transmission grid on Black Sea floor to connect the power transmission lines and systems of Georgia, Romania, Azerbaijan and Hungary and allow the export of green energy to Europe.
The meeting also noted the cooperation in tourism. The Economy Ministry noted Georgia had hosted 117,190 visitors from Saudi Arabia over the first 11 months of 2022, a 100 percent increase over the same period of 2021.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Thursday said the economy of Persian Gulf states had a “great potential" for cooperation with Georgia, in his comments on the ongoing visit of a Georgian Government delegation to Saudi Arabia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday started his official visit to Saudi Arabia, with the country’s officials welcoming the Georgian delegation at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday left for an official visit to Saudi Arabia for a series of “high-level” meetings with officials of the Gulf state, the Government Administration said.
Georgia’s agricultural products have been showcased at the Saudi Agriculture International Trade Exhibition for the first time, the agriculture ministry announced on Thursday.
Georgia and Saudi Arabia have agreed to launch a joint business council to further strengthen their bilateral economic cooperation, while Tbilisi has also pledged support for Riyadh’s candidacy to host the Expo 2030 International Exhibition.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday ended his two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia, the Government Administration said.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Wednesday highlighted the emerging, “comprehensive” cooperation agenda with Saudi Arabia - the “leading economy” in the Persian Gulf and emphasised the importance of developing trade relations with this “largest country with a population of 40 million”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday met Ahmed Al Khateeb, the Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, to discuss cooperation and define future plans.