Saudi Arabia-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission Joint Communiqué

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ninth meeting of the Saudi Arabia-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) was held in Canberra on the 22nd of  March 2013 [10 Jumada Al-Ula 1434H]. The Commission was co-chaired by the Saudi Minister for Agriculture, His Excellency Dr Fahd Abdurahman Balghunaim and the Australian Minister for Trade and Competitiveness, Dr Craig Emerson. Dr Balghunaim also held discussions with his Australian counterpart, Senator Joe Ludwig, on agriculture issues on the 21st of March.

The Saudi delegation headed by Minister of Agriculture Dr. Fahd Balghunaim arrived Perth Airport in Western Australia was received by Saudi Charge D’affaires to Australia and New Zealand Reda bin Abdulmohsen Al-Nuzha.
The Kingdom’s delegation includes Director General of Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization Eng. Walid Al-Khuraiji, Undersecretary of Ministry of Culture and Information for Foreign Information Dr. Abdulaziz bin Saleh bin Salama, The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture for Fisheries Affairs Eng. Jaber Bin Mohammed Al-Shihri, Undersecretary Assistants of the Ministry of Agriculture for livestock affairs Dr Khaled Bin Mohammed Alfheed and a number of representatives of the ministries, governmental institutions, and businessmen.

Dr Emerson and Dr Balghunaim welcomed the friendly relations between Australia and Saudi Arabia, underpinned by substantial and long-standing economic relations. The JMC meeting, the first held since 2006, presented an important opportunity for discussions on re-invigorating and expanding trade, investment and commercial ties, including in agriculture, manufactures, education, energy and resources.

Ministers highlighted the importance of the private sector to expansion of the economic relationship. They welcomed the signing at the JMC meeting of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Australia-Saudi Business Council and the Council of Saudi Chambers establishing the Saudi-Australia Joint Business Council. Ministers noted also the opportunity presented by the JMC for business-to-business engagement.

The JMC meeting was supported by four officials-level working group meetings held on 21 March and covering: trade and investment; agriculture and food security; education and training; and energy and resources.

Picture (left): A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Chairman, Tom Harley and Mr Samir Gabbani, on behalf of Mr Abdullah Al-Mobty, Chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers and witnessed by the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness Dr Craig Emerson and the Saudi Minister for Agriculture the Hon Dr Fahd bin Abdurahman Balghunaim, in Canberra 

For more pictures from the official visit Click Here

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