In a move towards bolstering investments in zero-emissions projects, Saudi Minister of Investment Eng. Khalid Al-Falih announced a collaboration with a Swiss fund aimed at launching financing initiatives in the debt market. This partnership is set to mobilize billions of euros, showcasing Saudi Arabia's commitment to becoming a leading destination for sustainable investment. Al-Falih made this announcement during a Saudi-Swiss round table meeting in Riyadh, where he emphasized the Kingdom's ambition to position itself as a global hub for logistics, finance, and industry.

The meeting, attended by notable figures including Swiss Federal Councillor Guy Bernard Parmelin and Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Eng. Bandar Alkhorayef, also focused on other areas of cooperation. Besides the investment in zero-emissions areas, the collaboration extends to the insurance industry, which is expected to see significant growth in the coming years.

Highlighting the vast potential for infrastructure development, Al-Falih pointed to Saudi Arabia's plans for mega projects, with more than $3.3 trillion earmarked for various sectors including airports, factories, and green energy networks. A substantial portion of this investment, approximately $1.8 trillion, is anticipated to be financed through bids to attract global investors from Switzerland and beyond, ensuring the highest quality standards for these projects.

Al-Falih also underlined the strong economic partnership and deep-rooted bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, which are poised to celebrate a century of cooperation by 2027. With the Kingdom's Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is setting ambitious targets, aiming for an investment volume of $3.3 trillion by 2030.

Eng. Bandar Alkhorayef highlighted the opportunities for future cooperation with Swiss sectors, emphasizing the Kingdom's role as a critical economic bridge linking the Middle East and Africa region with neighboring countries. He outlined Saudi Arabia's strategy to diversify the economy across 12 industrial sectors, categorized into three main groups focusing on national security, maximizing natural resources, and pioneering future industries such as space and renewable energy.

Source: Saudi Gazette

The Swiss foreign direct investment in Egypt reached $1.6 billion, marking an increase of $400 million during the last two years, according to Minister of Investment Sahar Nasr.

Nasr added that the Swiss investments take place in the fields of industry, energy, pharmaceuticals, financial services and food.

The minister also referred to the cooperation between Egypt and Switzerland in implementing development projects at an amount of CHF 330 million (LE 5.7 billion), and in supporting new projects which focus on economic sustainable growth and creating job opportunities through the cooperation strategy until2020 at CHF 86 million (LE 1.5 billion).

She elaborated that Egypt is not only the gate of Switzerland to Africa but also to the Middle East, expressing Egypt’s aspiration to cooperate with Switzerland in Africa, in light of Egypt's Presidency of the African Union during the current year.

This came during the celebration of 110 years of economic and trade relationships between Egypt and Switzerland, in the presence of Egypt’s minister of investment and Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, who is currently visiting Egypt and Swiss Ambassador to Egypt Paul Garnier.

For his part, Cassis pointed out to the importance of enhancing the economic relations and increasing mutual investments and projects between both countries, affirming that Egypt is the gate of Swiss investments to African markets.

He also referred to the cooperation between both countries in the fields of education, industry and transportation, stressing his country’s keenness on the human element especially in the education field.

Cassis noted that this event comes in conjunction with the celebration of 110 years of Egyptian-Swiss economic relationships.

source: Egypttoday