The Saudi-US Trade and Investment Council meeting today discussed 31 joint initiatives, including 17 proposed by the Saudi side and 14 by the US side, covering a range of economic sectors. The initiatives aim to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries by reviewing trade and investment policies and supporting technical dialogue among relevant authorities.

The meeting was held Tuesday via video conference, chaired by Abdulaziz Al-Sakran, Deputy Governor of the General Authority of Foreign Trade for International Relations and head of the Saudi side, and Bryant Trick, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East and head of the U.S. side. It followed up on the implementation of initiatives approved during the council’s ninth meeting held in Riyadh last January.

5 Main Axes to Boost Trade and Investment

The Saudi-US Trade and Investment Council, overseen by the General Authority of Foreign Trade, focuses on five main objectives: developing trade and investment policies, facilitating trade and addressing technical and regulatory barriers, enhancing cooperation on sanitary and phytosanitary measures and agricultural products.

The council’s priorities also include strengthening intellectual property rights protection, developing digital trade, and supporting innovation and emerging technologies, contributing to expanding the horizons of economic and trade cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Participation of Government Agencies to Support Cooperation

The meeting saw the participation of several Saudi government entities, including the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, the Saudi Ports Authority, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the National Center for E-Learning, the National Center for Passenger Security (affiliated with the Presidency of State Security), and the National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases.

Supporting Saudi Exports

The General Authority of Foreign Trade continues its efforts to develop bilateral trade relations through coordination councils and joint governmental committees, alongside supporting the access of Saudi non-oil exports to foreign markets and addressing challenges they face to enhance trade and investment growth between the two countries.