Saudi Deputy Commerce Minister Meets with South African Business Leaders

On the second day of a working visit to South Africa, a Saudi delegation led by Deputy Minister of Commerce and CEO of the National Competitiveness Center Dr. Eman bin Habbas Al-Mutairi met with Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) CEO Dr. Leila Fouri to discuss bilateral cooperation. The meeting focused on exploring ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, emphasizing the JSE's role as Africa's largest stock exchange and a key hub for investors and companies across the continent. Discussions included opportunities to expand business activities through the exchange's diverse financial products. During the visit to Johannesburg, the Saudi delegation also toured Aspen Pharmacare, where they met with CEO Stavros Nicolaou. He provided an overview of the company's operations and the broader pharmaceutical and health sector in South Africa, highlighting the challenges posed by supply chain disruptions and their effects on the healthcare industry. In turn, Saudi officials presented the Kingdom's initiatives and plans t o localize pharmaceutical industries, emphasizing the potential for collaboration in the sector. The visit, aimed at strengthening trade ties between Saudi Arabia and South Africa across key economic sectors, included a stop at the Saudi Commercial Attaché in Johannesburg. There, Dr. Al-Mutairi met with Saudi business leaders and representatives of major national companies, briefing them on the attaché's role in promoting Saudi exports and boosting bilateral trade with South Africa and the wider African market. The meeting also sought to identify promising business opportunities for further collaboration. Source: Saudi Press Agency