PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR THE ECONOMY, ENTERPRISE AND STRATEGIC PROJECTS

The Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, Silvio Schembri, has just completed an official visit to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where a number of high-level meetings were held with government authorities of both countries.

During the visit to Bahrain, Minister Schembri explored economic opportunities with local authorities with the aim of strengthening commercial relations between the two countries and identifying potential collaborations and economic growth. The Minister noted a number of similarities between the two countries, including size, an open economy for trade, and an emphasis on innovation.

During the visit, Minister Schembri met with Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Noor Al Khulaif, Minister for Sustainable Development; Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications; and Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy.

In these meetings, opportunities were explored to improve air connectivity between Malta and Bahrain, as well as potential collaboration in manufacturing, technology, aviation services, and logistics. Additionally, Minister Schembri held meetings with the Bahrain Economic Development Board, Customs, Bahrain Airport Services, and international logistics companies DHL and Texel Air.

During the visit to Saudi Arabia, Minister Schembri attended the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) General Conference, held in Riyadh, which opened its doors to over 3,000 delegates from around the world.

In Riyadh, Minister Schembri met with Faisal F. Alibrahim, Minister for Economy and Planning; and Bandar bin Ibrahim Alkhorayef, Minister for Industry and Minerals.

These meetings provided an opportunity to discuss ways to strengthen economic relations between the two countries and to identify opportunities for bilateral collaboration. Minister Schembri observed that Saudi Arabia and Malta enjoy excellent bilateral relations, built on mutual respect.

Saudi authorities praised the Maltese Government for its ongoing work towards Malta Vision 2050, offering to share their experiences regarding the implementation of their National Vision. There was also agreement to explore opportunities for direct air connectivity between the two countries, as well as investments and collaborations that leverage Malta's strategic geographical position.

During the visit, Minister Schembri was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Godwin Mifsud; the Executive Chairman of Indis Malta Ltd, Dr Jean Pierre Attard; the Chief Executive of Malta Enterprise, George Gregory; the Chief Executive of Malta Government Investments, Karl Azzopardi; and the Deputy Head of Malta's Mission in Saudi Arabia, James Gauci.