Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
NASSAU, The Bahamas--The Bahamas has been invited to visit Saudi Arabia to experience its developments and the “aggressive plans” its government has for investment, as a blueprint for where The Bahamas could take its own development. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper on Tuesday, February 15, who added that both countries will soon develop a diplomatic relationship.
Speaking to reporters outside of Cabinet, Cooper said government officials met with a delegation from Saudi Arabia on Monday – headed by the Saudi minister of tourism – and explained that “tangible possibilities” exist for both countries in various areas such as tourism and aviation.
“We have been invited to visit Saudi Arabia to see some of their developments and their aggressive plans,” said Cooper. “We have been introduced to the Saudi Arabia development fund. We are hoping to be able to work along with them in terms of financial and technical assistance on many of our infrastructure projects, including airports, sporting facilities and other infrastructure works.”
Cooper said Saudi Arabia is currently lobbying to host World Expo 2030 and explained that The Bahamas has offered its support of the country’s bid to hold the event.
The Bahamas has been looking closely at the Middle East for economic opportunities ever since government took a delegation to Dubai for World Expo 2020.
Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting recently announced that he would be speaking to a global panel on food security in Dubai at the end of the month.
The Bahamas’ Non-Resident Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the State of Qatar Tony Salim Joudi said recently that the UAE needs new markets to invest in and contended that The Bahamas could become such a market.
Joudi said The Bahamas has many untapped and under-tapped markets to present as export opportunities to the UAE. ~ The Nassau Guardian ~
