Riyadh: General Authority of Foreign Trade (GAFT) Acting Governor Mohammed Al-Abduljabbar participated in the G20 Trade and Investment Working Group Ministerial Meeting, held in South Africa from October 9 to 10, deputizing for Minister of Commerce and GAFT Board Chairman Majid Al-Kassabi.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Al-Abduljabbar emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to prioritizing trade as a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable growth. He underscored the importance of leveraging trade to address major global challenges, including food security, the digital economy, and geopolitical issues affecting international commerce. He also reaffirmed the Kingdom’s strong support for international efforts to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO).
He highlighted the G20’s effectiveness in addressing global challenges, noting that during Saudi Arabia’s 2020 presidency, the group launched a collective action plan to mitigate the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on trade and investment. Al-Abduljabbar stressed the importance of maintaining a transparent, strong, and fair multilateral trading system to promote economic growth, improve global living standards, and support development goals.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Al-Abduljabbar held several bilateral meetings to discuss areas of cooperation, partnership development, and the enhancement of trade and investment relations. He met with New Zealand’s Minister for Building and Construction, Land Information, and Small Business and Manufacturing Chris Penk; China’s Vice Minister of Commerce and International Trade Representative Li Chenggang; Trkiye’s Deputy Minister of Trade Mustafa Tuzcu; Egypt’s Assistant Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed El Gossaki; and Assistant US Trade Representative for WTO and Multilateral Affairs Neil Beck.