Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser Concludes Official Visit To Russia And France For Transport Cooperation

Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh Al-Jasser recently wrapped up an official visit to Russia and France. He was joined by a delegation from various transport sectors. The trip included attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia, where Russian President Vladimir Putin was present. Saudi officials participated in several panel discussions during the event.

In France, Al-Jasser attended the opening of the International Paris Air Show, a major event in aviation and aerospace. This show took place under the patronage of French Prime Minister François Bayrou. During this visit, an air services agreement was signed between Saudi Arabia and Panama. Additionally, Avilease, an aircraft leasing company, signed an agreement with Airbus.

The visit aimed to bolster cooperation between Saudi Arabia and both Russia and France in transport and logistics. It also sought to enhance investment partnerships and encourage private sector involvement from these countries in opportunities within Saudi Arabia.

At the St. Petersburg forum, Al-Jasser engaged in a dialogue session about the National Transport and Logistics Strategy's ambitious goals and projects. The discussion highlighted private sector roles in financing and implementing these initiatives, focusing on partnerships based on trust, transparency, and balanced risk-sharing.

The delegation visited the headquarters of the International Union of Railways (UIC) to understand its roles, objectives, and global railway development efforts. They also visited SNCF and Alstom to gain insights into significant rail transport projects and technological advancements.

Meetings were held with several leaders from both public and private sectors during the visit. These included French Minister Delegate for Transport Philippe Tabarot; Bahraini Minister Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa; Indian Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw; CEO of RDIF Kirill Alexandrovich Dmitriev; and Sberbank Group's Alexander Vedyakhin.

The trip also featured discussions with key figures such as Kirill Alexandrovich Dmitriev from RDIF and Alexander Vedyakhin from Sberbank Group. These meetings focused on enhancing economic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Overall, this visit underscored Saudi Arabia's commitment to strengthening international ties in transport and logistics while fostering investment opportunities with Russian and French partners.

With inputs from SPA