The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SCCI, held an expanded meeting with representatives of Sharjah industrial sector over the weekend to introduce them to the latest developments with regard to exporting food products to Saudi Arabia. Held at the SCCI headquarters, the event was attended by Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director General of SCCI, and Ibrahim Rashid Al Jarwan, Director of Economic Relations and Marketing at the SCCI. On the sidelines of the meeting, a workshop on exporting frozen foodstuffs to Saudi Arabia has been held in collaboration with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. Samir Mukhlis, Director of Batha Border delivered the workshop. Al Awadi stressed SCCI's keenness to improve Sharjah's business environment and advance companies through launching constructive initiatives and coordinating with its partners in the public and private sectors. He thanked the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, for their presence in the meeting and keenness to explain the regulations and laws pertaining to the procedures of exporting all kinds of foodstuffs to Saudi Arabia. "Today's meeting is yet another testament to the fact that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are in constant cooperation and coordination in the economic sector. Our continuous cooperation has resulted in boosting the trade exchange between our countries and bolstering our economic relations. It is no surprise that Saudi Arabia today is the UAE's first trading partner," Al Awadi further said. During the workshop, Mukhlis outlined significant import and export requirements, regulations, laws and Gulf specifications as well as registration and accreditation systems of facilities. The attendees were also introduced to the requirements and procedures need to be taken before exporting food products to Saudi Arabia to avoid any obstacles or material losses. The workshop also touched on the goals of the upgraded clearance system in Saudi Arabia, which aimed to facilitate commercial exchange, streamline the entry of products, and speed up work procedures. For his part, Lalu Samuel, Chairman of the Representative Committee of the Industry Sector at the SCCI, delivered a presentation on the reality of the industrial sector in Sharjah. Samuel highlighted that Sharjah's industrial sector is the largest among the seven emirates', constituting 40% of the total number of industries in the UAE with 2,800 industrial units. In Sharjah alone, there are 19 industrial areas and three free zones and Sharjah today exports its products to more than 120 countries from different countries of the world, he added. Samuel noted that Sharjah produces a wide range of products including oil, plastic, furniture, food products, electrical tools, concrete, water pipes, and fabric, etc. All of these products and industries are certified by international bodies and conform to international specifications and standards. The meeting was concluded by an open discussion to answer questions and inquiries regarding the import and export of food products to Saudi Arabia. — SG
