“The opportunities offered by Saudi Vision 2030 will certainly create additional momentum to grow the relationships even further” JEDDAH: The German Saudi Arabian Liaison Office for Economic Affairs (GESALO) has been a major catalyst for the enhancement of the commercial relationship between Saudi Arabia and Germany for more than four decades. The official representative of German industry and commerce in the Kingdom, Bahrain and Yemen, the office is part of a worldwide network of German Chambers of Commerce Abroad. Its mission is to provide support to help boost bilateral economic ties between Germany and Saudi Arabia, in close cooperation with the Saudi business community and government institutions. “We are proud to be a strong promoter and catalyst of bilateral economic relationships, having supported numerous German and Saudi companies over the past 40 years,” said Dalia Samra-Rohte, the delegate of German industry and commerce for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen. “The opportunities offered by Saudi Vision 2030 will certainly create additional momentum to grow the relationships even further.” GESALO provides a broad range of services, including market entry assistance, market research and identification of potential business partners, delegation trips, and the promotion of business opportunities in the Kingdom to German companies. Another particularly important mission of GESALO is to promote German trade shows among Saudi companies that want to build international contacts. Germany hosts two-thirds of all global trade fairs. The European country is also Saudi-Arabia’s fourth largest trading partner. Chemical products and machinery are the single largest product group it exports to the Kingdom. In recent years, German industry has made a considerable contribution to diversification and localization in Saudi Arabia. The strong economic relationship has also encouraged about 800 German companies to enter, operate and invest in the Kingdom, which has helped to support the diversification of its economy. Saudi Vision 2030 has expanded the potential for cooperation. Sustainability is a major focus of the initiative, creating opportunities in the fields of renewable energy and green hydrogen, and in the water sector. “Furthermore, German industry has contributed to developments in the healthcare sector, major infrastructure projects and digitalization,” said Samra-Rohte. In addition to traditional industries, GESALO also supports Saudi startups, helping them to find industry partners. As the demand for jobs has increased among the local workforce, German companies have provided employment opportunities for many Saudi citizens. To assist with this, GESALO organizes an annual JobXchange initiative to help Saudi students who are returning home after studying in Germany to identify employment opportunities with German businesses.