Dr Sami bin Abdullah Al-Obaidi, Chairman, CSC, said with the support of the Saudi Government, the delegation would be in Ghana in the coming months to explore investment, trade and business opportunities.

He said in Riyadh, when Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, paid a courtesy call on him.

The call was part of the Minister's itinerary, when she paid a working visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the invitation of her Saudi counterpart; Prince Faisal bins Farhan Al Saud.

CSC acts as an umbrella for the business sector and chamber of commerce and industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It works towards representing and observing the common interests of the entities, representing them on the local and international levels, and fostering their contribution to the Saudi national economic development process.

Speaking through an interpreter, Dr Al-Obaidi, who hailed the Ghana-Saudi relations, noted that as business owners, the Minister's visit was of great importance to both countries.

"This visit is going to be the cornerstone towards strengthening the relations of the private sector in Saudi Arabia and Ghana," the Chairman said.

He said the Chambers expected the relations between Ghana and Saudi Arabia to be on three levels, Saudi investors investing in Ghana, attracting investors from Ghana to Saudi Arabia and increasing commercial trade between both countries.

Touching on the pending visit of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Chairman said the Council was happy about the visit of the President to Saudi Arabia.

"And we look forward to having a meeting with Ghana's private sector delegation, which will be accompanying the President."

Dr Al-Obaidi noted that the Saudi Export Bank was established with 30 billion Saudi Arabian Riyal ($8 billion); with one of the goals being to support Saudi exporters, as well as importers from Ghana to the Kingdom.

"Another tract is to support the relations of small and medium size enterprises in both Saudi Arabia and Ghana; especially those in mining, agriculture and food industries."

Dr Al-Obaidi noted that more information on Ghana's private sector will help facilitate commercial trade between the two countries and appealed to the embassies of the two countries to provide the CSC with the necessary information about investment opportunities in Ghana.

On her part, Madam Botchwey extended an invitation to Saudi industrial giants and large business groups to take advantage of Ghana's friendly investment climate to invest in the country.

She noted that Ghana as a peaceful and stable country offered a gateway to markets in the West African sub-region and beyond for the investment interest of Saudi Arabian industries and welcomed opportunities to form mutually beneficial strategic alliances.

She said at the Governmental Level, they were in the process of implementing the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement.

The Minister also expressed satisfaction over the level of cooperation between the two countries.

At the meeting were Sheikh T.B Damba, Ghana's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Mr Meshal Hamdan Al-Rogi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Ghana.

By Iddi Yire, GNA Special Correspondent, Riyadh, Courtesy the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration