Shoura visit boosts Saudi Arabian-Australian ties

[Saif al-Arab]

Shoura visit boosts Saudi Arabian-Australian ties

WARM WELCOME: Shoura Council Speaker Abdullah Al-Asheikh, left, is being received by Saudi Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Saleh, who hosted a dinner for the Saudi delegation in Canberra on Tuesday. (SPA)​

MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN

Published — Tuesday 18 August 2015

Last update 18 August 2015 12:19 am

RIYADH: The visit by Saudi Shoura Council members to Australia would help boost ties between the two countries, said Abdullah Al-Asheikh, the Shoura speaker, in Sydney on Tuesday.

Al-Asheikh is leading a Shoura delegation invited by the Australian parliament. He was welcomed at the airport by Saudi Ambassador for Australia and New Zealand, Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Saleh, and senior Australian government officials.
During his stay, Al-Asheikh will hold talks with the head of the Australian Parliament Tony Smith, Senate President Stephen Parry, Governor General Peter Cosgrove, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Minister of Trade and Investment Andrew Robb.
Al-Asheikh said the visit comes as the Kingdom, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, seeks to strengthen and develop bilateral relations based on the shared experiences gained as G20 members.
“The exchange of visits between the Shoura Council and the Australian parliament and senate will further bolster the understanding and cooperation between the two bodies,” he said.
Australia and Saudi Arabia enjoy a friendly and substantive relationship. This is underpinned by commercial ties and supported by shared membership in the G20, as well as Australia’s engagement with the Gulf Cooperation Council and Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which are based in the Kingdom.
People-to-people contacts are also an important aspect of the relationship, with over 10,400 Saudis studying at Australian education institutions. Saudi Arabia is Australia’s second-largest trading partner in the Middle East.
There is significant potential for growing economic ties — in agriculture, education and construction. The establishment of the Australia-Saudi Business Council in 2013 supports the promotion of bilateral business ties.
As Australia’s second-largest market in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is an important trading partner. In 2014, the total two-way merchandise and services trade totaled more than $3 billion. Of this two-way trade, Australia’s merchandise exports to Saudi Arabia amounted to $2.263 billion.
Passenger motor vehicles were Australia’s largest commodity export to Saudi Arabia, worth $748 million in 2014. Other major exports were beef, other meat and barley. Saudi Arabia is also a substantial market for wheat, dairy products, vehicle parts and accessories, and vegetables.
Services exports, notably education, are also significant. A large number of Saudi tertiary students study in Australia, mostly under the King Abdullah Scholarship Program. Saudi students represent the largest contingent from the Middle East.
Australia-Saudi business ties have expanded. The March 2013 Joint Ministerial Commission meeting saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding to set up the Australia-Saudi Business Council.
In April, Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb visited Riyadh to promote Australia’s trade and investment links. He also supported 29 Australian education institutions exhibiting at the annual International Exhibition and Conference on Higher Education.

Shoura visit boosts Saudi-Australia ties | Arab News

Eight Saudi Arabian students win scholarships in New Zealand​

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  New Zealand Ambassador Hamish MacMaster presenting scholarship certificate to a Saudi student in Riyadh recently. (AN photo)​

GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN

Published — Sunday 16 August 2015

Last update 16 August 2015 12:19 am

RIYADH: New Zealand Ambassador Hamish MacMaster has announced the names of Saudi scholarship winners to travel to New Zealand as part of a government social media competition.
The move is primarily intended to enroll more Saudi students as New Zealand builds its international position as a premier education destination.
“The #WhyNewZealand Competition was a great success, with more than 2,400 entrants promoting New Zealand on our dedicated Arabic-language Twitter and Facebook channels — @nzeducationsa,” said MacMaster, here Saturday.
“We now have more than 21,000 followers on our Twitter page, where students can find out how great it is to study in New Zealand.”
The eight winners of the #WhyNewZealand competition will receive full academic scholarships to study in New Zealand including return flights to New Zealand sponsored by Singapore Airlines. The #WhyNewZealand competition signals a renewed commitment by the New Zealand government to promote education links with Saudi Arabia.
“I congratulate the winners of this competition and encourage them to make the most of this great opportunity. I also encourage all Saudi students to visit our Twitter and Facebook pages to find out more about why New Zealand is one of the best places to study in the world,” says McMaster.
The winners are Mazen Al-Najmi (Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology), Saber Shafi Aldosari (Massey University), Abdullah Alnumairi (Unitec), Abdulmajeed Bajaber (Waikato Institute of Technology), Budoor Almutham (Wellington Institute of Technology), Mohammed Rassam Alsubaie (University of Canterbury), Naif Hussein Alenezi (University of Auckland), and Saleh Mohammd Alharbi (Otago University).

Eight Saudi students win scholarships in New Zealand | Arab News