Geneva, December 07, 2023, The National Competitiveness Center (NCC) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) formalized an agreement in Geneva, signifying a significant step in enhancing Saudi Arabia's competitiveness on the global stage. The agreement, signed by the Vice Minister of Commerce and CEO of the NCC, Dr. Iman bint Habas Al-Mutairi, and UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, opens avenues for collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Under the agreement, the NCC gains access to UNCTAD's expertise in trade facilitation, logistics services, e-commerce, and consumer protection. The signing ceremony was attended by Saudi Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, Dr. Adel Siraj Mirdad, and the Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Abdulmohsen Majed bin Khothaila.
Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, the Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NCC, emphasized that the agreement aligns with Vision 2030 initiatives. The goal is to foster sustainable economic development and enhance the integration of the national economy globally and regionally. The agreement aims to elevate the competitive environment, strengthen the trading system, and offer research, studies, and technical cooperation related to trade policies, free trade agreements, logistics services, e-commerce, and consumer protection.
Dr. Al-Mutairi highlighted the NCC's commitment to leveraging international experiences to implement best practices, leading to improved competitiveness for Saudi Arabia. The collaboration will involve reviewing free trade agreements, conducting economic evaluations, implementing trade facilitation reforms, analyzing policies and regulatory frameworks for consumer protection, and building capabilities for measuring the impact of e-commerce. The agreement is poised to contribute significantly to strengthening digital economy policies in the Kingdom.
