RIYADH: Aviation investment opportunities worth more than SR10 billion ($2.6 billion) were set out at high-level Saudi-French meeting amid a flurry of deals aimed at strengthening the sector.
Airport infrastructure, air navigation, and advanced technologies were among the areas flagged up as available for investment during a roundtable held on the sidelines of the 55th Paris Air Show.
The agreements signed covered strengthening ground support capabilities, localizing technology, and advancing workforce training, and involved Saudi Ground Services Co., France’s Alvest Group, and Arabian Alvest Equipment Maintenance Co., the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The deals come as Saudi Arabia and France deepen economic ties, with non-oil trade exceeding SR20 billion ($5.33 billion) in 2024. The relationship was reinforced during President Emmanuel Macron’s December visit, where both sides endorsed a strategic partnership roadmap and signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a Strategic Partnership Council.
The roundtable was chaired by Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and brought together more than 65 Saudi and French public and private sector entities, including CEOs, aviation safety officials, and specialists across airports, services, and infrastructure.
