A delegation of Saudi industry representatives visits France

A delegation of thirty managers from twenty major Saudi Arabian companies, led by Mr Walid Abukhaled, Deputy Minister for Industrial Affairs, was in France last week for a visit focusing on the development of a network of Saudi suppliers in the nuclear industry. This sector should generate billions of euros in revenues for Saudi companies and create tens of thousands of skilled jobs.

The visit included a day-long workshop in Paris at the premises of Ubifrance, where Saudi and French officials encouraged those present to develop the nuclear industry in the Kingdom through partnerships and joint ventures between companies in the two countries.

The Saudi delegation also visited the construction site of the Flamanville 3 EPR, as well as manufacturing plants for heavy components, handling equipment, cables, electrical gear, pipework, etc.

This visit is part of a nuclear information program launched just over a year ago in Saudi Arabia by AREVA and EDF teams. The two groups have begun working with more than eighty Saudi companies, and have organized several supplier days in the Kingdom. In addition, training programs have been launched to provide Saudi industry with a precise description of project management and quality standards specific to the nuclear industry, to attain the highest levels of safety.