MCI announced the activation of the Reference Center at the World Trade Services Center in the Ministry. The creation of this center is considered one of the requirements of the post-WTO joining. This center is scheduled to serve the public and private sectors inside and outside the Kingdom.
The Reference Center would provide information and studies for those interested from inside and outside the Kingdom, both from government agencies or the business sector, as well as researchers, academic and scientific community, also creating a strategic relationship with the Saudi business sector, in order to increase awareness of the laws and topics of WTO, so as to promote the Kingdom`s interests in foreign markets and to defend its rights.
One of the Centre's objectives is to increase awareness among community members through setting up workshops, training seminars and forums on topics related to WTO and its associated issues, as well as cooperation would be effected with WTO for the establishment of a specialized library and an electronic one, focusing and dealing with all published documents and studies of interest to researchers and those interested in the field of world trade, and any other issues or topics related to Regional Trade Agreements and the Intellectual Property Rights, and others.
The activation of the Reference Center comes as a response to the requirements of the current time and as a reflection of the importance of the Saudi economy on the regional and global level, it shows the necessity that the Kingdom should be present in the world trade field. This would necessitate founding a center to be interested in the world trade and to follow up any developments, procedures and agreements, besides providing related information.
It is worth mentioning that the principles adopted by the WTO to increase the volume of trade exchange and to ensure the smooth flow of goods and services among member states include the emphasis on increasing the level of transparency among Member States, by finding channels to link those interested (government institutions, private and academic sectors) in a State member of the WTO and the relevant government authorities in other member state of the WTO, so as to respond to their queries.
The Reference Center, in collaboration with a number of specialized liaison officers in several government agencies in Saudi Arabia, would be responsible for all incoming queries, related to WTO and world trade topics. Inquiries would be received by e-mail: WtoRefcenter@mci. gov.sa or via fax No. +966114031057