H. E. Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr. Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al Rabiah has met on Tuesday morning 15.12.1436 H. at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, the Director General Mr. Roberto Azevedo on the sideline of a forum held by the World Trade Organization on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Kingdom`s joining (WTO) and on the 20th anniversary of founding the World Trade Organization. At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Azevedo welcomed H.E. the Minister and his accompanying delegation and expressed his sincere condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, (May Allah protect him) and the Saudi people for the disaster took place in Mina due to stampede at the rituals in Hajj, praising the efforts rendered by the Kingdom every year in serving the pilgrims from all over the world. Mr. Azevedo stressed his desire and honor to meet with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques during his next visit to the Kingdom early next Muharram. This is for the Kingdom`s regional, global and economic position on the world, Arab and Islamic levels.
H.E. Minister of Commerce and Industry has congratulated the Director General of WTO on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of its founding, also expressed his welcome to the upcoming visit of Mr. Azevedo to the Kingdom, as it coincides with the Arab Trade Ministers Meeting in Riyadh to crystallize the positions and interests of the Arab states within the framework of the World Trade Organization. H.E. the Minister also expressed the Kingdom`s aspiration and support for the success of the 10th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization to be held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, next mid-December, as this has a positive impact on the negotiations process of Doha Development Round and the future of the Multilateral Trading System.
At the end of this meeting, Mr. Azevedo praised the efforts of Saudi Arabia and its participation actively in all WTO activities, and its presiding over a number of boards and committees in such organization. Meanwhile, commemorative photographs had been taken on this occasion.