It was an auspicious occasion marked by the rubbing of shoulders with key stakeholders that was on display at a luncheon held to welcome a large delegation of Saudi Arabian investors to the island on Friday, July 8 at the Port Royal cruise ship pier in Kingston. The Jamaica Observer was on the ground and captured a few snapshots of the moment.

The Arabians are on a visit to tour growth potential industries in the country as they seek to forge deeper partnerships and build relationships for tourism and other business ventures across regions.

The over 65-member delegation led by HE Badr Al-Badr, deputy minister for investors outreach, comprised private and public sector companies from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, all on mission to identify investment ready projects locally.

Al-Badr said that his country like Jamaica was also looking for new channels to diversify its economy as it moves to increase opportunities in the kingdom, which it plans to do through a raft of new investments. The oil-rich Saudi Arabian economy is now ranked as the 16th largest in the world after sustaining an average four per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate over the last 25 years.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in welcoming the group, outlined a number of opportunities in key areas which he believes was ripe for investment. He referenced industries such as agriculture, science and technology, medicine and the built environment including real estate among some of the projects most ready.