RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Romania have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote logistics services between the two countries.

The agreement, inked by the Kingdom’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser and the European country’s Minister of Transport, Infrastructure, and Communications Sorin Grindeanu, will see both sides provide the latest operationg methods in the sector, according to a statement.

This falls in line with the significant transformation Saudi Arabia’s logistics sphere has undergone in recent years, fueled by initiatives such as Vision 2030 and the National Industrial Strategy. It also aligns well with the Kingdom’s aim to be among the top 10 countries in logistics services.

According to the online data visualization and distribution platform Observatory of Economic Complexity, in 2022, Saudi Arabia’s exports to Romania amounted to $15.1 million, while Romania’s exports to the Kingdom stood at $410 million.

Moreover, the newly signed MoU will see both parties exchanging and supporting experiences and the latest developments in the logistics sector, as well as harmonizing and swapping related policies and regulations.

Additionally, under the agreement, the two sides will work hand in hand to exchange and support expertise in logistics governance and licensing of services and activities.

Al-Jasser visited Bucharest International Airport during his trip to the European country, accompanied by the Ambassador of the Kingdom to Romania Mohammed Abdul Ghani Khayat.

During the visit, the minister was briefed on the comprehensive services provided by the airport in aspects of passenger management, cargo operations, and air carriers.

He also met with officials of the Romanian Air Transport, or TAROM, to discuss the operational capacity of the national carrier and the size of its fleet.

This is not the first time the two countries join forces in an attempt to propel a particular field of common interest. In June 2022, the Saudi and Romanian governments signed an agreement for cooperation in the defense sector.

The agreement covered a number of defense fields between the two countries, most notably training, exchanging expertise and technologies as well as developing communications systems, medical services and more the Saudi Press Agency reported at the time.