Saudi Arabia and Russia signed 13 strategic agreements and memoranda of understanding on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday. The agreements were signed in the presence of Saudi Vice Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Mansour Al-Mushaiti, reflecting the two countries’ commitment to strengthening cooperation across key economic and strategic sectors. The agreements, valued at $1.28 billion (SAR4.8 billion), aim to expand cooperation and strengthen trade and investment exchange between the two countries. Al-Mushaiti said the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has worked to attract leading Russian companies specializing in vital and food-related sectors. He noted that the forum witnessed the signing of a package of high-quality agreements and partnerships between government entities and major private-sector companies from both countries. The agreements support the Kingdom’s efforts to enhance food security, localize advanced biotechnology, and strengthen supply chain sustainability in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. He explained that the agreements and memoranda of understanding signed during the Kingdom’s participation as a guest of honor at the forum covered several strategic sectors, including the manufacturing and localization of veterinary vaccine production to support animal health and biosecurity; the development and propagation of broiler breeds to enhance self-sufficiency and the sustainability of domestic production; securing feed inputs and supply chains to support the stability and growth of the livestock sector. The agreements also focused on expanding exports of Saudi fish products through strategic partnerships for shrimp and fish exports, in cooperation with Russian companies specializing in import and international distribution. Al-Mushaiti added that the forum also witnessed the signing of agreements to market and export camel milk and its derivatives to Russian and international markets, promote and export Saudi coffee products, and enhance cooperation and exchange in the soft drinks sector. He stressed that the Kingdom’s participation in SPIEF reflects the importance of the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and Russia and provides an opportunity to exchange expertise and explore investment opportunities in the environment, water, and agriculture sectors.
