From March 5 to 9, 2023, the German-Saudi Arabian Liaison Office for Economic Affairs (GESALO) together with MENA and on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), organized a business delegation for German companies operating in the transport infrastructure and logistics sector to Saudi Arabia.

Other implementing partners were the Logistics Alliance Germany (LAG) and the German Railway Industry Association (VDB). The aim of the delegation trip was to show the participants concrete business opportunities in the context of individual B2B meetings with potential decision-makers, sales partners, and buyers, as well as in the form of group visits.

In addition, the delegation visited the widely known Red Sea Project in Riyadh, as well as the Qiddiya project. Before flying to Jeddah on March 8, the participants were able to take a private tour to see THE LINE exhibition and visit the NEOM office in Riyadh. Upon arrival in Jeddah, the King Abdullah Economic City (Emaar Economic City) and the King Abdullah Port were visited.

Topics discussed during the group visits ranged from the localization of production and logistics to the customized digitalization solutions for smart cities offered by the German companies. For example, automated registration for citizen services in projects such as THE LINE or the Red Sea project. At the end of the delegation trip, meetings with the Jeddah Logistics Committee and a second round of individual B2B meetings took place at the Jeddah Chamber.