Saudi Industry Minister Explores Aerospace Partnership with Airbus in France
Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef met with Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, and other Airbus executives in Toulouse, France, to explore deeper cooperation in the aviation and space sectors. The meeting was also attended by Laurent Saint-Martin, France's Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad; Abdulrahman Al Samari, CEO of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority; and Eng. Saleh Al-Solami, CEO of the National Industrial Development Center.
Discussions focused on expanding collaboration in aerospace, particularly in localizing aircraft manufacturing and maintenance technologies within Saudi Arabia. Minister Alkhorayef emphasized the long-standing strategic partnership between the Kingdom and Airbus, which spans nearly 40 years and plays a key role in Saudi Arabia's efforts to develop its aviation and satellite industries.
Aerospace
He highlighted the alignment between Airbus's capabilities and Saudi Vision 2030, stressing the importance of building local industrial capacity, increasing global competitiveness, and advancing economic diversification and sustainable growth. Alkhorayef outlined the Kingdom's commitment to creating a favorable industrial and investment environment for aviation, with a focus on innovation, supply chain integration, and attracting high-quality investments.
To support this, the Kingdom offers several enablers, including streamlined foreign investment procedures, simplified licensing, and access to key raw materials like aluminum and titanium. Additionally, its strategic geographic position linking Europe, Asia, and Africa, along with robust infrastructure and government-backed financial incentives, further enhance its appeal to global aviation firms like Airbus.
Alkhorayef also expressed Saudi Arabia's readiness to work with Airbus in addressing global supply chain challenges by leveraging its mineral wealth, logistics capabilities, and skilled workforce to support local production and increase joint investments.
Scherer reaffirmed Airbus's commitment to Saudi Arabia, calling the Kingdom a key partner in the Middle East. He praised Vision 2030 for its role in driving economic transformation and confirmed Airbus's interest in expanding cooperation through technology transfer and innovation in aviation and satellite sectors.
Saint-Martin echoed the value of the Saudi-French economic relationship, emphasizing the need to strengthen industrial ties—especially in aerospace and satellite technologies—to support shared development goals. Commercial Aviation
During the visit, Alkhorayef toured Airbus's main manufacturing site and its commercial aviation and satellite facilities. He was briefed on the company's global operations, expansion strategies, and cutting-edge innovations. He also observed Airbus's advanced production lines and satellite manufacturing technologies, highlighting the potential for future collaboration in space communication and global security.
Finally, the visit was part of Alkhorayef's official mission to France aimed at reinforcing industrial and mining partnerships, with a focus on strategic sectors Saudi Arabia is working to localize and grow—chief among them aviation and the food industries.
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