Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, His Excellency Bandar Alkhorayef, recently launched the “Industrial Day” at Airbus Helicopters’ headquarters in Marignane, France. This event gathered Airbus suppliers and Saudi aviation firms to discuss new collaboration and investment opportunities within the aviation sector.
His Excellency Bandar Alkhorayef highlighted the importance of aviation as a leading advanced industry, noting its central role in Saudi Arabia’s strategy to broaden the national economy under Vision 2030. He stressed the Kingdom’s commitment to localizing aviation, empowering the private sector, and attracting international investment by leveraging Saudi Arabia’s strategic advantages such as its location, energy costs, mineral wealth, and youthful workforce.
During the event, His Excellency invited Airbus Helicopters and its partners to deepen cooperation with Saudi Arabia, aiming to create a robust and competitive aviation ecosystem. According to Saudi officials, the Kingdom has identified aviation sub-sectors—like aircraft maintenance, component repair, and drone manufacturing—with investment prospects totaling $2.67 billion. The goal is to boost the industrial GDP from $88 billion to $377 billion by 2035, as outlined in the National Industrial Strategy.
His Excellency’s visit to France also focuses on expanding industrial and mining collaboration, especially in aviation and food industries. Saudi Arabia and France maintain partnerships across various fields, including energy, sustainable cities, transportation, digital economy, and healthcare.
