​​The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Australia Mr Hassan  Nazer welcomed the opening of Queensland’s first trade office in Riyadh.
Ambassador Nazer praised the recent successful visit of Premier Beattie to Riyadh which comes in the framework of completing the strengthening of economic relations, trade and investment, education and development and creating conditions for opening up new areas of cooperation in the future between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Queensland government.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said “Saudi Arabia is already Australia’s largest market in the Middle East and the potential for Queensland companies is enormous,”.

“With billions of dollars of construction and infrastructure in Riyadh alone, having a representative on the ground will put Queensland in a strong position to capture emerging opportunities in this oil-rich economy,” he added.

Hassan Miski, with 15 years trade experience and formerly business development manager with Austrade, has been appointed Queensland’s first trade representative in Riyadh.

The Kingdom is a major market for Queensland, with merchandise exports valued at 73.7 million Australian dollars in 2005-06. Queensland is also a big market for Saudi imports, mostly fuels and related materials, valued at over 205.6 million dollars.

 Queensland’s export base was a key to sustained growth, and education was a prime example. “Saudi enrolments in Australia have grown 100 percent annually between 2002 and 2005, with Queensland snaring 34 percent of the national share,”

Last year, total exports from Australia to the Kingdom reached 2.17 billion dollars, while its imports from the Kingdom remained at 1.21 billion dollars.