Saudi Arabia and Italy Advance Cooperation with UNIDO to Explore Potential Avenues to Develop Coffee Supply Chains in Africa
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, in partnership with the Saudi Coffee Company, seeks to explore potential avenues proposed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Italian Republic to contribute to the development of coffee supply chains in African coffee-producing companies.
This direction was highlighted on the margins of the 21st Session of the UNIDO General Conference (GC21), during which the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, H.E. Bandar AlKhorayef, alongside representatives from the Saudi Coffee Company as the national partner in developing the coffee value chain in the Kingdom, held a bilateral meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, H.E. Antonio Tajani. The UNIDO General Conference also witnessed the handover of the Conference Presidency from Italy to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reflecting the international community’s confidence in the Kingdom’s leadership in industrial and development efforts and its commitment to strengthening multilateral cooperation.
The Italian side also presented the “ACT – Advancing Climate-Resilience and Transformation in African Coffee”Programme, implemented by UNIDO and sponsored by Italy as a flagship initiative of the Mattei Plan for Africa. The program aims to support the sustainability of the coffee sector in selected African countries.
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral will explore the potential avenues proposed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Italian Republic, including productivity enhancement, expansion of value-added manufacturing, and the promotion of more resilient and sustainable supply chains, in coordination with relevant government entities in the Kingdom.
From its side, the Saudi Coffee Company affirmed its readiness to take part in the joint exploration efforts, drawing on its technical and operational expertise in developing coffee value chains, starting from farming and processing stages and extending to manufacturing and marketing. The company will also help identify opportunities to leverage the position of Jazan Port as an important logistical gateway to support coffee trade flows and strengthen connectivity with African coffee-producing countries.
Finally, the two Ministers agreed to continue exploring opportunities to support sustainable development in the industrial sector, building on the momentum of their growing bilateral relationship.