New envoy to bolster Saudi-Irish ties
He said that he faces many challenges but he is used to it. “I have not worked in this region previously, but it is incredibly interesting from the political, economic and social perspectives,” he said.
He noted that there are more than 3,000 Irish nationals in the Kingdom, many of whom are in senior positions in the private sector and that the people- topeople contact between Irish and Saudi businessmen has hugely assisted the growth of commercial ties.
He said that there is also a very active and successful Irish society which arranges a range of events and social functions during the year in the Kingdom.
“We also have thriving clubs. Naomh Alee GAA Club is the oldest in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. The club runs twice weekly training sessions between August and May and field both senior and junior teams,” he said.
Asked about the sectors offering the greatest opportunity for building business relationships between Ireland and Saudi Arabia, he said: “The Kingdom is undergoing a period of considerable growth. There are significant infrastructural projects under way in many sectors such as the King Abdullah Financial Center.”
He said the KAFC is a significant financial investment in the future for the Kingdom, and that Irish companies have specific technology offerings in data security which is a cornerstone of a robust financial services sector.
“There have been recent reports in Gulf media describing water as a strategic imperative on par with oil. In the past 18 months, we have done a considerable amount of work in water technology and this is an area where we will continue to focus,” he said.
He said that in the next five years, Saudi Arabia plans to build hundreds of hospitals and health care centers as it undergoes an enormous expansion of its health care infrastructure. “This expansion will create opportunities for Irish companies supplying goods and services to this sector,” Cotter said, adding that the Saudi capital will undergo a transformation and over 420 km of metro will be added in the next decade.
On education, he said: “In the medium term, we will see a growing number of Saudi students who are studying in Irish higher education institutes. These students, as they join the work force back in the Kingdom, will in turn be an important catalyst for even further growth in our commercial future.”
He noted that the work undertaken by Amin Shanqiti and Joseph Lynch as the respective chairs of the Saudi- Ireland Business Council had been an important step.