The UAE Ministry of Finance (MoF) welcomed an official delegation from the Government Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (EXPRO), at the ministry’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

During the meeting, participants discussed how the MoF could share its experience in launching the Digital Procurement Platform, the framework agreements concluded, the diversity of service providers, and the exclusive benefits offered to entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Younis Haji Al Khoori, Under-Secretary of the MoF; Mariam Mohamed Al Amiri, Assistant Under-Secretary of the Government Financial Management Sector; Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi, Director of International Financial Relations and Organisations Department; Azza Al Jasmi, Director of Government Communications Department, and Amna Hassan Al Shamsi, Acting Director of Policy and Accounting Procedures Department, received the delegation, which included Khalid Almalki, Executive Director for Enablement of Infrastructure Sectors, Saqer Al Sulaim, Executive Director of Strategic Procurement, Ahmed bin Mahmoud, Executive Director of Operations and Control, and Shaden Al Mesned, Acting Director of International Cooperation.

During the meeting, Younis Haji Al Khoori welcomed the Saudi delegation saying, “The MoF is keen to share its pioneering experience with our friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to benefit from their unique expertise, which serves the development of both nations, contributes to the welfare of our people, and realises their common aspirations.”

He added, “The UAE and Saudi Arabia share a deeply-rooted and historic relationship, and the leadership of both countries is keen to further enhance this relationship for generations to come, in line with the framework of bilateral relations and the memberships of the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

“Our collaboration culminates with the establishment of the Saudi-Emirati Coordination Council led jointly by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," he further added.

Al Khoori, stated, "This strategic cooperation council includes a series of agreements and projects under three pillars, one of which is the economic and financial pillar, which contributes to enhancing achievements, protecting interests, and creating new opportunities for the two nations. Government procurement solutions developed by the MoF have become a leading model presenting a new concept of government procurement, through providing lists of shared products and services.”

This reduces the time required for the purchasing process from 60 days to six minutes when purchasing from these lists while enhancing the efficiency of government spending through framework agreements with suppliers to ensure the best prices and taking into account the quality of products and services provided.