#Business

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Oct 12, 2011
HRH Receives New Zealand Ambassador

HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, Chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), received at his office, HE Mr. Rodney Harris, #New_Zealand Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who was accompanied by Mr. James Munro, Second Secretary, New Zealand Embassy. The meeting was also attended by Ms. Intisar Alyamani, Executive Manager, Corporate Communications Department.

The meeting began as the Ambassador thanked Prince Alwaleed for giving him the opportunity to meet with him. During the meeting, HRH and Mr. Harris discussed a number of issues and ways to further strengthen economic relations between their respective countries. Also on the agenda discussions were investment issues.

Mr. Harris invited Prince Alwaleed to seek investment opportunities in the country in light of the Prince’s various investments regionally and globally. In response, Prince Alwaleed welcomed Mr. Harris’s ideas for investment in New Zealand and promised to consider these opportunities for study to further develop trade and economic relations between the two countries. He also said that currently there are over 7,000 Saudi students studying in New Zealand, and added that Saudi Arabia was the second largest diplomatic mission in New Zealand.

In March 2011, Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation chaired by Prince Alwaleed and vice chaired by HH Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel made donation for much needed relief aid for the New Zealand Earth Quake Victims. The allocation and distribution of the donation to those in need was in coordination with the New Zealand Red Cross that had launched the “New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Appeal”. The New Zealand Red Cross is part of The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement; the world's largest humanitarian network. The Movement is neutral and impartial, and provides protection and assistance to people affected by disasters and conflicts.

In February 2011, Prince Alwaleed received the Hon Gerry Brownlee, Leader of the New Zealand House of Representatives and Minister of Economic Development, and Energy Resources who was accompanied by a delegation. In April 2010, Prince Alwaleed received Hon Tim Groser, New Zealand Minister of Trade with an accompanying delegation at his office in Riyadh. The Prince’s investment in New Zealand through KHC is in the financial sector through Citigroup.