Cabinet Merges Saudi Foreign Trade, Export Bodies

The Saudi Cabinet has approved the merger of the General Authority for Foreign Trade and the Saudi Export Development Authority into a single body named the General Authority for Foreign Trade and Export.

Under the decision, the preparations for the merger and any required regulatory actions must be completed and submitted within 180 days. This timeline is intended to give the two bodies and relevant parties a clear window to organize the transition.

The new authority's board will be chaired by the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, with the Minister of Commerce serving as vice chairman. Bringing foreign trade and export development under one umbrella is expected to streamline how the Kingdom supports exporters and manages international trade files.

What it means for businesses

For companies, traders, and exporters, services continue as usual for now. There are no new fees, application procedures, or validity periods announced as part of this decision. Existing trade and export services should keep running through the relevant authority's official channels until the merger is formally put into effect.

Saudi Living advises businesses to rely only on official announcements for any future updates on procedures or service channels once the new authority begins operating. The consolidation reflects ongoing efforts to simplify government services and strengthen the Kingdom's trade and export sector.

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