German technical cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia dates back to 1967.

For more than four decades, GTZ has provided advisory and procurement services to various governmental bodies, such as ministries and other public institutions, as well as to chambers of commerce and non-governmental organisations.

Since 1967, projects have been implemented for the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVT), which is now known as the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC).

In 1980, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Finance and National Economy and GTZ signed an agreement for the assignment of German experts to Saudi Arabian ministries and organisations. In 1987, the successful cooperation was widened by an amendment to the contract to cover the training of Saudi experts, procurement and installation of equipment and materials as well as the awarding of entire projects.

Our main fields of activity in Saudi Arabia are:

• Vocational training
• Health
• Transport and infrastructure
• Organic agriculture
• Standardisation
• IT and telecommunication
• Economic advisory services
• Legal and organisational advisory services
• Water and wastewater management
• Regional development
• Safety and security
• Food and drug safety

Another important pillar of cooperation with Saudi Arabia is trilateral cooperation, in which GTZ acts as an executing agency for Saudi development projects in third countries. On behalf of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), GTZ is currently implementing the fourth phase of the Saudi Arabian programme for drilling wells and rural development in 12 African Sahel countries.