Deputy Minister of Environment Witnesses Signing of Tripartite MoU to Localize Veterinary Vaccines in the Kingdom
His Excellency Eng. Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti, Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, witnessed the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Livestock and Fisheries Development Program, ANIVAX, and Boehringer Ingelheim, a global leader in animal health solutions and disease prevention. The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation and leverage international expertise to support the development and localization of livestock vaccines, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
The signing took place during a ceremony held today at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture headquarters in Riyadh, celebrating the global company’s participation in supporting the localization of veterinary vaccine production in the Kingdom and enhancing its efficiency. The event was attended by several ministry leaders and sector officials.
The agreement seeks to expand opportunities for local manufacturing of veterinary vaccines and facilitate the exchange of expertise and knowledge in combating animal diseases. Key areas of cooperation include the establishment of a national antigen bank covering local and regional strains, as well as support for research and development through advanced scientific initiatives conducted in collaboration with the Ministry and local partners.
The cooperation framework between the Program and the company includes incorporating pre-pandemic vaccines and the antigen bank into the national strategic stockpile, identifying market needs for vaccines, and exploring the development and localization of other vaccines of national priority. It also covers the implementation of technical and training programs for national talent to benefit from global expertise in disease prevention and control, alongside conducting field trials, exchanging epidemiological data, developing awareness campaigns, and improving access to high-quality diagnostic tools.
This collaboration reflects the Program’s commitment to building strategic partnerships with leading international experts and unifying efforts to support and develop Saudi Arabia’s livestock sector while enhancing its preparedness. It contributes to strengthening sustainable food security, empowering the private sector, and improving production efficiency. Furthermore, the participation of leading global companies in livestock vaccine development and localization within the Biotech Park highlights the Program’s pivotal role in fostering new industries in the livestock and fisheries sectors, supporting advanced biotechnology industries, attracting high-value investments, and creating new technology-driven economic sectors. These efforts contribute to strengthening veterinary health security, supporting the sustainable economic development of the livestock sector, and reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a global hub for biotechnology industries and national capacity development.
It is worth noting that the Veterinary Biotechnology Future City (Biotech Park) is the world’s first specialized veterinary biotechnology city. It features a laboratory, a research center, and an integrated industrial complex that attracts leading international companies specializing in the development and localization of vaccines and veterinary products. The city provides advanced research and industrial infrastructure that enhances the Kingdom’s capabilities in addressing epidemic risks through effective national solutions.
