Under the arrangement with Kia Motors Saudi Arabia, Al Jabr will distribute Kia vehicles and spare parts across Saudi Arabia.

Kia Motors Saudi Arabia is a subsidiary of the South Korean car manufacturer.

Developing Saudi Arabia’s automotive industry is part of Riyadh’s plan to broaden the country’s industrial base. Manufacturing is currently centred around truck making, with Germany’s Daimler-Benz and Swedish/US car manufacture Volvo both operating plants in the kingdom.

In January, the UK-based engineering division of Lotus Cars announced plans to set up a testing centre in the kingdom, marking a significant move forward for the automotive industry.