The General Investment Authority and the Supreme Authority for Medicines sign a coordination agreement to facilitate investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical supplies.
The General Authority for Investment and the Supreme Authority for Medicines and Medical Supplies signed a memorandum of institutional coordination aimed at establishing a unified and transparent process to facilitate and complete transactions for investment projects in the field of domestic pharmaceutical and medical supplies manufacturing through the single-window system.
The memorandum aims to support the establishment of new projects and industrial expansions, encourage the localization of the pharmaceutical and medical supplies industries, reduce the number of review points, prevent duplication of procedures, and standardize completion requirements and referral processes between the two agencies.
The memorandum was signed on behalf of the General Authority for Investment by Engineer Ali Ahmed Jarhum, Head of the Investment Facilitation Sector, and on behalf of the Supreme Authority for Medicines and Medical Supplies by Dr. Abdul Qadir Ahmed Al-Bakri, Executive Director General. It was also approved by the Chairman of the General Authority for Investment, Engineer Luay Ahmed Khadabakhsh, and the Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr. Qasim Bahibakh.
The memorandum outlines procedures for registering projects and factories, as well as for expansions, the addition of production lines, and their relocation, and for requests regarding machinery, equipment, raw materials, and production inputs, in addition to providing aftercare services and addressing technical and procedural obstacles faced by registered projects.
The memorandum also defines the responsibilities of each entity: the General Investment Authority manages the transaction process through the one-stop shop and completes registration procedures and investment services, while the Supreme Authority for Medicines and Medical Supplies is responsible for reviewing technical aspects, issuing opinions, approvals, and technical licenses, and exercising oversight within the limits of its jurisdiction, thereby preserving the legal authority of each party.
The minutes require the appointment of authorized representatives to work through the single window, the preparation of a procedural manual and standardized forms within a period not exceeding forty-five days from the date of its entry into force, as well as the formation of a joint technical team to monitor implementation, measure performance, and submit periodic reports.
The protocol sets timeframes for completing transactions, stipulating that the completeness of initial documents and data be reviewed within one business day, and that a standard technical transaction be completed within a period not exceeding five business days, with the possibility of extending this to seven business days in cases requiring the transaction to be referred to a committee or undergo a specialized technical review.
This coordination is part of efforts to support industrial investment and promote the localization of the pharmaceutical and medical supplies industries, thereby contributing to raising the level of domestic production and supporting pharmaceutical and health security.
2026-08-18
