ECONOMY

IMF Raises Saudi Arabia GDP Forecast, Non-Oil Growth Gains Momentum; Vision 2030 Reforms Cited

MBS, KBS, Majed Al-Qassabi
Even without a Saudi Aramco IPO, the Kingdom's Vision 2030 economic and social reform blueprint is having an undeniably positive effect on the Saudi economy and growth, the IMF said.

Saudi Arabia

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Saudi Economy

IMF Raises Saudi Arabia GDP Forecast But Cautions Against Spending Increase

According to a report released by the IMF on August 24, Saudi Arabia’s real GDP is expected to increase by 1.9% on the back of robust non-oil...

 

Economy

Saudi reforms to boost growth despite any Aramco IPO delay: IMF

Saudi Arabia is moving ahead with economic reforms and growth in its non-oil economy will pick up this year despite any delay to a planned...

 

Women Drivers

Why 76% of women are NOT driving in Saudi Arabia

The lifting of the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia is nothing less than a historical milestone, but what’s surprising is that it has...

 

John McCain

Saudi FM Jubeir on John McCain: ‘America lost a hero, I have lost a friend’

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir wrote in a tweet on Sunday that late US Republican Senator John McCain was a “personal friend” he had known...

 

Dhahran

Saudi Arabia’s ‘Ithra’ makes TIME’s 2018 list of World’s Greatest Places

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz World Cultural Center known as Ithra in Dhahran, was selected for TIME Magazine’s list of World’s Greatest Places 2018, a compendium...

 

Asir

This Saudi Arabian Stone Village Has Its Sights Set on the UNESCO Heritage List

Located in the heart of Asir region in the south of Saudi Arabia is Rijal Alma. This stunning village, which sits at the foot of...

 

Saudi Aramco

Saudi Aramco loses its ‘in perpetuity’ oil and gas rights

Saudi Aramco’s concession agreement with the state has limited the amount of time in which the group can explore and develop resources to 40 years...

 

Saudi Aramco IPO

Opinion: Saudi Aramco IPO Concept Was Far Too Premature

State-owned oil companies, even one as highly respected as Aramco, are a tough sell to minority shareholders (see this). But they’re an easier sell if...

 

Hajj 2018

King, Crown Prince thank all for success of Hajj

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman expressed happiness over the great efforts and dedication of all the government and private agencies in offering...

 

Yemen Civil War

Yemen’s Houthis say they fire two missiles at Saudi Arabia

Yemen’s Houthi group fired two Zelzal-1 missiles in the direction of Saudi Arabian provinces alongside the joint border, the Houthis’ Masirah TV said in a...

 

Saudi-UAE

Emirates expands flights to Riyadh making it 91 to Saudi Arabia each week

Emirates is adding a fourth daily flight on its route from Dubai to Riyadh starting from September 1....

 

Labor

Vacancies for UAE, Saudi execs show strong growth in Q2

Recruitment firm Robert Walters Middle East says region has bucked trend during traditionally quiet summer period for jobs...

 

Pharmaceutical

Major summit to prescribe local expansion for fast-growing sector in Saudi Arabia

According to a BMI Research report, Saudi Arabia’s pharmaceutical market will be worth SR36 billion ($9.6 billion) in the next five years and is growing...

 

Saudi-Canada

Canada appeals for German backing amid Saudi rights row

The foreign minister of Canada, which is embroiled in a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia, called for German support on Monday in Ottawa’s campaign to...

 

Hajj: 2018

Drone footage shows thousands making the Islamic pilgrimage in Mecca

More than two million Muslims have been on pilgrimage to Mecca for the Hajj...

 

Saudi +

Regional and related topics

Subsidies

Subsidizing Basic Commodities in the Gulf Arab States: Distortive and Regressive

The Gulf Arab countries allocate a large amount of funds toward subsidies for basic commodities, which include energy, water, and various foodstuffs. These policies are...

 

ISIS

Online Propaganda Builds Islamic State Brand in the Face of Military Losses

Islamic State has lost most of the territory it once held in Syria and Iraq. It is vying for survival with other, sometimes stronger, extremist...

 

Allahu Akbar

The perils of saying ‘Allahu Akbar’ in public

These recurring and overpowering misrepresentations stripped the phrase from its religious and routine meanings, and supplanted it with a popular understanding that “Allahu Akbar” foreshadowed...

 

Iran

Iran MPs vote to remove economy minister amid financial crisis

The move comes three weeks after Labour Minister Ali Rabiei was ousted in a similar process....

 

Anti-ISIS Campaign

ISIS leader in Afghanistan killed in airstrike, US says

The head of ISIS in Afghanistan, Abu Sayed Orakzai, also known as Sad Arhabi, and 10 other ISIS fighters were killed Saturday night in an...

 

Turkey

In familiar dance, Turkey warms to Russia as US ties unravel

Relations between Turkey and Russia are cozy, prompting worries in the West of a potentially critical rift in the NATO alliance. But Turkey's president may...

 

Iran in the Region

Iran says ‘no third party’ will limit its support to Syria

Iran says its presence in Syria is at the invitation of the Syrian government. “No third party can affect the presence of Iranian advisers in...

 

Afghanistan

One Year On, Little to Show for Trump’s Afghanistan Strategy

One year after President Donald Trump announced a new strategy for winning the war in Afghanistan, the United States appears to be no closer to...

 

U.S. Middle East Policy

Perspective: Toward A Smaller, Smarter Force Posture in the Middle East

To be clear, the U.S. military will never leave the Middle East. We are not advocating that it do so. However, if Defense Secretary Mattis...

 

Tesla

Shareholders Brace for Reaction on Musk Pivot, Saudis Were Interested in Minority Stake Only

While the Saudis were open to making a significant investment in the effort as a way to help the kingdom hedge against oil and attract...

 

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