MUST-READS

• Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt to discuss Gaza ceasefire: Official

  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia and Egypt this week to discuss efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday. Blinken will hold talks with Saudi leaders in Jeddah on Wednesday before travelling to Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian authorities, spokesman Matthew Miller said from the Philippines, where Blinken is touring. This will be Blinken’s sixth trip to the Middle East since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7.

• Saudi Arabia’s First International Music Academy Launches in Taif

  The Nahawand Center will offer educational, training and musical research programs, aiming to support emerging Saudi talents and contribute to evolving the music industry within the Kingdom. The academy features various departments such as the oud and oriental singing, the piano and vocals training, along with the lute and Eastern music.

• Saudi Aramco CEO says energy transition is failing, world should abandon ‘fantasy’ of phasing out oil

  Gas has grown 70% since the start of the century, Nasser said. The transition from coal to gas is responsible for two-thirds of the reductions in carbon emissions in the U.S., he said. “This is hardly the future picture some have been painting,” Nasser said. “Even they are starting to acknowledge the importance of oil and gas security.”

• Saudi crude exports fall for second straight month in January

  Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports fell in January for a second straight month, data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) showed on Monday. Crude exports from the world’s largest oil exporter dipped 0.2% to 6.297 million barrels per day (bpd), down from 6.308 million bpd in December. The country’s crude production rose to 8.956 million bpd from 8.944 million bpd in December. Monthly export figures are provided by Riyadh and other members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to JODI, which publishes them on its website.

• PwC signs major digital consulting MoUs in Saudi Arabia

  PwC’s digital consulting team in Saudi Arabia has beefed up its portfolio of work in the public sector with the signing of six new major agreements. Announced and formalised during the Kingdom’s flagship tech event LEAP, PwC has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Ahad, Digital Government Authority, Ejada, Mobily, Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, and Tawuniya. All six clients are Saudi government entities, with the scope of work to focus on digital transformation, tech innovation, digital advancement, tech upskilling, and cybersecurity. Further details on the intentions have not been disclosed

• In key concession to Turkey, Iraq bans PKK

  Iraq’s government has banned the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) ahead of an expected visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan next month. This comes as Turkey is expected to launch another major offensive against its longtime Kurdish foe inside Iraq this summer. Although the Iraqi ban seemingly stops short of labeling the PKK as a terrorist organization, it represents a major concession—possibly in hopes that Ankara will reciprocate on key issues like trade and water resource management.

• Saudi’s New Murabba ‘open for international investment’, says CEO

  The New Murabba Development Company (New Murabba) showcased its ambitious plans for urban redevelopment and invited international investors to participate in the project at the global real estate trade show, MIPIM 2024, in Cannes, France. In February last year, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz launched the company to undertake an ambitious development project: building the world’s largest downtown in Riyadh by 2030. The project aims to add SAR180bn to the country’s non-oil GDP and create 334,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2030.

• Saudi’s Almarai to invest $4.8bn until 2028 to expand operations

  Saudi Arabia’s Almarai, the Middle East’s largest dairy company, plans to invest more than 18 billion Saudi riyals ($4.8 billion) until 2028 to boost its existing businesses and expand into new segments. The plan includes 7 billion riyals for poultry expansion and 5 billion riyals for strengthening food categories such as dairy, juice and bakery, the company said in a bourse filing to the Saudi stock exchange Tadawul, where its shares are traded. It is also looking at growing “promising” operating sectors such as frozen food products, red meat, seafood and ice cream. Almarai said that one billion riyals would be allocated to entering new food segments, and four billion riyals to developing supply chain and sales capabilities to support local and regional expansion plans.

• Saudi Crown Prince, UN secretary general discuss Gaza situation 

  Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received a phone call from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the Saudi Press Agency said early Tuesday. The pair discussed the latest developments in Gaza and efforts towards achieving peace and stability.

• Algeria, Egypt,  Saudi to host FIFA’s new friendly series

  Egypt became the fifth country to be selected as host of a new series of friendly games introduced by FIFA to allow teams from different confederations to play each other, the world football governing body said today, Reuters reported. It joins Algeria and Saudi Arabia which have previously been chosen as hosts. The pilot phase was expanded to feature 24 national teams from three continents, FIFA said in a statement. The Egypt edition – which will take place from 22-26 March – will also include Croatia, Tunisia and New Zealand.

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