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  • ACWA Power Wins First Utility-Scale Solar Energy Project in Saudi Arabia
     

    Saudi Arabia has announced that ACWA Power, the Saudi power generation and desalination company, has won the contract for the first utility scale solar power project in Saudi Arabia with a record-breaking tariff of 2.34 US-cents per kilowatt-hour, according to reports. ACWA Power announced the win on its website on Tuesday. “This plant is the first of what […]

     
  • Saudi Embassy Spokeswoman: ‘The Kingdom is not Easternizing or Westernizing, it’s Modernizing’
     

    The first spokeswoman for the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Fatimah Baeshen, said in an interview that the Kingdom is not sacrificing culture or values with its Vision 2030 economic and social reform program and that the program has “something for everyone” in Saudi Arabia. The well-spoken Baeshen, who was appointed by Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the […]

     
  • Saudi Aramco CEO Says Company Eying U.S. Expansion
     

    Saudi Aramco’s CEO Amin Nasser said the company was eying expansion in the United States “where President Donald Trump’s tax cuts and support for the oil industry are making business increasingly attractive,” Reuters reports. Nasser also lauded the Trump administration as being friendly toward the oil industry. “The Trump administration has been positive towards the energy […]

     
  • Report: Locations Scouted for Potential Nuclear Power Plant Sites in Saudi Arabia
     

    Saudi Arabia is eying initial work on two sites for its first nuclear power plants, a report in MEED said, as the Kingdom looks to bolster alternative sources of energy to free up oil for export and power the growth needed for its Vision 2030 program. The kingdom has shortlisted two sites “and has invited […]

     
  • Saudi Arabia Announces 9 New Desalination Plants in 18 Months
     

    Saudi Arabia said it would build 9 new desalination plants in the next 18 months on the Red Sea coast, according to an announcement by the Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Eng. Abdulrahman al-Fadhli. The new plants will cost SAR 2 billion ($533 million). The minister said the plants would be built “using modern techniques” […]

     
  • Saudi Alternative Energy Sector Set for Big Year with Localization in Focus
     

    With U.S. shale now forecasted by analysts and the U.S. EIA to out-produce Saudi Arabia and Russia in 2018, and Saudi Arabia needing to burn less of its own oil for domestic use and continue toward a more sustainable economy, alternative energy in the Kingdom has never been hotter. Saudi leaders have long talked about the benefit of a […]

     
  • Will Saudi Arabia Purchase a Stake in Hollywood’s Largest Agency?
     

    Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is in talks to buy a 5-10% stake in Endeavor, the holding company for Hollywood talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME), for $500 million, according to reports. The Beverly-Hills, California based agency formed in 2009 as a merger between William Morris Agency and Endeavor Agency and represents artists across […]

     
  • Bloomberg News, MiSK Launch Course in Dubai to Train Aspiring Saudi Journalists
     

    Bloomberg news and Saudi Arabia’s MiSK Foundation have teamed up to launch a course on financial reporting to train aspiring Saudi journalists, according to a report in Arab News. The intensive week-long course is taught at the Bloomberg Middle East headquarters in Dubai. 30 Saudi undergraduates, including 22 women and eight men, were chosen by MiSK […]

     
  • Report: Saudi Government, SBG in Talks for State Takeover of Troubled Construction Giant
     

    Saudi Arabia is taking managerial control of Saudi Binladin Group (SBG) and discussing a possible transfer of some of the giant construction group’s assets to the state while its chairman and other family members are in detention, Reuters reports today citing sources. Binladin is the biggest builder in the country and important to Saudi Arabia’s plans for […]

     
  • Ride-Sharing Apps in Saudi Arabia Begin Recruiting Women as Drivers
     

    Ride sharing apps Uber and Careem have reportedly begun recruiting female drivers following the landmark royal decree permitting women the right to drive in Saudi Arabia, CNN reports. Careem has launched a series of 90-minute-long training sessions in Saudi, targeting Saudi women who have already obtained valid driving licenses from abroad. Those sessions are “taught by […]

     

MUST-READS

  • King Salman orders the naming of 15 Riyadh squares after Saudi imams and kings

    The Riyadh Municipality has begun installing road signs, bearing the names of imams and kings, at 15 main squares in the capital. It reflects the leadership’s commitment to honoring national figures who have contributed to building and developing the Saudi state while preserving their legacy and reinforcing national identity, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. The initiative includes installing signs and updating street names. The effort aligns with the municipality’s strategy to enhance national identity in public spaces, and supports Vision 2030 by highlighting the historic and cultural values shaping the homeland’s identity.

  • Saudi Arabia tops MENA for venture capital investment in 2024

    Saudi Arabia maintained for the second year its top position across MENA region in terms of the amount of venture capital (VC) funding. The Kingdom held more than 40% of VC investments in the region, or $750 million, in 2024, according to venture data platform MAGNiTT. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) came second with $613 million. The value of venture investments in Saudi Arabia was down 44% in 2024, driven by an 85% year-on-year (YoY) decline in the value of mega deals (deals exceeding $100 million). According to the Saudi VC Report for 2024, VC deals hit a record high during the period, reaching 178, up 16% YoY, driven by increased early-stage activity.

  • Arab leaders meet in Saudi Arabia to hash out Gaza plan

    The official Saudi Press Agency said the "fraternal consultative" meeting saw an "exchange of views on various regional and international issues, especially joint efforts in support of the Palestinian cause, and developments in the situation in the Gaza Strip". Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's office said he had left the Saudi capital after the sit-down with the leaders of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Saudi source had told AFP that the summit participants would discuss "a reconstruction plan to counter Trump's plan for Gaza". The Gaza Strip is largely in ruins after more than 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas, with the United Nations recently estimating that reconstruction will cost more than $53 billion.

  • Saudi Arabia hosts ‘informal’ Arab summit on post-war Gaza

    Saudi Arabia hosted an “informal” summit of Arab states in its capital Riyadh on 21 February to discuss regional efforts to propose an alternative to US President Donald Trump’s controversial expulsion and reconstruction plan for Gaza. It was hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) and attended by Jordanian King Abdullah II, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed (MbZ), Kuwaiti Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The summit began and ended on Friday, and no final statement was issued. A Saudi source told AFP that the “discussion was confidential.”

  • Saudi Arabia Boosts Travel Industry and Non-Oil Economy

    In a historic turn for Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification, the kingdom’s non-oil private sector economy recorded its strongest growth in over a decade in January 2025. Buoyed by a significant surge in new orders and accelerating business output, the Saudi Arabia Kingdom’s economy continues to reap the benefits of its strategic push to reduce reliance on oil, positioning Boosts itself as a global leader in non-oil industries. One of the primary drivers behind this impressive growth has been the uptick in new orders within the kingdom’s non-oil private sector. According to Riyad Bank’s Chief Economist Naif Al-Ghaith, nearly 45% of businesses across the sector reported higher sales volumes, which they attribute to improved economic conditions and the rapid acceleration of key infrastructure projects. These projects, part of the broader Vision 2030 transformation, continue to be a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s diversification strategy.

  • Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup could be year’s best race

    Saturday's $20 million Saudi Cup is not only the richest race in the world, but also, potentially, this year's best. And that 1 1/8 miles is only the capper on a program that has stars from around the globe competing from sprints to marathons, on dirt and on turf. The question of the day is: Can Romantic Warrior, the Hong Kong superstar already ranked as the top money-earner in Thoroughbred history, transition successfully from turf to the dirt surface at King Abdulaziz Racecourse? If he can, even the opposition reckons him a good bet to earn his 11th Group 1 victory in a fifth nation and push his earnings over the $33 million mark. The "undercard" has runners who have competed in the world's top races, including last year's winner, Remake; reigning Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Straight No Chaser; and Japan Cup runner-up Shin Emperor. The Saudi Derby has several contenders who could go on to the UAE Derby and the Run for the Roses.

  • King Salman approves Saudi riyal symbol

    King Salman on Thursday approved the official symbol for the Saudi riyal, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the Kingdom’s financial journey, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency. Saudi Central Bank Gov. Ayman Al-Sayari expressed his gratitude to the nation’s leadership for launching the symbol, which he believes “reinforces Saudi Arabia’s financial identity both locally and globally.” Al-Sayari further noted that this initiative underscores the growing international influence of the Saudi riyal, while also fostering a sense of national pride and cultural unity. He added that the newly designed symbol represents the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage.

  • How to Celebrate Saudi Founding Day in 2025: Culture, Heritage, and Luxury Experiences

    Saudi Founding Day, celebrated annually on February 22, is a momentous occasion that honours the deep-rooted history, culture, and heritage of the Kingdom. Whether you are in Saudi Arabia or beyond, there are various immersive experiences to mark this special day. From engaging in cultural events to indulging in luxury hospitality, here’s how to celebrate Saudi Founding Day in 2025.

  • Saudi Arabia unveils new Saudi riyal symbol, design derived from Arabic calligraphy

    Saudi Arabia on Thursday unveiled a symbol for the Saudi riyal approved by King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, citing the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). The reveal of the Saudi riyal symbol is a historic move that is set to reinforce the Saudi currency’s identity, according to the report. The Saudi riyal symbol “embodies the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage, carrying the name of the national currency ‘Riyal’ in a design derived from Arabic calligraphy,” SPA said. The implementation of the new symbol will be gradual for financial and commercial transactions, with coordination across all relevant entities, al-Sayari added. The initiative aims to promote national identity and cultural belonging, highlight the role of the national currency, and showcase the Kingdom among major global economies and G20 members, SPA reported. The governor acknowledged all departments involved in the symbol's development project led by SAMA, including the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Media, and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization.

  • Normalization and Displacement: Saudi Arabia and Trump’s Gaza Proposal

    For Saudi Arabia, Palestinian displacement significantly stymies the prospects of normalization. Thus, the two projects are not merely intersecting but fundamentally incompatible. This incompatibility represents one of the potential sources of disagreement with Trump in his second term, alongside his demands for lower oil prices, which conflict with Saudi Arabia’s interest in maintaining high oil prices to fund its domestic needs and Vision 2030 projects. The kingdom is beginning to realize that dealing with Trump in a second term will be more challenging than during his first. Nevertheless, the overall atmosphere between the two sides remains positive. Trump chose Saudi Arabia to host a February 18 US-Russian summit, and Saudi Arabia has avoided any negative remarks about Trump in the current crisis, focusing its criticism on Israel.