MUST-READS

• Saudi Arabia may hike May crude oil prices to Asia

  Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia may raise the official selling price (OSP) for flagship Arab Light crude in May after Middle East benchmarks strengthened last month, industry sources said. The May OSP for Arab Light crude could rise by 20 to 30 cents a barrel from April, according to a Reuters survey of six refining sources. The expectation of higher prices comes after the backwardation structure in the Dubai benchmark narrowed by 33 cents a barrel in March versus February, Reuters data showed. When the market is in backwardation, prompt prices are higher than those in future months, implying tight supply.

• Saudi Arabia announces cultural cooperation award with China

  The Saudi Ministry of Culture announced on Thursday the launch of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Award for Cultural Cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China, at the King Abdulaziz Public Library branch in Beijing, Saudi Press Agency reported. This award aims to acknowledge the efforts of researchers, artists and translators from both countries, offering grants to support their continuing work. It is designed to spur enhanced collaboration and shared creative efforts.

• Saudi Green Initiative: Targets and progress so far

  The SGI was launched by MBS on March 27, 2021, and has since played an important role in accelerating environment protection efforts, transitioning the energy sector, and implementing sustainability programs in various fields.

• Private equity investing in Saudi Arabia reached $4 billion in 2023

  Private equity investing is blasting off in Saudi Arabia. After crossing the $1 billion threshold in 2022 and growing nearly 6X in the prior year, the industry quadrupled to $4 billion in 2023 across 30 deals, according to new data from Magnitt. The kingdom is at a “pivotal intersection,” Huda Al Lawati, Founder & CEO of Gulf-based investment manager Aliph Capital, said in Magnitt’s report.

• Saudi Arabia embraces challenge of 2034 World Cup prep

  To host the 48-team World Cup, the country “needs 14 all-seater stadiums capable of holding at least 40,000 people.” Saudi Arabia currently has two: Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Riyadh’s “venerable” King Fahd International Stadium, which is “undergoing a major refit.” Among its 30-plus stadiums, “many are old, small and have fields surrounded by running tracks.”

• Project to save Historic Jeddah buildings completed thanks to SR50m from Saudi crown prince

  The Historic Jeddah district contains more than 600 buildings, including 36 mosques, as well as five marketplace sites, ancient squares, and other locations of historical importance, such as the Waterfront, that were vital stopping-off points for Muslim pilgrims in days gone by. Many are being restored and renovated to help preserve and illustrate the history of the Hajj since the dawn of Islam.

• Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate declines to 4.4 percent in Q4 2023

  Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate declined 0.7 percent to 4.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the year-ago period. In its latest report, the General Authority for Statistics revealed that the unemployment rate among Saudi nationals saw a 0.9 percent quarterly decrease and a 0.3 percent annual decrease to 7.7 percent in Q4 of 2023. The participation of Saudi nationals in the labor force saw a 0.3 percent decline to 51.3 percent. Meanwhile, the employment-to-population ratio of Saudis saw a 0.2 percent increase to 47.4 percent.

• UAE, Saudi Arabia ranked as leading global entrepreneurial ecosystems

  The UAE and Saudi Arabia have been ranked first and third respectively in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report for 2023-2024. The report, which assesses the entrepreneurial ecosystems of countries worldwide, is highly regarded by international bodies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and various UN organizations, Saudi Arabia showed significant progress in its entrepreneurial environment, with its National Entrepreneurship Context Index score increasing from 5.0 in 2019 to 6.3 in both 2022 and 2023.

• Saudi Arabia to chair UN forum on women’s rights and gender equality

  A decision by the United Nations to appoint Saudi Arabia as the chair of a gender equality forum has been criticized by women’s rights advocates.

  The UN’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) unanimously appointed Saudi Arabia to chair its 69th session in 2025, according to the Saudi Arabia Mission to the UN. Saudi ambassador to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, was elected as chair Wednesday.

• Saudi Arabia to host conference on role of universities in promoting peaceful coexistence

  Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh will host an international conference next month titled “The Role of Universities in Promoting the Values of National Belonging and Peaceful Coexistence.” It will take place on April 28 and 29 under the patronage of King Salman. Ahmed bin Salem Al-Ameri, the president of the university, thanked the king for his support and said the aim of the event is to “highlight the experiences of universities in promoting these lofty values, and to demonstrate the importance of correct doctrine and the approach of moderation,” the Saudi Press agency reported on Wednesday.

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