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  • Saudi Arabia Plans to Increase State Spending by More than 7 Percent in 2019
     

    Saudi Arabia plans to ramp up state spending by more than 7 percent in 2019, according to a budget released by the Finance Ministry on Tuesday. Spending is projected to rise to $295 billion next year, Arab News reports, an increase of $25 billion over 2018’s figure of $270 billion. The move is seen as an effort […]

     
  • Saudi Private Sector Growth hits 11 Month High as Economy Adjusts to Reforms
     

    Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector grew at its fastest rate for 11 months in November, Reuters reports, citing a monthly survey of companies. The positive private sector growth figure is “a sign that the economy may finally be recovering from austerity measures” imposed at the start of 2018 as part of the Kingdom’s economic reform plans, which […]

     
  • Senate Set to Vote On Measure to End U.S. Support Saudi Arabia in Yemen as Pompeo Pens Op-Ed Touting ‘Vital Partnership’
     

    The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on legislation as early as Wednesday that would end U.S. involvement in the Saudi Arabia-backed war in Yemen, as the Trump Administration continues to publicly express support for the U.S.-Saudi relationship. Politico reports that the bill introduced by Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) “has gained support since […]

     
  • Trump Taps Gen. John Abizaid as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
     

    President Trump has selected Retired Four-Star General John Abizaid to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. An experienced military leader who retired from the U.S. Army in 2007 after 34 years of service, Gen. Abizaid was head of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). At the time of his retirement, Abizaid was the longest serving commander […]

     
  • Top Think Tank in Saudi Arabia Studying ‘Hypothetical World Without OPEC’
     

    Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center in Riyadh is studying what happens to oil markets in a hypothetical world without OPEC, according to the Wall Street Journal and other reports. The study does not represent government thinking or any active discussions about OPEC within the Saudi government. “We’re looking at what happens if […]

     
  • Severe Weather, Rains Across Saudi Arabia Kill 14
     

    Damaging rains and floods have killed 14 people in Saudi Arabia in recent days as officials say the weather across the Kingdom this year has been among the most severe in decades. The heavy rain has affected 13 areas of the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Since Oct. 19, the Command and Guidance Center in […]

     
  • Blackstone Establishes Energy Investment Vehicle for MENA Region
     

    Blackstone, the world’s largest buyout group with over $15 billion of equity globally with the energy industry has established Zarou, a company designed to develop, finance, construct and operate energy-related projects in the MENA region. According to the Financial Times, Blackstone will team with Sameh Shenouda, former head of infrastructure equity investments at the UK’s development finance […]

     
  • Global Advisory Board for NEOM Includes Diverse Experts
     

    The Saudi government has appointed a global advisory board for Neom, the kingdom’s $500 billion city of the future planned for Saudi Arabia’s northwest coast near Egypt on the Red Sea. The board is composed of experts in a variety of sectors – including urban planning, architecture, design, technology, sustainability, energy and manufacturing – to provide […]

     
  • Oil Reaches Four Year High after OPEC+ Downplays Calls for Increased Production
     

    Oil rose to its highest price in four years on Tuesday, to above $81 on Brent, after Saudi Arabia and Russia appeared to downplay calls from the US to increase production. Saudi Arabia said it will boost its crude oil production “in the coming months” as it expects stronger demand, according to recent comments made by […]

     
  • Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih in Washington Today to Meet with Secretary Perry
     

    Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih is in Washington D.C. on Monday to meet with Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, according to a Reuters report which cited a Trump administration official and the Department of Energy. Saudi Arabia has markedly increased oil exports to America in recent months, according to Bloomberg. This weekend, the energy minister […]

     

MUST-READS

  • Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate down to 7.6% in Q1 2024

    The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia fell to 7.6% in the first quarter of 2024, compared to 7.8% in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the General Authority for Statistics’ (GASTAT) labor force survey. However, the employment-to-population ratio rose to 47.5% on a quarterly basis in Q1 2024. Saudi women’s employment also rose to 35.8% in the same period.

  • Hevolution Foundation is Leading Saudi’s Drive for Longevity

    “Hevolution isn't about longevity or living longer. It is about living healthier for as long as possible. And if we can compress the years we spend with illness and loss of function, that can have a significant impact on quality of life," Mehmood Khan, CEO of Hevolution Foundation tells Inc. Arabia.

  • Tech Industry Wants to Lock Up Nuclear Power for AI

    The owners of roughly a third of U.S. nuclear-power plants are in talks with tech companies to provide electricity to new data centers needed to meet the demands of an artificial-intelligence boom. Among them, Amazon Web Services is nearing a deal for electricity supplied directly from a nuclear plant on the East Coast with Constellation Energy CEG -2.20%decrease; red down pointing triangle, the largest owner of U.S. nuclear-power plants, according to people familiar with the matter. In a separate deal in March, the Amazon.com AMZN -2.32%decrease; red down pointing triangle subsidiary purchased a nuclear-powered data center in Pennsylvania for $650 million.

  • Why GCC states are boosting their energy footprint in the region

    As geopolitical uncertainties rise, Gulf Arab states have adopted a two-pronged strategy for their energy investments. First, they are pivoting to Asian markets—a move aimed at securing buyers for their energy exports. This comes as the center of gravity for demand is moving away from member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and towards developing Asia, which now represents the primary focus for growth. Second, Gulf states are broadening their oil and gas investments to include less politically stable countries in the region, such as Iraq and Lebanon, as well as emerging energy-rich economies in the South Caucasus—including Azerbaijan.

  • Christie’s celebrates Saudi artist Ahmed Mater and poetic power of art

    “This was the first language of art that told me that art is symbolic, that art is telling a story, that art is your voice,” Mater tells The National. “Here, art is from society, it's part of the family. Art was not inside a frame. It's art for life. It's coming out of the frame to be part of the walls, part of our lifestyle.”

  • Aramco to buy 10% stake in Renault-Geely thermal engines venture

    Oil producer Saudi Aramco (2223.SE), opens new tab will buy a 10% stake in a thermal engines joint venture between French carmaker Renault and Chinese automaker Geely, the companies said on Friday, valuing the business at 7.40 billion euros ($7.93 billion). Geely (0175.HK), opens new tab and Renault (RENA.PA), opens new tab will own around 45% each of the powertrain venture, called Horse Powertrain, which will supply gasoline engines, hybrid systems and gearboxes for thermal vehicles.

  • Saudi Arabia aims to triple Umrah pilgrims to 30 million annually

    Saudi Arabia is seeking to increase the number of Muslims performing Umrah, or the minor pilgrimage, to reach 30 million a year, an official has said. "Every year, there is an increase in numbers," Abdulrahman bin Fahd, an assistant undersecretary for Umrah Affairs, told Saudi television Al Ekhbariya. He cited a plan aiming to target more than 10 million Umrah pilgrims this year.

  • Why Saudi Arabia matters more than ever to the US in a volatile Middle East

    American critics often highlight a lack of "shared values" between the U.S. and the Kingdom when they argue against a security alliance between these two countries. What they mean is that Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy and, thus, not a worthy ally because it is not democratic. Focusing on this difference alone ignores the many values and interests actually shared between the two countries. Among these is a mutual desire for an open capitalist world economy, predictable energy markets, safe trade routes, the containment of rogue states that violate international law, and a stable Middle East.

  • The EU and GCC have embarked on a new era of strategic partnership

    The EU has become acutely aware of the absolute urgency of a fresh and coherent approach to reflect, strengthen and lead the growing strategic convergence with the GCC around trade, investment and new technologies; energy security, climate change and green transition; people to people; regional, global security and humanitarian challenges; and a new generation of dedicated institutional engagements.

  • India and Iran Move Forward on Long-Delayed Chabahar Port Project

    On May 13, India signed a 10-year agreement with Iran to develop and operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal of Iran’s strategic Chabahar port. The new agreement follows a previously promised Indian investment in 2016 of a potential $500 million. It comes after multiple failures to fully implement a previous deal concluded in May 2016 to develop two terminals and five berths at Chabahar port to transport goods and gas from Central Asia to India and handle other international cargo.