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“The kingdom has targeted three key areas for investment in Africa: natural resources, renewable energy, and infrastructure. At the third edition of the Future Minerals Forum in January, Saudi Arabia announced plans to invest $15 billion in mining projects globally, focusing heavily on Africa. Agreements with mineral-rich countries like Namibia, Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of Congo exemplify this commitment. Additionally, the PIF’s joint venture, Manara Minerals, expressed interest in acquiring a 30% stake in Zambia’s copper mines.” Can Saudi Arabia Successfully Woo Africa? [International Policy Digest]

TOP STORY

Moody’s upgrades Saudi Arabia’s rating on economic diversification efforts

Budget Forum Sessions 2024

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign debt rating was upgraded by Moody’s Investors Service for the first time since the company initially assessed it in 2016, driven by continued progress in the kingdom’s economic diversification and a better outlook for the non-oil sector. [more]

 

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Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports surge 16.8% in Q3: GASTAT

Via Nirmal Narayanan in arabnews.com: Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports reached SR79.48 billion ($21.17 billion) in the third quarter of 2024, a rise of 16.76 percent compared to the same period in 2023, according to official data. As reported by the General Authority for Statistics, the Kingdom exported non-oil goods worth SR19.58 billion to the UAE, followed by India and China at SR6.78 billion and SR6.48 billion. Chemical products led Saudi Arabia’s non-energy exports in the third quarter, accounting for 25.5 percent of total shipments, marking a 5.3 percent annual rise. Plastic and rubber products followed, comprising 24.9 percent of the total, with an 8.9 percent increase compared to the third quarter of 2023.

Can Saudi Arabia keep pace with its ambitious mega-project spending spree?

Via Natasha Turak in cnbc.com: One Gulf-based financier with years of experience in the kingdom told CNBC: “The PIF’s pivot towards domestic investments, widely acknowledged but now officially admitted, suggests that there is still a lot of spending needed. Saudi Arabia has poured tens of billions into projects that have yet to hint of any financial returns.” “The number of ‘we pay up front and hope for economic returns later’ giga projects that are currently underway is not sustainable,” Leber said. “With that being said,” he added, “the Saudi monarchy has shown itself to be somewhat flexible whenever economic realities assert themselves. I do think that eventually, a number of projects will be quietly shelved in order to bring its fiscal outlays back into greater sustainability.” The kingdom’s economy also swung dramatically from a budget surplus of $27.68 billion in 2022 to a deficit of $21.6 billion in 2023 as it ramped up public spending and decreased oil production due to its OPEC+ supply cut agreement. Its government forecasts a deficit of $21.1 billion for 2024, projecting revenue at $312.5 billion and expenditures at $333.5 billion.

Huge deal struck but is it enough? 5 takeaways from a dramatic COP29

Via Matt McGrath in bbc.com: COP29 is over, with developing countries complaining that the $300bn (about £240bn) a year in climate finance they will receive by 2035 is a paltry sum. Many of the rich country voices at the UNs climate conference were amazed that developing nations were unhappy with what on the surface seems a huge settlement. It is an improvement – on the current contribution of $100bn (£79.8bn) a year. However, the developing world, which had pushed for more, had many genuine issues with the final sum. There were complaints it simply was not enough and that it was a mixture of grants and loans. And countries were deeply annoyed by the way the wealthy waited until the last minute to reveal their hand.

 

MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND

Saudi Arabia hits 900+ sports sponsorships in quest for influence

The study mapped 910 sponsorships in different sports and 1,412 positions in 207 Saudi entities, noting that the kingdom has significantly expanded its web of...[By Ed Dixon via sportspro.com]

 

France’s EDF, TotalEnergies awarded Saudi solar tenders during Macron visit

TotalEnergies will build an 0.3 gigawatt (GW) solar park in Saudi Arabia, while EDF Renewables will build...[By America Hernandez via reuters.com]

 

KAPSARC and Climeworks to explore feasibility of Direct Air Capture solutions in Saudi Arabia

The MoU outlines a roadmap to assess the deployment of new DAC systems in the Kingdom, focusing on availability of natural resources including subsurface CO₂...[via climeworks.com]

 

Saudi Arabia and World Bank Group to Establish a Global Knowledge Hub in Riyadh

The World Bank Group–Saudi Arabia Knowledge Hub (K-Hub) will serve as a platform for knowledge generation and exchange to drive greater development impact for countries....[via worldbank.org]

 

How French and Saudi architects are redesigning the cities of tomorrow

Saudi Arabia today is synonymous with megaprojects. Since the launch of the Vision 2030 reform agenda, the Kingdom has rolled out a range of major...[By Zeina Zbibo via arabnews.com]

 

Saudi Arabia announces 5 new initiatives worth $60 million at SGI Forum

Saudi Arabia unveiled five new initiatives, valued at $60 million (SR 225 million), reinforcing the Kingdom's leading role on climate and environment efforts. The initiatives were...[via saudigazette.com]

 

Saudi Arabia signs solar deals with France’s TotalEnergies

A separate power purchase agreement for the Kingdom’s Al Masa’a solar power plant project was signed between the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC), French state-owned...[via alarabiya.net]

 

Crown Prince: Saudi Arabia provides $6B funding for 200 water projects

Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman inaugurated the “One Water Summit” in Riyadh on Tuesday evening in the presence of several presidents and...[via argaam.com]

 

FIFA, Clifford Chance Accused of ‘Whitewashing’ Saudi Human Rights Record in World Cup Bid

As FIFA approaches its December 11 vote to appoint the 2034 World Cup host, the football association is once again under fire for allegedly...[By Dario Sabaghi via law.com]

 

Saudi NEOM partners with CarbonCure and Gulf Cryo on low-carbon concrete push

Efforts to integrate carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies into construction in Saudi Arabia’s futuristic Neom city have taken a major step forward as CarbonCure...[By Anthony Wright via gasworld.com]

 

Saudi Arabia bets on tech to make deserts bloom

Saudi Arabia accounts for nearly 75 percent of Middle East investment in climate technology start-ups worldwide, according to a 2023 report by auditor PwC. But its...[via phys.org]

 

Saudi Arabia’s Neo Space Group to Acquire UP42 from Airbus

Saudi Arabia’s Neo Space Group (NSG) is making an acquisition in the Earth observation space, acquiring UP42 from Airbus Defence and Space. Terms of the deal were not disclosed in...[By Rachel Jewett via satellitetoday.com]

 

Locating EV Charging Stations to Enable Intercity Travel in Saudi Arabia

The development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure presents a promising pathway to reduce transportation emissions, particularly when integrated with low-carbon...[By Ryan Alyamani and Thomas Gertin via kapsarc.org]

 

How FIFA helped pave the way for Saudi 2034

In October 2023, FIFA made a surprising move that effectively set the stage for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host a future FIFA World Cup...[via playthegame.org]

 

Aramco’s Diversification Strategy: Fueling Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

Saudi Aramco is not only the largest oil producer globally but also the most profitable business, surpassing tech giants like Apple and...[By John Calabrese via agsiw.org]

 

France targets Saudi PIF’s ‘colossal’ investment power

During a three-day official state visit focused on boosting business ties, Mr Macron told a Saudi-French business forum in Riyadh that one of...[By Sunniva Rose via thenationalnews.com]

 

Macron announces France-Saudi partnership to co-host conference on creating Palestinian state

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday, December 3, that he and Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, would...[via lemonde.fr]

 

Saudi Arabia’s network of spending and influence detailed before getting 2034 World Cup from FIFA

More Saudi commercial deals are expected after the 2034 World Cup decision, either for the 2026 edition being played in North America or the revamped...[By Graham Dunbar via apnews.com]

 

Saudi energy minister sees net zero as scenario that ‘can never happen’

The minister said at the Saudi Green Initiative Forum in Riyadh that the world is currently going through a "reality check" on net zero...[By Rosemary Griffin via spglobal.com]

 

Macron: France, Saudi Arabia will co-chair conference on creating Palestinian state

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that he and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would co-chair a conference...[via alarabiya.net]

 

Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Italy on Sunday to participate in an expanded ministerial meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Fiuggi,...[via arabnews.com]

 

How Saudi Aramco’s CFO Thinks About Dividends

The world’s biggest oil producer is largely owned by the Saudi Arabian government, with less than 3% of shares trading freely on...[By Nina Trentmann via bloomberg.com]

 

Ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah looks imminent, officials say

 Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah looked set to reach a ceasefire deal on Tuesday, Israeli and Lebanese officials...[By Maayan Lubell, Maya Gebeily and Laila Bassam via reuters.com]

 
 

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