TOP STORY

Vision 2030 Marks 8th Year Since Launch

Vision 2030 logo

Launched on April 25, 2016, Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s blueprint for economic and social transformation marks it 8th year and the halfway point between 2016 and 2030.

[more]

 

TOP STORY

IMF Launches New Regional Office in Saudi Arabia

imf-saudi-sustg

The goal of the new office is to strengthen the IMF’s collaboration with governments and institutions in the Middle East including promoting economic stability, growth, and regional integration.  It also underscores the growing economic importance of the region. [more]

 

TOP STORY

Saudi’s Regional Headquarters Program Moves Forward

RHQ image, Riyadh

In February the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority published guidelines specifying RHQ tax rules. Under the new rules, specific activities qualify for tax incentives. The new RHQ tax rules aim to clarify the scope and conditions of tax relief for RHQ entities, as announced by MISA in December 2023.  [more]

 

TOP STORY

EU announces five-year Schengen visas for Saudi, Omani and Bahraini citizens

Schengen

The EU will now allow citizens from Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain to apply for five-year Schengen visas. This marks a significant step forward in strengthening people-to-people relations between the EU and the GCC.

[more]

 
 

MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND

Gulf States at the Venice Biennale: Balancing Social Transformation and Cultural Representation

Inside the Saudi pavilion, larger-than-life, sand-colored circular panels rise from the floor stretching vertically to the ceiling. They recall the shape of the desert rose,...[By Rebecca Anne Proctor via agsiw.org]

 

FIFA seals closer ties to Saudi Arabia with World Cup sponsor deal for oil firm Aramco

FIFA deepened its ties to Saudi Arabia by confirming a sponsorship on Thursday with the kingdom’s state oil firm Aramco...[By Graham Dunbar via apnews.com]

 

Saudi fund PIF’s managed assets hit $749bln in 2023

Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PIF's managed assets reached 2.81 trillion riyals ($749.2 billion) in 2023, state news agency SPA reported on Thursday. The kingdom's non-oil...[By Jana Choukeir and Nayera Abdallah via zawya.com]

 

Vision 2030: 87% of initiatives on track or completed

More than halfway through its "Saudi Vision 2030" journey, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated notable progress, with 87% of the 1,064 initiatives either completed or advancing...[via saudigazette.com]

 

Saudi Arabia marks Vision 2030’s 8-year anniversary

Today marks the eight-year anniversary of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, an ambitious blueprint aimed at transforming the Kingdom into a...[via arabianbusiness.com]

 

Saudi Arabia Makes It Clear They’re Taking Design Seriously

Set within the landmark Mediateca Santa Teresa library in Milan’s Brera district, Design Space AlUla presented a smattering of projects...[By Ryan Waddoups via surfacemag.com]

 

IDC expects Saudi Arabia’s ICT spending to hit $37.4B by 2024-end

Spending on the information and communication technology (ICT) market in Saudi Arabia is expected to reach about $37.4 billion by the end of 2024, showing...[via argaam.com]

 

Two US law firms push into Saudi Arabia under new attorney rules

Two major U.S. law firms are opening offices in Saudi Arabia following a change last year in...[By David Thomas via reuters.com]

 

India’s oil imports from Russia drops 19% in February, Saudi Arabia 2nd largest supplier

The month-on-month decline in imports from Russia comes amid lower discounts offered by Russia. Russia has been the largest source of crude for...[By Rituraj Baruah via livemint.com]

 

NDMC closes the April 2024 Issuance under the Saudi Arabian Government SAR-denominated Sukuk Program

The National Debt Management Center announces the closure of April 2024 issuance under the Saudi Arabian Government SAR-denominated Sukuk Program. The total amount allocated was...[via mof.gov]

 

‘World’s largest’ coral-restoration project unveiled in Saudi Arabia

One of Saudi Arabia's top universities has announced a Red Sea project described as the world’s largest coral reef restoration. ...[By Daniel Bardsley via thenationalnews.com]

 

Henning Larsen Architects Reveals Jeddah Opera House in Saudi Arabia

Henning Larsen Architect has just revealed the designs for The Jeddah Opera House, a new local landmark in Saudi Arabia. Drawing inspiration from the historical...[By Nour Fakharany via archdaily.com]

 

Saudi Arabia Makes Strides In Global Energy Discourse At 26th World Energy Congress

From April 22 to 25, 2024, the 26th World Energy Congress convened in the Netherlands, drawing participation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s energy industry....[By Pooja Chandak via solarquarter.com]

 

Saudi economy witnessing a fundamental shift, says minister

Speaking at the event titled “Industrial policies to promote economic diversification,” the top official said there have been fundamental changes in the legislative and economic regulations to...[via arabnews.com]

 

GCC’s project awards jump 20% to $45b despite geopolitical headwinds

The regional upswing also defies oil production cutbacks which have all weighed on economic growth in the region as seen from International Monetary Fund’s latest...[By Issac John via khaleejtimes.com]

 

Oil price could exceed $100 a barrel if Middle East conflict worsens, World Bank warns

A serious escalation of tensions in the Middle East would push the price of oil above $100 (£80) a barrel and reverse...[By Larry Elliott via theguardian.com]

 

Book Review: The Conflicts Shaping the Middle East

The recently released book “Battleground – 10 Conflicts that Explain the New Middle East” by historian Christopher Phillips provides a useful overview of ten ongoing conflicts...[By Christopher Phillips via thecipherbrief.com]

 

Greg Norman ‘open-minded’ to altering LIV’s signature 54-hole format

His comment is significant because, like LIV Golf’s team competition and shotgun starts, the...[By Cindy Boren via washingtonpost.com]

 

Saudi giga-project Diriyah Gate targets 2027 completion

Diriyah Gate, one of the first Saudi giga-projects, said this week that it was on target for completion by late 2027. The opening of the project’s...[By Andrew Hammond via agbi.com]

 

‘To the Future’: Saudi Arabia Spends Big to Become an A.I. Superpower

More than 200,000 people converged at the conference, including Adam Selipsky, chief executive of Amazon’s cloud computing division, who ...[By Adam Satariano and Paul Mozur via nytimes.com]

 

Saudi Arabia welcomes panel’s report on UNRWA’s performance

Saudi Arabia welcomed the results of an independent committee’s report on the performance of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). ...[via saudigazette.com]

 

Trump looms large over Biden’s long-shot talks on Israel-Saudi normalization

Sitting together last month, Graham and MBS spoke with Trump for roughly five minutes, two people familiar with the...[By Alayna Treene, Kylie Atwood and Phil Mattingly via cnn.com]

 

Saudi Arabia’s booming hospitality sector to add 320,000 hotel rooms by 2030

Saudi Arabia is projected to have 320,000 new hotel rooms by 2030 across the country to accommodate an influx of 150 million...[via alarabiya.net]

 

Saudi Arabia makes up 41% of GCC telecom revenues, 37% of assets

Saudi Arabia accounted for 41% of total revenues in the GCC telecommunications and information technology sector and 37% of total assets. The revenues of Saudi-listed companies listed within the...[via argaam.com]

 

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman leaves hospital after tests

Saudi King Salman left hospital after a routine check-up on Wednesday, the Royal Court said in a statement carried by the official...[By Amr Mostafa via thenationalnews.com]

 

Saudi Arabian healthcare group Fakeeh Care Group announces IPO

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Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports surge by 4.4%: GASTAT

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports, including re-exports, saw a surge of 4.4 percent in February compared to the same period of 2023, official data showed. According to...[via arabnews.com]

 

IMF To Open New Regional Office In Saudi Arabia

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Saudi Arabia’s Policy Shifts Open New Doors for Global Investors

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Saudi Arabia is becoming a hot spot for global technology manufacturing with sustainable practices in mind.

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UAE economy set to expand at ‘fastest clip’ in GCC

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U.S. and 17 Other Nations Call on Hamas to Release Hostages

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Perspective: U.S. Fixation on Nuclear Deal Let Iran Loose on the Middle East

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Biden names new special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues

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US State Dept’s Middle East spox resigns over Gaza policy

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Opinion: By cracking down on the Gaza protests, US universities are betraying their core mission

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Israel says it is poised to move on Rafah

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In Iran, talk of capacity to build nukes sparks bipartisan backlash

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused the US of attempting a Libya-style shutdown of Iran’s nuclear facilities. This comes as some Iranian officials have...[via amwaj.media]

 

Israel’s Next Front? Iran, Hezbollah, and the Coming War in Lebanon

Over the past six months, tensions along Israel’s border with Lebanon have escalated dramatically. Israel has now deployed 100,000 troops to its north to confront...[By Maha Yahya via foreignaffairs.com]

 

IAEA may hold ‘high-level’ talks in Iran as nuclear concerns grow

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Despite backlash, Bahrain goes all in on supercar brand

Mumtalakat, Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, last month expanded its shares to become sole owner of the British McLaren Group....[By Nazeeha Saeed via amwaj.media]

 

Will Biden enable Pakistani energy imports from Iran?

Ebrahim Raisi has traveled to Pakistan, marking the first trip by an Iranian president to the country’s eastern neighbor in over eight years. Iranian state...[via amwaj.media]

 

No Soft Power Shake-Ups for Now

President Joe Biden may not have fully restored the image of the U.S. abroad, but it is in better condition now than it was...[By Julie Ray via gallup.com]

 

Israel gears up for Rafah civilian evacuation ahead of promised assault

Israel has procured tens of thousands of tents for Palestinian civilians it intends to evacuate from Rafah...[By Dan Williams via reuters.com]

 

Inside the White House’s Scramble to Avert a Bigger Middle East War

Over the course of 19 days, U.S. officials raced to contain escalating tensions between Israel and Iran amid a series of attacks. WSJ’s Michael...[By Michael R. Gordon via wsj.com]

 

Israel’s Iran attack carefully calibrated after internal splits, US pressure

Israel's apparent strike on Iran after days of vacillation was small...[By Samia Nakhoul, Parisa Hafezi and James Mackenzie via reuters.com]

 

Perspective: Newcomers Bring New Rules

The world’s challenges are increasingly complex. Borders could not stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, but Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine demonstrated that the...[By Jon B. Alterman and Lily McElwee via csis.org]

 

Amid Iran-Israel confrontation, large blast at Iraqi base raises questions

A massive explosion at a base used by Iraqi security forces, including the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), has raised questions over culpability. The blast has...[via amwaj.media]

 

Why British and US strikes on Yemen are not working

On Jan. 11, 2024, Britain and the US initiated airstrikes in Yemen with the stated goal to degrade the capabilities of the Ansarullah movement—better...[By Ibrahim Jalal via amwaj.media]

 

Iran’s Israel strike coincided with crackdown on dissent at home

The same day Iran launched its first ever direct attack...[By Parisa Hafezi via reuters.com]

 

Israel military strikes northern Gaza in heaviest shelling in weeks

Israel bombarded northern Gaza overnight in some of the heaviest shelling in weeks, panicking residents and flattening...[By Nidal Al-Mughrabi via reuters.com]

 

Settler terrorism: Palestinians are becoming prisoners in their own homeland

The recent surge of settler terrorism and violence in the occupied West Bank is the inevitable culmination of years of policy decisions. Over the past...[By Falastine Saleh via middleeasteye.net]

 

Opinion: The Coming Arab Backlash Middle Eastern Regimes—and America—Ignore Public Anger at Their Peril

It is difficult to exaggerate the extent to which Arabs blame the United States for this war. They can see that only U.S. weapons sales...[By Marc Lynch via foreignaffairs.com]

 
 

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