MUST-READS

• Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 will need around $1 trillion in investments over several years: Report

  Debt buildup in the Saudi economy will remain in focus. However, S&P expects its growth to be gradual and concentrated with companies in the PIF portfolio. Moreover, the report expects real gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 2.2 percent in 2024 and 5 percent in 2025 for Saudi Arabia. It also notes that the non-oil economy will continue to grow, contributing a larger share of the economy due to government investments in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 projects. Saudi Arabia still faces some risks including higher-for-longer interest rates and geopolitical risks, which could mean higher spreads for the weakest companies. In addition, banks will have to find alternative ways to fund their growth. This is why the report expects the increase in leverage to be gradual.

• Saudi Arabia’s transformation from oil to green energy

  Saudi Arabia, a country historically synonymous with oil production, is making strides toward sustainability. Once reliant solely on its vast oil reserves, it is now embracing a green energy revolution that promises to reshape its economic landscape while safeguarding its environmental future.

  According to data released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Saudi Arabia experienced a staggering 219 percent year-on-year increase in renewable energy capacity in 2023. This surge, reaching 2689 MW, outpaced its regional counterparts.

• Saudi Aramco in Talks to Buy Shell Gas Stations in Malaysia

  Four unnamed sources have told Reuters that Saudi state-run oil giant Aramco is in talks to potentially acquire Shell’s billion-dollar gas station business in Malaysia, where the Dutch supergiant owns a network of nearly 1,000 fuel stations. Neither Shell nor Aramco would comment on the rumor of the talks for Reuters; however, one source told the news agency that talks began late last year and could be finalized in a matter of months.

• Saudi Manara Minerals’ team in Pakistan for talks on Reko Diq mine stake, document shows

  Executives from Saudi Arabian mining company Manara Minerals are in Islamabad to continue talks about buying a stake in Pakistan's Reko Diq gold and copper mine, a Pakistan government document showed on Monday. The mine, located in Pakistan's restive southwestern Balochistan province, is considered one of the world's largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas by global mining company Barrick Gold Corp, which owns the project jointly with Pakistan.

• Al-Samaani: Saudi Arabia is going through a phase of major legislative reforms led by Crown Prince

  Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani emphasized that Saudi Arabia is going through a phase of major legislative development and reforms, led by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. “This is in a way that ensures strengthening the stability of legal principles, consolidating the values of justice and transparency, increasing predictability of rulings, and achieving legal certainty so as to deliver justice with the highest guarantees and the easiest and most innovative methods,” he said while inaugurating the International Conference of Judicial Training 2024 in Riyadh on Monday. The two-day event is being held under the theme of “The future of judicial training in the age of digital transformation.”

• Saudi Arabia’s Abyan Capital closes $18m Series A round, led by STV

  Abyan Capital, a pioneering robo-advisory firm in Saudi Arabia, has closed an impressive $18m Series A funding round, with STV taking the lead alongside Wa’ed Ventures and RZM Investment, according to wamda. Since its inception in 2022, Abyan Capital has reshaped Saudi Arabia’s financial advisory landscape, offering automated, user-friendly, and Shariah-compliant investment and savings solutions. The company’s range of products empowers users to efficiently manage investments, optimize asset allocations, and achieve financial objectives seamlessly.

• US National Security Adviser Insists on No Saudi Defense Pact Without Israel Normalization

  Jake Sullivan, who serves as President Joe Biden’s top national security aide, told the UK-based Financial Times that the materializing deal currently being discussed with Saudi Arabia centers on a “bilateral understanding” between the US and the Gulf kingdom on defense issues as well as a nonnegotiable normalization process with Israel. Similarly, the deal would also center on a framework providing “meaningful steps on behalf of the Palestinian people,” he added.  

• China vs. U.S.: Who’s Winning Hearts and Minds?

  The U.S. is currently beating China in the competition for leadership approval in much of the world. But, as a new Gallup report shows, this approval can depend a great deal on who is in power. Based on relative net approval scores, the U.S. enjoyed an advantage in 81 out of 133 countries that Gallup surveyed in 2023, while China had an advantage in 52. The United States' net approval advantage was largest in Kosovo at +154 points (+78 U.S. net approval and -76 Chinese net approval). China’s advantage was largest in Russia at -132 points (-82 U.S. net approval and +50 Chinese net approval). In any country, net approval of the U.S. minus net approval of China results in a relative net approval score between 200 and -200. A score of 200 means everyone approves of U.S. leadership and disapproves of Chinese leadership, while a score of -200 indicates the opposite. A score of 0 suggests parity, where the U.S. and China share the same net approval score.

• Biden warns Netanyahu against major Rafah offensive as divide between the 2 leaders grows

  President Joe Biden on Monday urgently warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching an offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as the divide between the two leaders continues to grow along with the mounting Palestinian death toll. The call between Biden and Netanyahu came as Israel appeared to be moving closer to a major military operation to root out Hamas militants in Rafah — something that Biden and his top aides have repeatedly told Israeli officials will only lead to more death and worsen the despair in the war-ravaged territory.

• Hamas responds to ceasefire deal; Israel strikes in eastern Rafah

  While Hamas today said it had accepted a three-phase ceasefire/hostage release deal, Israel called Hamas’ proposal insufficient and said that it was proceeding with targeted military operations in eastern Rafah. It said it would, however, send a low-level delegation to Cairo to continue negotiations. A White House official said that Hamas had proposed some amendments to an April 26 draft negotiated by Egypt, the United States, Israel, and Qatar.

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