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  • China seeks stronger economic ties with Saudi Arabia beyond crude oil as Middle East seeks ‘ideal partner’

    “A secure supply of oil is China’s most critical interest,” said Oliver John, a non-resident scholar at the Washington-based Middle East Institute. “From Aramco’s perspective, China is a critical and growing market … taking over a quarter of Saudi crude exports.” Saudi Arabia was China’s largest crude oil supplier last year, with shipments of 87.5 million metric tonnes (641 million barrels), or 17.2 per cent of national crude imports, customs data showed.

  • Saudi Arabia’s Neom, Telfaz11 Strike Film, TV Production Partnership

    Neom, the burgeoning production hub in northwestern Saudi Arabia, and Telfaz11, a studio specializing in content from the Middle East that was behind this year’s Saudi Oscar submission Raven Song, have struck a partnership for the creation of up to nine TV and film projects over the next three years. “The collaboration between Neom and Telfaz11 will accelerate the growth of Neom’s media industries ecosystem, ensuring a rich pipeline of productions, including two feature films and one series currently in development under the new arrangement,” the partners said Thursday.

  • Saudi Arabia’s Neom Hydrogen Project Sees Output Starting Next Year

    By mid-2024, the company will be making hydrogen for vehicles such as buses and trucks, Chief Executive Officer Dave Edmondson said in an interview Dubai. A larger plant, focusing on exports, is also being developed. Neom Green Hydrogen — a venture between local firm ACWA Power, state-backed Neom and US-based Air Products & Chemicals Inc. — is part of Riyadh’s ambitious plans to expand in clean-tech industries as it prepares for a future beyond fossil fuels. Green hydrogen is still far more expensive than oil and natural gas, but developers are confident they can reduce costs enough to make it competitive.

  • Türkiye becomes part of Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route Initiative

    The Makkah Route Initiative, which began in 2019 as part of the "Guests of God Service Program," one of many initiatives in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, has now reached out to include Türkiye. This initiative is being carried out in Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Ivory Coast, as well as Türkiye, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry.

  • Saudi Arabia’s Neom Hydrogen Project Sees Output Starting Next Year

    Neom Green Hydrogen — a venture between local firm ACWA Power, state-backed Neom and US-based Air Products & Chemicals Inc. — is part of Riyadh’s ambitious plans to expand in clean-tech industries as it prepares for a future beyond fossil fuels. Green hydrogen is still far more expensive than oil and natural gas, but developers are confident they can reduce costs enough to make it competitive.

  • Saudi Arabian and U.S. Tech Startups Conduct Multi-City Tour Across the United States

    Twenty representatives from Saudi Arabia’s public and private sectors embarked on a multi-city tour to facilitate connections between the startup ecosystems of the United States and Saudi Arabia, with a specific emphasis on supporting women in the tech industry.  The tour included the SelectUSA Summit’s tech startup program in Washington, D.C., a Detroit city startup program, and a San Francisco & Silicon Valley startup program.  It was supported by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA), and The Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (MONSHA’AT).

  • Saudi Arabian and U.S. Tech Startups Conduct Multi-City Tour Across the United States

    Twenty representatives from Saudi Arabia’s public and private sectors embarked on a multi-city tour to facilitate connections between the startup ecosystems of the United States and Saudi Arabia, with a specific emphasis on supporting women in the tech industry.  The tour included the SelectUSA Summit’s tech startup program in Washington, D.C., a Detroit city startup program, and a San Francisco & Silicon Valley startup program.  It was supported by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence (SDAIA), and The Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (MONSHA’AT).

  • Saudi Arabia’s Neom Hydrogen Project Sees Output Starting Next Year

    The Neom hydrogen project, part of a $500 billion industrial and tourist development on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, will begin producing fuel for transportation next year, according to the head of the venture. By mid-2024, Neom will be making hydrogen for vehicles such as buses and trucks, Dave Edmondson, chief executive officer of Neom Green Hydrogen Co., said in Dubai. A larger plant, focusing on exports, is also being developed. NGHC — a venture between local firm ACWA Power, state-backed Neom and US-based Air Products & Chemicals Inc. — is part of Riyadh’s ambitious plans to expand in clean-tech industries as it prepares for a future beyond fossil fuels. Green hydrogen is still far more expensive than oil and natural gas, but developers are confident they can reduce costs enough to make it competitive.

  • Saudi Arabia Changes Tack With Pop Stars and Pop Art

    What does arguably the world’s greatest footballer have in common with a leading light of mid-century pop art and a Grammy-winning singer? Until recently, not much. That was until Saudi Arabia decided to start spending billions to use icons of western culture like Lionel Messi, Andy Warhol and Alicia Keys to turn itself into the next tourist hotspot. The kingdom, under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wants to diversify its economy by tapping the disposable income of travelers and its own burgeoning younger generation.

  • Saudi Arabia Doubles-Down on Investment in Electronic Arts

    Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has increased its stake in Electronic Arts, building upon its massive $38 billion already invested in the video game industry. The Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund has increased its shares in Electronic Arts by 55%, going from owning 16.01 million shares to now 24.81 million shares, according to a financial filing observed by Seeking Alpha. EA’s sports titles include Madden NFL, EA Sports PGA Tour, NHL, F1, and FIFA—though future installments of the popular soccer series will be branded as EA Sports FC after EA and FIFA failed to agree to a new licensing agreement.