MUST-READS

• Saudi Arabia spends over SAR 500M on mineral exploration: Deputy Minister

  Saudi Arabia is currently spending more than SAR 500 million on mineral exploration, compared to less than SAR 25 million in 2018, with an eye for 50% more year-on-year (YoY) in 2024, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al-Mudaifer. “Spending on exploration activities has grown by 40% YoY from SAR 80 per square kilometer to SAR 300, albeit still below the global average. Thus, we aspire to increase it by 50%, in a bid to align growth with global rates,” he told the press conference on the fourth International Mining Conference. The official also indicated that a total of 70 foreign and local exploration partnerships were established this year. Further, programs and incentives worth about SAR 780 million were created for investors in the exploration domain.

• Analysis: The hidden challenge of Saudi unemployment

  The rapid expansion of government employment has created a significant wage gap between the public and private sectors. Government jobs, with higher salaries and better benefits, have made it harder for private employers to attract top talent. This distortion threatens the competitiveness of the private sector — which must be fostered to achieve the economic diversification goals under Vision 2030. As the best talent gravitates toward government roles, the private sector risks being sidelined. Without a competitive labor market, it will struggle to drive innovation, productivity, and sustainable job creation. Reducing unemployment to 5% by 2030 is an ambitious and commendable goal, but its success depends on more than hitting numerical targets. Saudi Arabia’s true transformation will be measured not by how many jobs are created, but by how many are still viable a decade from now.

• Saudi FM joins Arab, US diplomats in calling for new, inclusive Syrian state

  Jordan: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan joined top diplomats from the US, Turkiye, the European Union and Arab nations in Jordan on Saturday for talks on Syria following the ousting of President Bashar Assad earlier this week. Prince Faisal led the Kingdom’s delegation at the meeting, held under the auspices of the Arab League, which focused on supporting a Syrian-led transitional political process to address the challenges faced by the Syrian people. Discussions emphasized restoring Syria's national institutions, ensuring the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and supporting the aspirations of its citizens for a secure and dignified life.

• 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 storage. Additionally, the initiative examines DAC’s economic and environmental impacts while fostering local workforce development, supporting the Kingdom’s broader sustainability goals and aligning with the Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) framework. KAPSARC’s Vice President of Knowledge & Analysis, Axel Pierru, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “This collaboration marks a significant step in exploring innovative carbon removal solutions tailored to Saudi Arabia’s unique context and large geological CO₂ storage capacity. Our research shows the key role that the development of DAC in the Kingdom will potentially play in achieving a net-zero energy system, both domestically and globally.”

• Saudi Poultry Giant Alwatania Is Said to Explore Sale of Company

  Alwatania, the largest poultry producer in the Middle East, is exploring a sale of the company, people familiar with the matter said, as Saudi Arabia’s push for food self-sufficiency makes the industry more attractive. Alwatania has appointed BSF Capital as its adviser for a potential deal, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is not public. A transaction may fetch as much as 2 billion riyals ($532 million), one of the people said.

• Tawaref series: Exploring Saudi premium residency system

  The Saudi Premium Residency is a residential permit granted to any non-GCC citizen allowing them to work, live, own property, and operate a business independently. Before this system, any individual who wished to work in the country must be sponsored, where a Saudi citizen would recruit the worker and be responsible for their migration. In the new program, this is no longer required, and interested parties can apply for the visa on the government’s website directly.

• Al Rajhi: Saudi Arabia sets revised unemployment target of 5% by 2030

  Al Rajhi said that the implementation rate of the labor market strategy reached 84 percent over the last four years. "Today we were asked to update this strategy, and we have raised a new, very ambitious strategy that will move the Saudi labor market to the ranks of the best global labor markets," he said. Al Rajhi pointed out that the rate of women's economic participation reached 35 percent while the target was 30 percent in 2030. "So today we have a new target in terms of the partners in the private sector as they are the ones who made this achievement. The number of Saudis in the private sector reached 2.4 million, while in 2018 it was about 1.7 million, thanks to God and then to our partners in the private sector," he said.

• 72 Saudi Companies to Explore Investment Opportunities in Poland and Slovakia on Monday

  A business delegation from the Federation of Saudi Chambers will begin a visit to Poland and Slovakia on Monday. The delegation will hold high-level economic meetings with senior officials from the governments of both countries, as well as with private sector representatives, to explore investment opportunities and sign several agreements and commercial partnerships. The delegation, led by Chairman of the Federation of Saudi Chambers Hassan bin Mujib Al-Huwaizi, includes over 72 businessmen and businesswomen from various economic sectors, along with representatives of governmental entities and authorities.

• I Spent 10 Days Exploring Saudi Arabia. Here’s Why You’ll Want To Add It To Your Bucket List

  From the moment I landed in Riyadh, I could tell things would be different from what I’ve been told all these years. Yes, women were covered in their traditional abayas, hijabs, and niqabs (and yes, there are differences), but they walked alongside other local women who wore none. Men and women greeted each other and me with kindness and smiles, and the airport alone was filled with all the comforts of home, like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Footlocker, and Bath and Body Works. Driving through the streets, I soaked in the towering office and apartment buildings, sprawling medical complexes, malls, and hotels. I also took note of the ongoing construction, a sign of all that was still yet to come.

• Saudi Arabia and Iran explore prospect of strengthening defense ties

  Saudi Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fayyadh Al-Ruwaili discussed on Sunday with his Iranian counterpart Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries in the military and defense fields, in a way that contributes to enhancing security and stability in the region. The meeting was held during Al-Ruwaili's visit to Tehran based on the directives of the Saudi leadership. This was also within the framework of the "Beijing Agreement" that aims to bring the two countries closer and raise the level of coordination and cooperation, in a way that fulfills their common interests.

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