SUSTG.com / Research

Discover stories, topics, and more about Saudi Arebia faster.

Recent stories from sustg

MUST-READS

  • Saudi Arabia’s $100 Billion Alat Initiative: A Transformative Year for AI and Advanced Tech

    Saudi Arabia’s rapid evolution offers significant opportunities for global technology providers in areas such as: Cloud Infrastructure and Migration: The Kingdom is building a robust cloud ecosystem, supported by heavy investments in infrastructure and migration. Cybersecurity and Resilience: As digital transformation accelerates, demand for advanced cybersecurity solutions is surging. Technology Modernization: The shift to cutting-edge solutions across industries presents opportunities for tech modernization providers. Robotic Process Automation: Saudi Arabia’s emphasis on industrial automation opens doors for RPA technologies in manufacturing and beyond. Data Engineering and Intelligence: With a focus on AI, the need for data solutions that enable predictive analytics and decision-making is growing rapidly.

  • Saudi Fund for Development and World Bank Group Sign Landmark MoU for Global Sustainability

    The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and the World Bank Group have signed a pivotal memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance international development cooperation and promote sustainable growth in emerging economies. The agreement was formalized by SFD Chief Executive Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad and World Bank President Ajay Banga during the 2024 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

  • Gulf countries call for Israel to withdraw from Syrian lands it occupied after collapse of regime

    Gulf countries on Thursday issued a firm call for Israel to withdraw from the Syrian lands it recently occupied after taking advantage of a security vacuum following the collapse of the former regime. The call was issued at the start of an extraordinary meeting for the ministers of foreign affairs of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) in Kuwait to discuss recent developments in Syria and Lebanon. “Israel's attacks on Syria and occupation of the buffer zone are a flagrant violation of international laws and Security Council resolutions,” the Secretary General of the Gulf Co-operation Council Jasem Al Budaiwi said in his opening speech. Since the collapse of president Bashar Al Assad’s regime this month, Israel has bombed hundreds of weapons sites, airbases and naval assets in Syria and sent troops into a buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights. Israeli officials have called the incursion a limited and temporary measure to ensure the security of Israel’s borders but have not indicated when the troops will be withdrawn.

  • Trump pick for critical foreign policy role thinks Islam incompatible with the West

    A staunch anti-immigrant conservative who was a spokesperson for the White House during Donald Trump's first year in office in 2017 is returning to government - this time, as director of policy planning at the US State Department, which is a role that effectively sets the agenda for the secretary of state. Michael Anton's appointment was announced earlier this month as Trump selects his team for his second term in office, beginning on 20 January.  The 55-year-old Anton, who is of Lebanese descent, had previously been a speechwriter for conservative media tycoon Rupert Murdoch.

  • Indian State Refiners Eye Middle East Crude to Offset Russian Supply Shortfall

    Indian state refiners are considering tapping into the Middle East crude market as spot supply from their top supplier, Russia, have fallen, according to Reuters. The three major state refiners, Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp, and Hindustan Petroleum, are facing a shortfall of 8-10 million barrels of Russian oil for January loading, The refiners fear ongoing challenges in securing Russian oil in the spot market could continue in the coming months due to rising domestic demand in Russia and its commitments under the OPEC pact. Reuters reported that companies might increase crude purchases from Middle East suppliers under optional volumes in term contracts or issue a spot tender for high-sulphur oil.

  • Hyundai Motor and Global Industry Leaders Conclude Hydrogen Fuel Cell Coach Bus Trial in Saudi Arabia

    Hyundai Motor Company, in partnership with Saudi Transport General Authority, Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO/SAT), Almajdouie Motors Company, Air Products Qudra, Abdullah Hashim Gases, and ARAMCO, has successfully concluded a strategic initiative to evaluate the hydrogen-based mobility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The collaboration involved a two-month trial of the Hyundai Universe Fuel Cell Coach Bus in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. The project aimed to assess the feasibility and performance of hydrogen-powered transportation, marking a significant milestone in the Kingdom’s journey toward sustainable mobility.

  • Saudi football gets its own Netflix documentary

    Over six episodes, Saudi Pro League: Kickoff chronicles the 2023-24 season, highlighting the impact of Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in 2022. His arrival in Riyadh — and a $200-million-a-year contract — inspired global stars, including Brazil’s Neymar and French striker Karim Benzema, to move to Saudi, elevating the league’s market value and global reach, with matches broadcast in 180 countries. The series examines football’s deep cultural roots in Saudi Arabia, and provides insight into the lives of the newcomers to the country.

  • Influence Abroad: Saudi Arabia Replaces Salafism in its Soft Power Outreach

    Today, there is greater acknowledgment, both in Saudi Arabia and abroad, of the connection between certain Salafi teachings and extremism. By cutting back on Saudi support for Salafism, the prince has tried to dispel the notion that the kingdom supports extremist groups. He has also understood the security risks that some such groups may pose, not least threats to Saudi Arabia itself, especially after the Arab upheavals in 2011 and the rise of Islamist movements throughout the Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s strategic use of ideology aptly illustrates how it was able to make use of religious doctrine not simply as a guiding principle, but also as an instrument in its relations across borders. However, this brought with it its own series of complexities, not least how far the kingdom’s Salafi ideology would spread, and how it was interpreted and used once it was picked up by others over whom the Saudis had no control.

  • Commentary: The balance of power is shifting in the Middle East – and it is Turkey’s ‘full moon’ on the rise

    Turkey played a pivotal role in the rebels’ surprising triumph. The operation unfolded with an extraordinary lack of the kind of violent destruction that has characterised Syrian campaigns over the past 13 years. Turkey provided intelligence, guidance and political cover. In the early years of the Syrian conflict, dozens of nations offered sporadic support to opposition groups, but Turkey’s commitment to the rebels in the north-western enclave near its border was consistent. Through ceasefires and frozen frontlines brokered since 2019, Turkey ensured that the rebels had the stability to rearm and reorganise. With Iran stretched thin and unable to provide resources and manpower due to Israeli strikes against Hezbollah and Iranian networks in Lebanon and Syria, the collapse of Assad’s regime became not only possible but inevitable. Meanwhile, Russia, preoccupied with its war in Ukraine, offered only limited support to Assad.

  • New grain terminal opens in Saudi Arabia

    National Grain Co., a joint venture between the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Co. (SALIC) and Bahri, inaugurated the Yanbu Grain Handling Terminal on Dec. 22 at Yanbu Commercial Port. The company said the new terminal features a storage capacity of 156,000 tons, including 12 silos with a total capacity of 96,000 tonnes and a flat warehouse with a 60,00-tonne capacity, a 650-meter conveyor belt, and a ship grain unloading capacity of 800 tonnes per hour. The facility, which was constructed over a two-year period, is the first regional center for grains in the Yanbu port. It can handle up to 3 million tonnes of grain annually, including barley, corn and soybeans, the company said.