Recent stories from sustg

  • IMF: Saudi Arabia Making ‘Good Progress’ on Vision 2030, Should Focus on Balanced Budget in 2023
     

    Saudi Arabia is making good progress in implementing Vision 2030 economic and social reforms, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a statement late on Tuesday, as it urged the Kingdom not to increase spending and to focus on a balanced budget by 2023. “The government remains committed to wide-ranging economic and social reforms to transform the […]

     
  • Oil Hits $80 for First Time in Three Years, Saudis Consulting Other Producers on Supply
     

    The price of oil reached $80 on the Brent Crude Index this week for the first time in three years, prompting Saudi Arabia’s powerful Minister of Energy Khalid Al-Falih to tweet a message urging coordinated action to allay supply “anxiety,” according to reports. Al-Falih said in a Twitter post that he had called his counterparts […]

     
  • Saudi Arabia Applauds Trump Decision on Iran Nuclear Deal
     

    Saudi Arabia has embraced President Trump’s decision yesterday to pull the United States out of the JCPoA, the agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions by offering sanctions relief in exchange for Iran’s compliance with non-proliferation standards, according to statements made by top Saudi officials and the Saudi Press Agency. As the chief rival of Iran in […]

     
  • Poll: Strong Support for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman among Young Arabs
     

    A new poll tracking young Arabs’ attitudes throughout the Middle East finds they express a high level of confidence in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his leadership, with 63 percent supporting his appointment, 64 percent viewing him as a strong leader, and 59 percent saying Mohammed bin Salman will lead Saudi Arabia in the […]

     
  • In Boost to Corruption Reforms, King Salman Signs Order Protecting Whistleblowers
     

    Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has ordered protection for employees who report financial and administrative corruption, according to reports, an indication that the Kingdom is taking seriously its efforts to combat graft. King Salman’s order is an “interim measure while more detailed legislation is finalized,” according to Faisal bin Farhan, the top advisor to the Royal Embassy […]

     
  • Saudi Arabia Launches $13b ‘Quality of Life 2020’ Program to Promote Entertainment, Health, and Sports
     

    At a ceremony in Riyadh yesterday, the Kingdom unveiled its plans to spend 50 billion riyals ($13.33 billion) by 2020 on a new ‘Quality of Life 2020’ initiative to promote entertainment, health, sports and education as part of a modernizing drive by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to Reuters. The program, which aims to generate 300,000 […]

     
  • Following Audit, Saudi Aramco Reserves ‘Higher than Expected’
     

    An audit of Saudi Aramco’s oil reserves done ahead of a planned IPO has found the state oil giant “to have higher reserves than it previously reported,” Reuters reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. Saudi Arabia’s oil, which is easily recoverable from the ground compared with shale sources found in the United States and […]

     
  • Milestone Achieved in Launch of Saudi Arabia’s National Privatization Program and Center
     

    Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of “Delivery Plan 2020,” a privatization program headed by a newly created office, Saudi Arabia’s National Centre for Privatization (NCP), in a major milestone for the Kingdom as it looks to advance its Vision 2030 economic and social reform goals. The plan sets out the country privatization agenda for […]

     
  • CEDA Approves Privatization Program in Progress for Vision 2030 Implementation
     

    Saudi Arabia’s powerful Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) approved a Privatization Program that is one of 12 key elements of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, according to reports. Saudi Arabia aims to generate 35 billion to 40 billion riyals ($9 billion to $11 billion) in non-oil revenues from the privatization program by 2020 and create […]

     
  • For Oil Markets, ‘Volatility is Back’
     

    Rising optimism around global economic growth coupled with continued OPEC compliance to output targets and rising geopolitical tensions all contributed to pushing Brent oil prices to near 2014 highs, according to a recent report on the oil market by Riyadh-based Jadwa Investment. “Although oil prices were pressured somewhat at the start of April  due to trade tensions […]

     

MUST-READS