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  • Bridging the Gaps for an Orderly Energy Transition: The Role of Sustainable Finance in Saudi Arabia

    As governments and organisations across the ­Middle East work ­towards achieving their net-­zero agendas, sustainable finance plays a crucial role by raising capital for proj­ects essential to achieving ­these targets. Robust capital markets, supportive regulatory frameworks, and transparent sustainability reporting are some of the key ingredients for a well-­functioning sustainable finance practice, requiring cooperation from all relevant stakeholders, including governments, private companies, and regulators.

  • Measuring Green Jobs in Saudi Arabia: Saudis in Green Occupations

    This paper offers the first estimate of employment in Saudi Arabia that can be linked to the energy transition. Using a task-based taxonomy devised by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics applied to detailed administrative data on Saudi workers, it is estimated that in 2022 almost 30% of all Saudi workers in the private sector were employed in “green” occupations. 

  • Flow House brings surfing sights to Saudi Arabia

    The Flow House concept will include indoor surfing experiences that are open throughout the year. The experiences will include flowboarding sessions and competitions, and it will welcome amateur as well as professionals. The experience draws inspiration from tropical islands, and will include live music and a restaurant overlooking the water. Plus, the menu will include plant-based and vegan options.

  • Saudi Arabia sees ‘unprecedented’ progress in economic transformation: IMF

    “Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented economic transformation is progressing well as it advanced in its modernization and diversification efforts under Vision 2030,” the fund wrote in its press release. “The recent fiscal space exercise has facilitated the recalibration of investment spending planned under Vision 2030 by reprioritizing projects and through sectoral strategies.”

  • Saudi Arabia suspends fees for hotels, resorts commercial licenses

    The move is part of the ongoing efforts to facilitate municipal procedures and services in Saudi cities, aimed at developing the tourism sector and raising the quality of tourism services for citizens, residents and tourists. It will further provide an attractive investment environment for investors and enhance competitiveness in the sector, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

  • The Fastest Wallet to Eclipse 1 Million Customers Globally – Built in Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabian fintech startup, barq, the latest wallet and challenger bank to launch in the Kingdom, has reached a significant milestone by enlisting 1.6 million wallet users and account holders in its first full month of operation. The milestone follows barq’s previous achievement of surpassing one million users in its first 21 days of operation – a remarkable achievement that established barq as the fastest-growing private wallet globally, outside of China. For context, it took Revolut a year to reach 100,000 users, while NuBank and CashApp each gained 10,000 users in their first month.

  • Saudi Arabia’s PIF gets $2 billion from year’s fourth debt foray

    Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, locked in $2 billion on Tuesday from its fourth foray into the debt markets this year, as it continues to pour billions into an ambitious programme to wean the economy off oil. PIF launched $1.5 billion in three-year Islamic bonds, or sukuk, as well as $500 million in green notes maturing in October 2032, a document from an arranging bank showed on Tuesday.

  • Saudi Arabia surpasses fintech targets with 224 active companies and $186 million in deals

    Saudi Arabia is intensifying its fintech efforts, setting a goal to establish 525 companies by 2030. Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan revealed this ambitious target at the inaugural 24 Fintech Conference, highlighting the kingdom’s swift advancement in the sector.

  • Navigating Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030: Career Opportunities for Young Professionals

    For young professionals, Vision 2030 is like a treasure map leading to a future filled with opportunities. The digital economy is booming, and with it comes over a million new jobs by 2025 in cutting-edge fields like AI, cybersecurity, and digital marketing. Imagine being part of a tech start-up that could become the next global unicorn, or leading a project in renewable energy that helps Saudi Arabia become a world leader in sustainability.

  • Italy’s Saipem wins two contracts worth $1 bln in Saudi Arabia

    Italian energy engineering group Saipem (SPMI.MI), opens new tab said on Tuesday it won two offshore contracts in Saudi Arabia worth around $1 billion in total, under an existing long term agreement with oil giant Saudi Aramco (2222.SE), opens new tab. The two contracts involve the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of infrastructure, including subsea pipelines, at the Marjan oil and gas field and the Zuluf and Safaniyah oil fields, Saipem said.