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  • Saudi Arabia conducts military exercises with 15 countries at Air Warfare Center

    Some of the Kingdom’s prominent military branches are participating in the drills, including forces from the Presidency of State Security and the Saudi Arabian National Guard. The drills started this week at the Air Warfare Center, a military air facility located at King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran in eastern Saudi Arabia. Maj. Gen. Pilot Mohammed bin Ali Al-Omari, the exercise commander, said that the drills would consist of lectures and missions for air, technical, and support crews, to improve readiness and combat capability.

  • Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy records best performance since 2014 in January, says PMI

    Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy started 2025 on a high as business conditions improved substantially. This improvement was largely due to the fastest increase in total new orders since June 2011, which encouraged rapid expansions in activity and stocks. The headline seasonally adjusted Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 60.5 in January, from 58.4 in December. Not only did the index signal a considerable expansion in operating conditions at the start of 2025, but it was also at its highest since September 2014. “This strong performance underscores the resilience of the non-oil private sector, fueled by surging new orders and a significant rise in business output,” stated Naif Al-Ghaith PhD, chief economist at Riyad Bank.

  • Syrian leader visits Saudi Arabia, in a shift away from Iran

    Syria’s new president arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for his first official foreign trip. Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the rebel coalition that toppled Bashar al-Assad, met with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: Both born in Riyadh, they are the Arab world’s two youngest leaders. Saudi Arabia is pushing world governments to lift international sanctions on Damascus as it looks to shape the future of a country once firmly under Tehran’s influence.

  • WhatsApp calls reportedly activated in Saudi Arabia: Permanent change or temporary test?

    Many WhatsApp users in Saudi Arabia reported on Saturday that voice and video calling features had been activated after years of restrictions. However, there has been no official confirmation on whether this is a permanent change or a temporary test. The sudden activation has raised questions, particularly in the absence of an announcement from authorities. Technology expert Abdullah Al Subaie noted that this move aligns with Saudi Arabia’s efforts to enhance telecommunications and digital infrastructure, potentially improving communication for users.

  • Acting Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia Shannon Dolan

    Dr. Shannon Dolan is the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia and a career member of the Senior Foreign Service.  Most recently, she led the management operations of the mission.  For the past three years, she was the U.S. Director of the bilateral Program of Technical Cooperation in Saudi Arabia, leading the interagency team to develop and implement training and advising programs bolstering security, critical infrastructure protection, and counterterrorism efforts in support of U.S national security goals.

  • Expat Tales: Experiencing ‘history in the making’ in Saudi Arabia

    I relocated to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in February 2024 because I was eager to join the company I work for. It wasn't until I secured the role and began preparing for the move that I realised it's not just the company I'm working for that’s making history. Living in the Kingdom right now is experiencing history in the making. Living in a compound means my apartment is part of a community of 400 tenants, many of whom have become close friends. Imagine living in a resort with a group of your friends every day - that’s what compound life feels like. Everything in Riyadh comes alive after dark! Due to the heat, the Saudi way of life is to rest during the day and go out at night. Malls are empty during the day, but if you go at 1am, you’ll have a hard time finding parking. I was lucky enough to get tickets to see Tyson Fury in a boxing match here, and he entered the ring at 2am. You can even get a haircut at midnight if you feel like it!

  • Saudi Arabia’s IPO Boom Reshapes Its Market Dynamics

    According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, 41 IPOs were launched in Saudi Arabia last year, raising a total of $4.06 billion. By contrast, only five IPOs took place in 2019, yet they generated a much higher $30.46 billion—largely driven by Saudi Aramco’s record-breaking IPO, which raised $25.6 billion for a 1.5% stake in the state-owned oil giant. “The Saudi stock exchange has become a preferred listing destination due to strong liquidity, robust demand from institutional investors, and alignment with global investment standards,” says Farah el Nahlawi, research lead at MAGNiTT, a leading venture capital data platform for emerging markets. “Moreover, the IPO landscape is no longer oil-centric, with fintech, healthcare, and retail companies successfully listing—indicating broader investor appetite.”

  • Fitch Affirms Saudi Arabia at ‘A+’; Outlook Stable

    Saudi Arabia's ratings reflect its strong fiscal and external balance sheets, with government debt/GDP and sovereign net foreign assets (SNFA) considerably stronger than both the 'A' and 'AA' medians, and significant fiscal buffers in the form of deposits and other public sector assets. Oil dependence, low World Bank governance indicators and vulnerability to geopolitical shocks have improved but remain relative weaknesses. Deep and broad social and economic reforms implemented under Vision 2030 are diversifying economic activity, albeit backed by large public spending.

  • Saudi Arabia announces major healthcare expansions, new cancer center, pharmacy chain

    Major medical initiatives to bolster Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector have been unveiled this week, including a state-of-the-art oncology center and a huge pharmacy chain expansion. These initiatives represent growing private sector involvement in the Kingdom. Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH), established in 2014 as a joint collaboration between Saudi Aramco and Johns Hopkins Medicine, is launching an Oncology Center of Excellence in Saudi Arabia. Through this collaboration, JHAH has launched more than 50 knowledge-sharing programs enhancing critical specialities, including oncology, cardiology, neurology, and musculoskeletal health. In parallel developments, Aster Pharmacy announced plans to significantly expand its presence in Saudi Arabia through a joint venture with Al Hokair Holding Group.

  • How Saudi Arabia is preserving its precious freshwater resources

    Water scarcity is a pressing issue in Saudi Arabia, significantly impacting the country’s socio-economic development as well as its environmental sustainability. As one of the hottest and driest regions in the world, the Kingdom faces many challenges owing to its limited natural freshwater sources and high rates of evaporation. These harsh realities have forced the country to rely on limited groundwater and desalination plants, where 75 percent of the country’s water supply comes from. Ecolab operates in 40 different industries across 172 countries, managing water supplies, combating potential pollutants and infections, and focusing on human and natural resource protection. The company has been operating in Saudi Arabia for 47 years, collaborating with local firms such as Saudi Aramco, SABIC, and Almarai. “This country has a lot of natural resources and a lot of ambition. But one thing is missing — water. There are no lakes, no rivers, but there is a lot of sea around us. However, this is not freshwater. That’s a big challenge,” said Beck.