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  • Vela-Bahri merger creates one of the world’s largest shipping firms
     

    Vela International Marine Limited, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Oil Company, signed a landmark merger agreement with the National Shipping Company of Saudi (Bahri), resulting in the creation of one of the world’s largest shipping companies.The signing of the agreement was held Sunday and attended by executive officials of both parties including Khalid A. Al-Falih, […]

     
  • Commentary: Saudi Arbitration Court in the UK?
     

    In a recent Financial Times article Caroline Binham and Helen Warrell reported that, “Saudi Arabia will lobby the UK government as early as November to set up a confidential court in London that would settle multimillion pound commercial disputes arising from the Middle Eastern kingdom. The Saudis hope that a London-based arbitration centre would help counter investor […]

     
  • What’s the foreign policy agenda for the next four years?
     

    Is it too early to talk about the foreign policy and national security agenda that will face the next president? No matter who wins on November 6, the feature that is going to dominate U.S. national security planning over the next four years is constraint. Even if we avoid going off the sequestration cliff, there […]

     
  • US Election Note: Middle East Policy after 2012
     

    The Middle East will be a significant challenge to US foreign policy-makers during the next administration – whether with regard to further transitions of the Arab Spring, Iran’s appetite for nuclear weapons, Israel’s posture towards Palestine and other Arab powers in its neighbourhood, or the rise of political Islam. Despite the US tilt to Asia, […]

     
  • A Conversation with Prince Turki Al-Faisal
     

    Few can be said to have been more influential in forging cooperation and building bridges in the relationship than Prince Turki Al-Faisal. He is currently Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies and is one of the founders of the King Faisal Foundation, the namesake of which was his father. His […]

     
  • Saudi Arabia: Rising steel demand
     

    Steel producers in Saudi Arabia are set for a busy few years, with growth in the industry driven by rising demand due to state-backed investments and increasing activity in the private sector. However, even with additional capacity, the sector is working to bridge the supply gap. The Kingdom is already the largest steel producer in […]

     
  • Roads of Arabia at the Smithsonian’s Sackler in Washington
     

    In archaeology, Saudi Arabia has been something of a slow starter, but a Washington exhibition of more than 200 statues, funerary objects and other relics shows that the study of the region’s past has come of age. Saudi archaeology “really goes back only 40 years,” says Massumeh Farhad, chief curator and curator of Islamic art […]

     
  • Major natural gas find by Saudis. A shift ahead?
     

    Saudi Arabia has announced that they made a major new find in natural gas in the Red Sea. The Saudis are already ranked 5th in the world for their reserves of natural gas, but they are only ranked 9th in terms of production of the commodity. They account for about 3 percent of world natural gas production. Compared […]

     
  • Muslims begin hajj pilgrimage – photo gallery
     

    Hours before sunrise Thursday, thousands of Muslims from around the world stood in the dark on a rocky desert hill, preparing for prayers on the first day of the annual hajj pilgrimage, a central pillar of their faith.

     
  • Anne Habiby: Entrepreneurship and Job Creation in the Arab World
     

    In addition to featured speakers such as President Bill Clinton and Mr. Abdullah Alireza  the recent C3 Summit in New York City presented a number of compelling panel discussions addressing commercial and trade issues related to doing business in the MENA region. SUSTG has featured the remarks at this event of Abdullah Alireza (Global Economic […]

     

MUST-READS

  • Chinese Firms Deliver Massive Offshore Oil, Gas Rig to Saudi Aramco

    A ultra-large offshore oil and gas collection and transportation platform, which is the biggest of its kind built by Chinese companies for a foreign client, was successfully handed over to Saudi Arabian oil major Saudi Aramco today, marking a new chapter for the country’s giant offshore oil and gas platform construction industry.

  • Sudan peace talks moving forward, says US envoy

    Talks to end Sudan's 16-month war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will move forward this week, the U.S.'s special envoy said, despite little sign from either party that they seek a peaceful resolution. The Sudanese army has all but rejected the invitation, while the RSF has continued its costly offensives in parts of the country, despite welcoming the U.S. and Saudi initiative.

  • French embrace of Moroccan autonomy plan underscores broader shift on Western Sahara dispute

    After decades of negotiating, under the aegis of the UN, a range of possible solutions to the territorial dispute — which pits Morocco against the Polisario Front, a liberation movement supported by Algeria — Morocco began pushing its own preferred outcome. Rabat’s plan for autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty surfaced in 2007, and absent other viable avenues to ensure self-determination, the autonomy plan had garnered support but not flat-out endorsement from the United States and Europe.

  • The IMF, CPEC, and Pakistan: Will the Chinese save Islamabad yet again?

    The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), once heralded as a “game-changer,” has almost disappeared from the spotlight in recent years in Pakistan. The multibillion-dollar project aims to connect China's northwestern region of Xinjiang with Pakistan's Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea through a network of highways, railways, and pipelines, offering strategic dividends to China and an economic lifeline to Pakistan. In recent years, the project has faced slow implementation, unpaid loans, corruption, and a dire security situation in Pakistan.

  • As US ramps up Gaza ceasefire efforts, Iran signals it may hold off retaliation

    A day after the United States, Egypt and Qatar said they would convene last-ditch Gaza ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas on August 15, Iran signaled that it may be willing to delay its anticipated retaliation for the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran late last month so as not to interfere with that effort.

  • Saudi Arabia unveils updated investment law to facilitate foreign investors

    The updated law promises enhanced protections for investors, including adherence to the rule of law, fair treatment, and property rights, while ensuring robust safeguards for intellectual property and facilitating smooth fund transfers.  It streamlines the registration process, replacing complex licensing requirements with a simpler system, and introduces new service centers to expedite government transactions and investment procedures.

  • Saudi swimmer Zaid Al Sarraj reflects on ‘surreal’ Olympic debut

    At just 16 years old, Zaid Al Sarraj was the youngest member of Saudi Arabia’s Olympic team for the 2024 Games. As a wildcard entry in the 100-meter freestyle swimming, Al Sarraj’s involvement in Paris was always designed to be a learning experience; the teenager certainly appeared unfazed by the responsibility of representing his country in the world’s biggest sporting showcase.

  • Saudi Arabia approves investment law update to level field for foreign and local investors

    The Council of Ministers on Sunday approved an updated investment law into one framework intended to provide investors with greater transparency, flexibility and confidence, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Investment said in a statement on Sunday. “The law reaffirms Saudi Arabia’s commitment to creating a welcoming and secure environment for investors, driving economic growth, and enhancing the kingdom’s position as a premier global investment destination,” Khalid Al Falih, Minister of Investment, said.

  • Saudi Arabia supports joint statement on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian crisis

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Saudi Arabia's support for the joint statement issued by President Joe Biden of the United States, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar. The Kingdom reaffirmed its backing for ongoing efforts to establish a ceasefire and address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Saudi Arabia emphasized the urgency of ending the bloodshed, alleviating suffering, and safeguarding civilians. Additionally, the Kingdom stressed the importance of advancing toward the end of the occupation, achieving peace and security, and restoring the full legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

  • Expat remittances from Saudi Arabia hits $3.2bn in June

    Expatriate remittances from Saudi Arabia reached $3.2 billion in June, reflecting an annual increase of 11.32 percent, according to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA. This figure underscores the Kingdom’s significant role in global remittance flows and is a testament to the economic dynamics influencing the region.