Buraidah date carnival boosts Saudi tourism and economy
Buraidah, Saudi Arabia -- The Buraidah Date Carnival witnessed growing economic and tourism activity, making it a key destination for...
Business
Gross national income of GCC countries hits $2.143 trillion
Muscat, Oman -- The latest data released by the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of...
Economy
Business
New shipping service in Saudi Arabia launched
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has announced the addition of the new shipping service 'NRS' by...
- The NRS shipping service will link Jeddah Islamic Port to Yanbu Commercial Port, Neom Port, Aqaba Port in Jordan, and Sokhna Port in Egypt.
- This will further establish the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub that bridges three continents,
Business
Dubai partners with 9 developers to bolster Real Estate Program
Dubai, UAE -- The Dubai Land Department (DLD) has embarked on the first phase of a series of strategic partnerships...
- The developers include Emaar Properties, Expo Dubai, Deyaar, DAMAC Properties, Azizi Developments, MAG, Sobha Realty and Ellington Properties.
- The agreement aims to enhance the competitiveness of Emirati professionals and facilitating their roles in the real estate sector.
Economy
GASTAT issues FDI statistics of Saudi Arabia for Q4 2023
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) issued on Friday the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) statistics for...
- Total FDI in Saudi Arabia's economy during Q4 of 2023 totaled about US$5 billion.
- GASTAT said the results are based on a household survey conducted by the authority.
Economy
Gulf nations embark on defense industry localization
Saudi Arabia leads GCC efforts towards defense self-reliance by creating the first military industries committee, aiming to reduce foreign imports...
- Saudi Arabia leads GCC efforts towards defense self-reliance by creating the first military industries committee, aiming to reduce foreign imports and enhance local capabilities.
- The initiative targets over 50 percent nationalization of the military industry by 2030, driven by economic and technological sovereignty, aligning with the Saudi Vision 2030.
Business
flydubai adds two Saudi destinations
Flights to Al Jouf Airport and Red Sea Airport to start from April 18.
- flydubai has built a network of 129 destinations across 58 countries and is served by a fleet of 86 Boeing 737 aircraft.
- Since the start of 2024, flydubai has inaugurated operations to Langkawi, Mombasa and Penang and has announced the start of flights to Basel, Riga.
Arts & Culture
SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi wins Guinness World Records
ABU DHABI, UAE – SeaWorld Yas Island - the region’s first Marine Life Theme Park here -, has won a...
- SeaWorld Yas Island has won the Guinness World Records for being the “Largest Indoor Marine-Life Theme Park” in the world.
- The certificate was presented to Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, and the SeaWorld Abu Dhabi leadership.
Business
ESA, SAP ink agreement
ESA will consolidate operations under a single ERP solution
- ESA will benefit from a streamlined and integrated system, improving visibility and control over all of its operations.
- ESA will be using an integrated supply chain model that eliminates process silos, predicts disruptions.
Business
CATRION 2023 profit up 10%
The company said that net profit, however, dropped 35% in Q4.
- The company' board has announced a cash dividend of SAR90 million for the second half of 2023.
- The company's revenue increased from SAR 1.818 billion in 2022 to SAR 2.133 billion in 2023, due to the inflight catering segment as well as non-aviation catering services.
Geostrategy
Middle East oil policies not dictated by US, says Russia
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – US will no longer be able to dictate oil prices in the Middle East, Director of the...
- The US cannot dictate prices, although they would like to as the world is becoming a multipolar one, a Russian official said.
- "This multipolarity is expressed in particular in the existence of the group of countries known as OPEC+," he added.
Business
Tabreed approves record dividend
The cash dividend of 15.5 fils per share was okayed at Tabreed's AGA.
- As disclosed in the company’s recent full-year results for 2023, this represents an increase of 15 percent over the previous year.
- Tabreed’s AGA also confirmed the appointment of two new board members: Geert Bunkens and Marion Deridder Blondel.
Buraidah date carnival boosts Saudi tourism and economy
Buraidah, Saudi Arabia -- The Buraidah Date Carnival witnessed growing economic and tourism activity, making it a key destination for...
Business
Company News
Latest News
MENA Brief: Key Geopolitical, Defence, and Innovation Updates – June 11, 2025
Regional tensions, high-stakes defence deals, and new innovation-led collaborations defined the Middle East and North Africa landscape on Wednesday. Here’s...
Analysis
MENA brief Jun 11: Umrah returns, ADGM surges, Abu Dhabi property market up
China has extended visa-free entry for up to 30 days to citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain—boosting bilateral...
Geostrategy
From Iran Talks to Dubai Metro: Key Middle East Developments You Need to Know on June 10, 2025
Key developments across the Middle East today highlight regional diplomatic, economic and humanitarian trends
Economy
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Economy
MENA Outlook: Diversification, AI, and economic integration take centre stage
As the region pivots toward a post-oil future, recent developments across the Middle East and North Africa suggest an accelerating...
- Saudi government announced a $5.6 billion fertilizer JV between SABIC and Aramco, while also adopting new green building codes to reduce emissions
- From launching the world’s first AI-powered media council to streamlining family business, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are reinventing the regulatory ecosystem to attract global capital
Economy
IMF upgrades Saudi real GDP growth forecast to 6% in 2025, up from
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised upwards its forecast for Saudi Arabia's economic growth to...
- This adjustment from earlier estimates reflects the impact of extended oil production cuts and a slower-than-expected rebound in oil output.
- The IMF anticipates that inflation will remain contained, with an average annual rate holding steady at 2.1 percent in 2025 and easing slightly to 2 percent the following year.
Geostrategy
New WEF report reveals how tech convergence will reshape industries
Geneva, Switzerland – The World Economic Forum today released a new report examining how emerging technology combinations are reshaping industries...
- AI is a key enabler, making many emerging tech synergies commercially viable across industries.
- Digital twins, enhanced by AI and sensors, are expanding efficiency in sectors from aerospace to healthcare.