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Advanced Saudi Tech Products Are Highlighted at GITEX 2023

The Saudi Technology and Security Comprehensive Control (Tahakom) is highlighting its innovations, products, and solutions that rely on the AI system. (SPA)
The Saudi Technology and Security Comprehensive Control (Tahakom) is highlighting its innovations, products, and solutions that rely on the AI system. (SPA)
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Advanced Saudi Tech Products Are Highlighted at GITEX 2023

The Saudi Technology and Security Comprehensive Control (Tahakom) is highlighting its innovations, products, and solutions that rely on the AI system. (SPA)
The Saudi Technology and Security Comprehensive Control (Tahakom) is highlighting its innovations, products, and solutions that rely on the AI system. (SPA)

The Saudi government and private entities are showcasing their technical products and services at the GITEX Global 2023 exhibition, which is currently holding its 43rd edition at the Dubai World Trade Center between Oct. 16 and 20.

The event brings together more than 40 government and private entities in Dubai, with the participation of about 5,000 companies from various countries, focusing on the most important issues in artificial intelligence and blockchain, robotics, quantum computing, and cryptocurrencies.

Officials from the industrial and mineral resources sector are shedding light on the industrial and mining transformation in Saudi Arabia and opening channels of communication with global investors.

Through its participation at GITEX, the Saudi Ministry of Transport is reviewing its projects and initiatives to improve road quality, raise traffic safety levels, and automate bridge monitoring with the latest international technologies.

It is testing the direct monitoring system in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and measures the weights and dimensions of trucks on the roads without traffic obstacles or human intervention to enhance monitoring efficiency.

The Saudi Export Development Authority is participating with around 33 national companies under the "Saudi Made" program that aims to raise the image and brand of the Kingdom's exports, boost their position in regional and global markets, identify international business opportunities, link exporters with potential buyers, and promote national products and services on major vital platforms that bring together investors.

The Export-Import Bank (EXIM) is known for its financing, credit services, and products that enable local banks and financial institutions to support Saudi exporters and foreign importers.

EXIM provides innovative solutions to support non-oil exports and enhance its presence in global markets.

It reviews the Kingdom's experience in the transition towards the digital economy and the state's efforts to support emerging sectors and entrepreneurs.

The efforts aim to adopt advanced technologies, launch technology-based projects that support the transformation, and meet the aspirations of Vision 2030 to build a prosperous economy and sustainable development.

At GITEX, the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority (ZATCA) is highlighting qualitative development in its technical services through various electronic platforms and its experience in developing smart systems, including its success in implementing the electronic invoicing system.

The Saudi Technology and Security Comprehensive Control (Tahakom) is also taking part in GITEX 2023.

Tahakom is highlighting its innovations, products, and solutions that rely on its own AI system in public safety and smart mobility. They include the Urban Eye system, smart parking, "Tahakom's Public Safety Solutions Car," mixed reality, and a drone product display.

It also introduces a crowd management system and solutions and several solutions developed by the AI system, including Tahakom's personal assistant, created by a supercomputer that efficiently supports dealing with complex tasks and processing massive data at high speed.

The Advanced Electronics Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of SAMI, is showcasing many of its products, most notably Smart Solutions zone, Smart City technologies, Smart Street Light, Smart Fire Detection, Waste Management, Video Analytics, and Asset Tracking.

The exhibit will further explore the company's futuristic managed services, cloud computing systems, digital healthcare modules, innovative technologies spanning various industries, and unparalleled manufacturing capabilities.

GITEX is one of the most important technical platforms that showcases the latest technological solutions in cloud computing, consumer technology, information centers, e-marketing, and highly advanced innovations in the world of information technology from various parts of the world.

More than 5,000 exhibitors representing more than 170 countries, and over 100,000 visitors are expected at the event.

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Business

Dammam Airport Launches Saudi Arabia’s First Category III Automatic Landing System  

Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, inaugurates the General Aviation Terminal and the upgraded automatic landing system at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. (SPA)
Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, inaugurates the General Aviation Terminal and the upgraded automatic landing system at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. (SPA)
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Dammam Airport Launches Saudi Arabia’s First Category III Automatic Landing System  

Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, inaugurates the General Aviation Terminal and the upgraded automatic landing system at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. (SPA)
Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, inaugurates the General Aviation Terminal and the upgraded automatic landing system at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. (SPA)

Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region, inaugurated on Monday two major aviation projects at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam: a dedicated General Aviation Terminal for private flights and the Kingdom’s first Category III Instrument Landing System (ILS), which enables fully automatic aircraft landings in low-visibility conditions.

The ceremony was attended by Minister of Transport and Logistics Services and Chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser and President of GACA and Chairman of the Saudi Airports Holding Company Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej.

Prince Saud said the projects represent a qualitative leap in strengthening the aviation ecosystem in the Eastern Region, boosting the airport’s operational readiness and its regional and international competitiveness.

The introduction of a Category III automatic landing system for the first time in Saudi Arabia reflects the advanced technological progress achieved by the national aviation sector and its commitment to the highest international standards, he stressed.

The General Aviation Terminal marks a significant upgrade to airport infrastructure. Spanning more than 23,000 square meters, the facility is designed to ensure efficient operations and fast passenger processing.

The main terminal covers 3,935 square meters, while aircraft parking areas extend over 12,415 square meters with capacity to accommodate four aircraft simultaneously. An additional 6,665 square meters are allocated to support services and car parking, improving traffic flow and delivering a premium travel experience for private aviation users.

The upgraded Category III ILS, considered among the world’s most advanced air navigation systems, allows aircraft to land automatically during poor visibility, ensuring flight continuity while enhancing safety and operational efficiency.

The project includes rehabilitation of the western runway, extending 4,000 meters, along with a further 4,000 meters of aircraft service roads. More than 3,200 lighting units have been installed under an integrated advanced system to meet modern operational requirements and support all aircraft types.

Al-Jasser said the inauguration of the two projects translates the objectives of the Aviation Program under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy into concrete achievements.

The developments bolster airport capacity and efficiency, support the sustainability of the aviation sector, and strengthen the competitiveness of Saudi airports, he added.

Al-Duailej, for his part, said the initiatives align with Saudi Vision 2030 by positioning the Kingdom as a global logistics hub and a leading aviation center in the Middle East.

The new terminal reflects high standards of privacy and efficiency for general aviation users, he remarked, noting the selection of Universal Aviation as operator of the general aviation terminals in Dammam and Jeddah.

Dammam Airports Company operates three airports in the Eastern Region: King Fahd International Airport, Al-Ahsa International Airport, and Qaisumah International Airport.

Business

Saudi Arabia to Launch Real Estate Indicators, Expand ‘Market Balance’ Program Nationwide

The Minister of Municipalities and Housing addresses attendees during the government press conference (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
The Minister of Municipalities and Housing addresses attendees during the government press conference (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
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Saudi Arabia to Launch Real Estate Indicators, Expand ‘Market Balance’ Program Nationwide

The Minister of Municipalities and Housing addresses attendees during the government press conference (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
The Minister of Municipalities and Housing addresses attendees during the government press conference (Asharq Al-Awsat). 

Saudi Arabia will roll out real estate market indicators in the first quarter of this year and expand the Real Estate Market Balance program to all regions of the Kingdom, following its initial implementation in Riyadh, Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed Al-Hogail announced on Monday.

Al-Hogail, who also chairs the General Real Estate Authority, made the remarks during a government press conference in Riyadh attended by Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary, President of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) Abdullah Alghamdi, and other senior officials.

Al-Hogail said the housing and social ecosystem now includes more than 313 non-profit organizations supported by over 345,000 volunteers working alongside the public and private sectors.

He highlighted tangible outcomes, including housing assistance for 106,000 social security beneficiaries and the prevention of housing loss in 200,000 cases.

Development Initiatives

He noted that the non-profit sector is driving impact through more than 300 development initiatives and over 1,000 services, while empowering 100 non-profit entities and activating supervisory units across 17 municipalities.

Among key programs, Al-Hogail highlighted the Rental Support Program, which assisted more than 6,600 families last year, expanding the reach of housing aid.

He also traced the growth of the “Jood Eskan” initiative, which began by supporting 100 families and has since evolved into a nationwide program that has provided homes to more than 50,000 families across the Kingdom.

Since its launch, the initiative has attracted more than 4.5 million donors, with total contributions exceeding SAR 5 billion ($1.3 billion) since 2021.

Al-Hogail added that the introduction of electronic signatures has reduced the homeownership process from 14 days to just two.

In 2025 alone, more than 150,000 digital transactions were completed, and the needs of over 400,000 beneficiary families were assessed through integrated national databases. A mobile application for “Jood Eskan” is currently being deployed to further streamline services.

International Support and Economic Growth

Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen launched 28 new development projects and initiatives worth SAR 1.9 billion ($506.6 million), including fuel grants for power generation and support for health, energy, education, and transport sectors across Yemeni governorates.

He also reported strong growth in the communications and information technology sector, which created more than 406,000 jobs by the end of 2025, up from 250,000 in 2018, an 80 percent cumulative increase. The sector’s market size reached nearly SAR 190 billion ($50.6 billion) in 2025.

Industry, Localization, and Philanthropy

In the industrial sector, investments exceeded SAR 9 billion ($2.4 billion), alongside five new renewable energy projects signed under the sixth phase of the National Renewable Energy Program.

Industrial and logistics investments worth more than SAR 8.8 billion ($2.34 billion) were also signed by the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones.

Al-Dossary said the Kingdom now hosts nearly 30,000 operating industrial facilities with total investments of about SAR 1.2 trillion ($320 billion), while the Saudi Export-Import Bank has provided SAR 115 billion ($30.6 billion) in credit facilities since its establishment.

On workforce development, nearly 100,000 social security beneficiaries were empowered through employment, training, and productive projects by late 2025, with localization rates in several specialized professions reaching as high as 70 percent.

Alghamdi said total donations through the “Ehsan” platform have reached SAR 14 billion ($3.7 billion) across 330 million transactions, reflecting the rapid growth of digital philanthropy in the Kingdom.

Business

China's Russian Oil Imports to Hit New Record in February as India Cuts Back

Oil tankers are seen at a terminal of Sinopec Yaogang oil depot in Nantong, Jiangsu province, China (Reuters) 
Oil tankers are seen at a terminal of Sinopec Yaogang oil depot in Nantong, Jiangsu province, China (Reuters) 
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China's Russian Oil Imports to Hit New Record in February as India Cuts Back

Oil tankers are seen at a terminal of Sinopec Yaogang oil depot in Nantong, Jiangsu province, China (Reuters) 
Oil tankers are seen at a terminal of Sinopec Yaogang oil depot in Nantong, Jiangsu province, China (Reuters) 

China's Russian oil imports are set to climb for a third straight month to a new record high in February as independent refiners snapped up deeply discounted cargoes after India slashed purchases, according to traders and ship-tracking data.

Russian crude shipments are estimated to amount to 2.07 million barrels per day for February deliveries into China, surpassing January's estimated rate of 1.7 million bpd, an early assessment by Vortexa Analytics shows.

Kpler's provisional data showed February imports at 2.083 million bpd, up from 1.718 million bpd in January, according to Reuters.

China has since November replaced India as Moscow's top client for seaborne shipments as Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine and pressure to clinch a trade deal with the US forced New Delhi to scale back Russian oil imports to a two-year low in December.

India's Russian crude imports are estimated to fall further to 1.159 million bpd in February, Kpler data showed.

Independent Chinese refiners, known as teapots, are the world's largest consumers of US sanctioned oil from Russia, Iran and Venezuela.

“For the quality you get from processing Russian oil versus Iranian, Russian supplies have become relatively more competitive,” said a senior Chinese trader who regularly deals with teapots.

ESPO blend last traded at $8 to $9 a barrel discounts to ICE Brent for March deliveries, while Iranian Light, a grade of similar quality, was last assessed at $10 to $11 below ICE Brent, the trader added.

Uncertainty since January over whether the US would launch military strikes on Iran if negotiations for a nuclear deal failed to yield Washington's desired results curbed buying from Chinese teapots and traders, said Emma Li, Vortexa's China analyst.

“For teapots, Russian oil looks more reliable now as people are worried about loadings of Iranian oil in case of a military confrontation,” Li said.

Part of the elevated Russian oil purchases came from larger independent refiners outside the teapot hub of Shandong, Li added.

Vortexa estimated Iranian oil deliveries into China – often banded by traders as Malaysian to circumvent US sanctions - eased to 1.03 million bpd this month, down from January's 1.25 million bpd.