Aramco Wins Global Infrastructure Award

The company has made a technological revolution in the management of residential and commercial facilities and services at its main headquarters. (Aramco)
The company has made a technological revolution in the management of residential and commercial facilities and services at its main headquarters. (Aramco)
TT

Aramco Wins Global Infrastructure Award

The company has made a technological revolution in the management of residential and commercial facilities and services at its main headquarters. (Aramco)
The company has made a technological revolution in the management of residential and commercial facilities and services at its main headquarters. (Aramco)

Saudi Aramco has been recognized on the world stage for its adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.

An awards event took place at the Smart City Expo World Congress on Wednesday in Barcelona.

The company's A'amer platform was granted the Infrastructure & Building Award for making a revolution in the management of residential and commercial facilities and services at Aramco’s main headquarters.

A'amer elevates urban living through integrated services across the city of Dhahran (eastern Saudi Arabia).

“We are thrilled to be recognized on the world stage for our work in smart city development, which is essential to meet the changing needs and expectations of urban communities,” said Talal Al Marri, Aramco Senior Vice President of Community Services.

“Our aim is to provide not only basic services like transportation and utilities but also a range of amenities and services that enhance people’s quality of life. As our understanding of cities evolves, so too must their infrastructure reflect an increasingly interconnected, technology-driven, and more sustainable way of living,” he added.

Nabil Al Nuaim, Aramco Senior Vice President of Digital and Information Technology, commented: “This award is a proud moment for us and a recognition of the positive impact we are making through the deployment of cutting-edge digital technologies, such as IoT and AI.”

“The A’amer platform is a prime example of how Aramco is harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution to positively shape its operations and enhance the lives of its employees, both inside and outside the workplace.”

A’amer optimizes building operations, space planning, and asset management across Aramco’s Dhahran facilities, using centralized data to predict, detect, and solve issues. It enables predictive, data-led maintenance and operation of all city services with an accessible, unified public service interface.

The platform provides substantial efficiency and sustainability-focused benefits, including annual savings of 1.7 billion gallons of water and 20.5GWh of annual energy. The platform has also resulted in a 31% increase in process optimization, a 40% increase in steps automation, and over a 30% increase in efficiency.



Egypt's Net Foreign Assets Slid in October

A general view shows Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
A general view shows Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
TT

Egypt's Net Foreign Assets Slid in October

A general view shows Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
A general view shows Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt July 13, 2020. (Reuters)

Egypt's net foreign assets (NFAs) dropped by $1.12 billion in October after a rise in September, central bank data shows.

NFAs declined to the equivalent of $9.21 billion at the end of October from $10.33 billion at the end of September, according to Reuters calculations based on the official central bank currency rates. The decline followed a $591 million gain in September.

Egypt had been using NFAs, which include foreign assets at both the central bank and commercial banks, to help to prop up its currency since as long ago as September 2021.

NFAs turned negative in February 2022 and only returned to positive territory in May this year.

Foreign assets rose at the central bank in October but dipped at commercial banks while foreign liabilities climbed at both commercial banks and the central bank.