Saudi Ministers Affirm Commitment to Economic Diversification

Saudi ministers of finance and economy attend the first dialogue session of the Budget 2024 Forum, titled “Sustainable Finance” in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi ministers of finance and economy attend the first dialogue session of the Budget 2024 Forum, titled “Sustainable Finance” in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Ministers Affirm Commitment to Economic Diversification

Saudi ministers of finance and economy attend the first dialogue session of the Budget 2024 Forum, titled “Sustainable Finance” in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi ministers of finance and economy attend the first dialogue session of the Budget 2024 Forum, titled “Sustainable Finance” in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Minister of Finance asserted on Thursday that since its initiation in 2016, the national transformation plan of the Kingdom, known as Vision 2030, has incorporated a diverse range of sectoral and regional strategies.

“These strategies include a large number of projects and the Kingdom has been conducting a comprehensive review of all these strategies over the last two years,” said Mohammed Al-Jadaan.

“We are currently halfway through the Vision,” he added, underlining the need for the optimum utilization of the limited revenues and resources so as to achieve the greatest economic return.

Al-Jadaan highlighted the focus of Vision 2030 on economic diversification, particularly on non-oil domestic products, with a targeted range of approximately 18%-21%.

The minister stressed that the range should not be exceeded, otherwise it will be a burden on the economy.

Addressing the first dialogue session of the Budget 2024 Forum, titled “Sustainable Finance” in Riyadh, Al-Jadaan discussed the concept of financial capacity in local debt markets and its considerations with the private sector.

“In its borrowing endeavors, the Kingdom takes into account the needs of the private sector, considering their access to financing in banks for small and medium-sized enterprises, consumer loans, and providing financial support,” noted the minister.

He highlighted the global market, international loans, and the allocation of approximate amounts for each country based on risk diversification, economic strength, credit rating, pointing to indicators such as debt service to the gross domestic product (GDP) and non-oil GDP, emphasizing financial sustainability.

On his part, Minister of Economy Faisal Al-Ibrahim affirmed that Saudi Arabia seeks to achieve optimal economic diversification.

Al-Ibrahim also confirmed that many targets of Vision 2030 have been realized.

The institutional capacities of government entities, coupled with their collaboration with other sectors, have become well-established and of high quality, added Al-Ibrahim.

He pointed out that exports of services rose to SAR135 billion currently, compared to SAR65 billion in 2016, which contributed to improving the Kingdom’s trade balance.

The contribution of non-oil revenues to covering costs jumped from 19 percent to 35 percent, which is due to the basic growth of the non-oil economy, said Al-Ibrahim while noting that unemployment rates continue to decline systematically.

Al-Ibrahim said that the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 created a fertile environment for economic diversification, building national capabilities and raising the efficiency of government institutions, in addition to improving the trade balance.

He underlined the need to support the private sector to reach the government target.

The minister also stressed that all sectoral strategies and mega projects aimed to enable the private sector to exploit available opportunities and grow to respond to demand within the Kingdom and also compete with other producers outside Saudi Arabia.



Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

 A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

 A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry, with some visitors beginning to avoid the busy late-summer months due to concerns about uncontrolled blazes, smoke-filled skies and road closures.

After a scorching start to July, nearly 600 wildfires are now ablaze across British Columbia and Alberta, including a huge fire that this week devastated the picturesque tourist town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.

Dozens of communities, including popular holiday spots in British Columbia's Kootenay region, are under evacuation orders and several highways are closed.

This year's surge in wildfire activity comes after Canada endured its worst-ever year for wildfires in 2023, when more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) burned, including parts of the city of West Kelowna in the heart of British Columbia's wine region.

Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, said the industry was seeing a lot more last-minute travel decisions instead of booking in advance.

"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," said Walker-Matthews, adding that while her region has been relatively unscathed by wildfires this summer, some visitors are choosing to avoid interior British Columbia altogether.

The members of the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association are reporting a 5-15% drop in bookings from a year ago, with the biggest declines coming from the hotter Okanagan and Cariboo regions, said Joss Penny, who heads the association.

"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," said Penny.

Although wildfires in Canada's forests are natural and common, scientists say drier, hotter conditions fueled by climate change are leading to more volatile and frequent blazes.

'SMOKEY SKIES'

Some events, like the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, usually held in August, have now been rescheduled to earlier in the summer to avoid what is now seen as peak smoke season. The festival, which was cancelled last year due to nearby wildfires, was this year moved to July to benefit from "less smokey skies."

Wildfires and extreme climatic events are prompting tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently," said Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, noting that seasonal workers in the sector are often the hardest hit as they have few protections during a bad season or amid a cataclysmic fire.

Tourism contributed C$7.2 billion to the British Columbia economy in 2022, and C$9.9 billion to Alberta in 2023, according to the latest government data.

Jasper National Park is one of Canada's premier tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors a year flocking to see its pristine mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose and elk.

Kelly Torrens, vice-president of product at international tour company Kensington Tours, described western Canada as a bucket-list destination. But the company now has 49 trips that were supposed to pass through Jasper this season in limbo. Six others were forced to evacuate the park when the fire hit.

Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations within Jasper National Park until Aug. 6 and with potentially 50% of the town's structures destroyed by fire, the cleanup and rebuild could take years.

Halpenny is among those hedging their bets.

"I've booked a campsite stay in the mountain parks but at the same time, I booked a campsite out on the prairie somewhere and that's my backup plan because I don't want to miss out on my vacation with my family."