Govt Support Ensures Growth of Industrial SMEs in Saudi Arabia

Small industrial establishments account for the largest percentage of factories in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Small industrial establishments account for the largest percentage of factories in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Govt Support Ensures Growth of Industrial SMEs in Saudi Arabia

Small industrial establishments account for the largest percentage of factories in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Small industrial establishments account for the largest percentage of factories in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

The Saudi government provides a wide range of services and support to enable entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium industrial enterprises to transform their ideas into successful projects, which contributes to raising the sector’s production and achieving the targets of the National Strategy for Industry.

The strategy aims to realize an industrial economy that attracts investments, contributes to economic diversification and develops domestic product and non-oil exports, in line with the goals of Vision 2030.

A recent report revealed that the number of industrial SMEs grew by 7.65 percent, while the size of the sector in manufacturing activity increased by 3.8 percent, by the end of September.

The report, released by the official website of Saudi Vision 2030, showed that the number of existing small and medium industrial establishments in the Kingdom in September reached about 11,110, while about 136 new industrial licenses were issued during the same month.

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issued 130 new industrial licenses in November, with small establishments obtaining 93.08 percent of licenses and medium enterprises 6.15 percent.

The Saudi government established the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monshaat) in 2016 to organize, support and develop the sector in accordance with international best practices, in addition to enhancing the Kingdom’s entrepreneurship and competitive environment.

The Authority recently said the number of SMEs in Saudi Arabia increased by 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2023, compared to the second quarter of the same year, to reach 1.27 million.



Lebanon's Bonds Rally as Parliament Elects 1st President since 2022

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shakes hands with Lebanon’s army chief Joseph Aoun after he is elected as the country’s president at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 9, 2025. Reuters/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shakes hands with Lebanon’s army chief Joseph Aoun after he is elected as the country’s president at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 9, 2025. Reuters/Mohamed Azakir
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Lebanon's Bonds Rally as Parliament Elects 1st President since 2022

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shakes hands with Lebanon’s army chief Joseph Aoun after he is elected as the country’s president at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 9, 2025. Reuters/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shakes hands with Lebanon’s army chief Joseph Aoun after he is elected as the country’s president at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 9, 2025. Reuters/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanese government bonds extended their three-month-long rally on Thursday as the crisis-ravaged country's parliament voted in a new head of state for the first time since 2022.

Lebanese lawmakers elected army chief Joseph Aoun as president. It came after the failure of 12 previous attempts to pick a president and boosts hopes that Lebanon might finally be able to start addressing its dire economic woes.

The country's battered bonds have almost trebled in value since September, when the regional conflict with Israel weakened Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, long viewed as an obstacle to overcoming its political paralysis.

According to Reuters, most of Lebanon's international bonds, which have been in default since 2020, rallied after Aoun's victory was announced to stand 1.3 to 1.7 cents higher on the day and at just over 16 cents on the dollar.

They have risen almost every day since late December, although they remain some of the lowest-priced government bonds in the world, reflecting the scale of Lebanon's difficulties.

With its economy and financial system still reeling from a collapse in 2019, Lebanon is in dire need of international support to rebuild from the conflict, which the World Bank estimates to have cost the country $8.5 billion.

Hasnain Malik, an analyst at financial research firm Tellimer said Aoun's victory was "the first necessary step on a very long road to recovery".

Malik said Aoun now needs to appoint a prime minister and assemble a cabinet that can retain the support of parliament, resuscitate long-delayed reforms and help Lebanon secure international financial support.

The 61-year old Aoun fell short of the required support in Thursday's first round of parliamentary voting and only succeeded in a second round, reportedly after a meeting with Hezbollah and Amal party MPs.

"That presents significant ongoing risk to any new PM and cabinet, which need to maintain the confidence of a majority of parliament," Malik said.