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Saudi Arabia to Host WEF Special Meeting in Riyadh in April

Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attends a session during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attends a session during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia to Host WEF Special Meeting in Riyadh in April

Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attends a session during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attends a session during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. (AFP)

A high-level delegation from Saudi Arabia concluded its participation in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2024 in Davos, culminating in an announcement that Riyadh will host a WEF Special Meeting on global cooperation, growth and energy, between April 28-29.

From January 15-19, the Saudi delegation, headed by Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated in critical dialogues, bilateral and multilateral meetings to shape solutions to global challenges, to build the foundations for a more connected, resilient and thriving future.

The delegation included Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud, Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the United States; Dr. Majid Al-Kassabi, Minister of Commerce; Adel Al-Jubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Member of the Council of Ministers, and Envoy for Climate; Khalid Al Falih, Minister of Investment; Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance; Abdullah Al-Swaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology; Bandar Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources; and Faisal Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning.

Some of the highlight sessions in which the delegates participated included: "Securing an Insecure World"; "Frictionless Services"; "Gulf Economies: All In"; "Regulating Non-Banks"; "Bold Steps for a Sustainable MENA"; "Resilience: What It Means and What to Do About It"; "Supply Chains of the Future"; "Investors of First Resort: Government Inc."; "The Future of Banking and Technology in Saudi Arabia: What it Means for Investors"; "MENA’s Economic Dilemma: Reforms Amid Uncertainty"; and a special WEF panel session on "Saudi Arabia: The Course Ahead", which focused on the Kingdom’s leading role in promoting peace, security and prosperity in the Middle East.

The Kingdom’s delegation also launched the Saudi House: Bold Visions Series, which convened change-makers, policymakers, and innovators to engage in dialogues focused on the solutions needed across key areas of economic development including the blue economy, tourism and technology investments.

The WEF Special Meeting in Riyadh is part of a landmark agreement between Saudi Arabia and the Forum, set to convene more than 700 global leaders the public and private sector, international organizations, NGOs, academia and civil society to foster dialogues between countries towards reviving international cooperation.

On Thursday, the Kingdom signed two agreements with WEF’s innovation platform UpLink to catalyze innovative global solutions to today’s most pressing environmental and sustainability challenges. The agreements aim to foster innovation ecosystems around early-stage impact entrepreneurs to stimulate investments and support for breakthrough solutions that address critical sustainable development challenges including ocean degradation, biodiversity loss, and the circular carbon economy.

Another Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed to enhance cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The agreement focuses on a wide range of public policy initiatives in areas including the economy, corporate governance and sustainability.

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Business

Iraq State Oil Firm Reaffirms Deal Obliging Oil Companies in Kurdistan to Hand over Output

A handout picture released by Iraq's Prime Minister's Media Office on January 2, 2025, shows a partial view of the oil refinery of Baiji north of Baghdad, during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth and fifth units. (Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office / AFP)
A handout picture released by Iraq's Prime Minister's Media Office on January 2, 2025, shows a partial view of the oil refinery of Baiji north of Baghdad, during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth and fifth units. (Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office / AFP)
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Iraq State Oil Firm Reaffirms Deal Obliging Oil Companies in Kurdistan to Hand over Output

A handout picture released by Iraq's Prime Minister's Media Office on January 2, 2025, shows a partial view of the oil refinery of Baiji north of Baghdad, during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth and fifth units. (Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office / AFP)
A handout picture released by Iraq's Prime Minister's Media Office on January 2, 2025, shows a partial view of the oil refinery of Baiji north of Baghdad, during the inauguration ceremony of the fourth and fifth units. (Iraqi Prime Minister's Media Office / AFP)

Iraq's state oil company, SOMO, reiterated on Sunday its commitment to its oil export deal with the Kurdish regional government ‌which obliges ‌global ‌oil companies ⁠operating in ‌the region to hand over their production of crude oil to the company.

SOMO ⁠made the remarks ‌in response to ‍a ‍Reuters report published ‍in September which quoted Norway's DNO as saying it had no immediate plans to ship ⁠oil through the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline which restarted after a more than two-year halt following a deal between Baghdad and the Kurdish ‌regional government.

Business

How 2025 Decisions Redrew the Future of Riyadh’s Real Estate Market

Construction is seen at a real estate project in Riyadh. (SPA)
Construction is seen at a real estate project in Riyadh. (SPA)
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How 2025 Decisions Redrew the Future of Riyadh’s Real Estate Market

Construction is seen at a real estate project in Riyadh. (SPA)
Construction is seen at a real estate project in Riyadh. (SPA)

The Saudi capital underwent an unprecedented structural shift in its real estate market in 2025, driven by a forward-looking agenda led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Far from incremental regulation, the year’s measures amounted to a deep corrective overhaul aimed at dismantling long-standing distortions, breaking land hoarding, expanding affordable housing supply, and firmly rebalancing landlord-tenant relations.

Together, the decisions ended years of speculation fueled by artificial scarcity and pushed the market toward maturity, one grounded in real demand, fair pricing, and transparency.

Observers dubbed 2025 a “white revolution” for Saudi real estate. The reforms severed the link between property and short-term speculation, restoring housing as a sustainable residential and investment product. Below is a detailed outline of the most significant of these historic decisions:

1- Unlocking land, boosting supply

In March, authorities lifted restrictions on sale, subdivision, development permits, and planning approvals for 81 million square meters north of Riyadh. A similar decision in October freed another 33.24 million square meters to the west.

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City was also mandated to deliver 10,000 - 40,000 fully serviced plots annually at subsidized prices capped at SAR 1,500 per square meter, curbing price manipulation and offering real alternatives for citizens.

2- Rent controls and contractual fairness

To stabilize households and businesses, the government froze annual rent increases for residential and commercial leases in Riyadh for five years starting in September. Enforced through the upgraded “Ejar” platform, the move halted arbitrary hikes while aligning growth with residents’ quality of life.

3- Tougher fees

An improved White Land Tax took effect in August, extending beyond vacant plots to include unoccupied built properties. Annual fees rose to as much as 10% of land value for parcels of 5,000 square meters or more within urban limits, raising the cost of land hoarding and incentivizing prompt development.

4- Investment openness and digital governance

A revised foreign ownership regime allowed non-Saudis - individuals and companies - to own property in designated zones under strict criteria, injecting international liquidity. Transparency was reinforced by the launch of the “Real Estate Balance” platform, providing real-time price indicators based on actual transactions and curbing phantom pricing.

5- Quality and urban standards

Policy shifted from quantity to quality with mandatory application of the Saudi Building Code and sustainability standards for all new developments, ensuring long-term operational value and preventing low-quality sprawl.

Structural shift

Sector specialists told Asharq Al-Awsat the measures represent a qualitative leap in market management, moving Riyadh from a scarcity and speculation-led cycle to a balanced market governed by genuine demand, efficient land use, disciplined contracts, and transparent indicators.

Khaled Al-Mobid, CEO of Menassat Realty Co., said the reforms were timely and corrective after years of rapid price escalation. He noted early positives: slowing price growth, a return to realistic negotiations, increased supply in some districts, and better-quality offerings focused on intrinsic value rather than quick appreciation.

Abdullah Al-Moussa, a real estate expert and broker, described the steps as addressing root causes, not symptoms.

He observed a behavioral shift, especially in northern Riyadh, from “hold and wait” to reassessment, alongside calmer price momentum, renewed interest in actual development, and clearer rental dynamics.

Saqr Al-Zahrani, another market expert, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the reforms tackled structural imbalances by breaking artificial scarcity created by undeveloped land banks.

Opening vast tracts north and west and introducing market-wide indicators restored “organized abundance,” aligning prices with real demand and purchasing power without heavy-handed intervention, he remarked.

He added that recent months have seen weaker demand for raw land and stalled auctions, contrasted with rising interest in off-plan sales and partnerships with developers.

Banks, too, have reprioritized toward projects with operational viability, lifting overall supply quality despite a temporary slowdown in some transactions.

Consumers, meanwhile, are showing greater patience and interest in self-build options, signaling a maturing market awareness.

Outlook

Experts expect the effects to continue through 2027, delivering broad price stability with limited corrections in overheated locations rather than sharp declines.

Homeownership, especially among young buyers, is projected to rise as capital shifts from land speculation to long-term development.

The 2025 decisions were not short-term fixes but the launch of a new social and economic trajectory for Riyadh’s property market, redefining real estate as a housing service and value-adding investment, not a speculative vessel.

As Riyadh advances toward becoming one of the world’s ten largest city economies, its real estate reset offers a model for aligning regulation with quality of life, transparency, and sustainable growth.

Business

Deal to Export Oil from Kurdish Region to Continue with No Issues, Kurdish Rudaw Reports

A staff at an oilfield holds the flag of Kurdistan. (X)
A staff at an oilfield holds the flag of Kurdistan. (X)
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Deal to Export Oil from Kurdish Region to Continue with No Issues, Kurdish Rudaw Reports

A staff at an oilfield holds the flag of Kurdistan. (X)
A staff at an oilfield holds the flag of Kurdistan. (X)

Kurdistan broadcaster Rudaw quoted the ​vice president of Iraq's state oil company SOMO as saying ‌on Saturday that ‌the ‌oil ⁠export ​deal ‌between Baghdad and Erbil is set to be renewed with ⁠out issues, Reuters reported.

In September, ‌Iraq restarted ‍the ‍export of ‍oil from its Kurdish region to Türkiye after ​an interruption of more ⁠than two years following a deal between Baghdad and the Kurdish regional government.