Saudi Private Sector Abroad: New Database in the Works

The Saudi government provides all facilitations for expanding national companies abroad (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi government provides all facilitations for expanding national companies abroad (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Private Sector Abroad: New Database in the Works

The Saudi government provides all facilitations for expanding national companies abroad (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi government provides all facilitations for expanding national companies abroad (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Ministry of Investment is currently compiling information on foreign investments by private companies and creating a database for investment data in the Kingdom.

This initiative aims to be a central platform for relevant information.

All Saudi companies are urged to provide data on their foreign investments to support Saudi investors and enhance national investments globally.

The Ministry, responsible for regulating local and foreign investment, encourages private sector participation in shaping future policies and identifying opportunities to strengthen the Kingdom's global economic standing.

The collected data will be used for research and policy-making, guiding the nation's foreign investments for greater success.

The Ministry requests information on the invested country, city, sector, investment value, partnership details, and feedback on foreign investment from the private sector.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is actively expanding its investment portfolio locally and globally, aiming for significant financial returns to benefit the Kingdom.

In October 2022, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the establishment of five regional companies targeting investments in Jordan, Bahrain, Sudan, Iraq, and Oman.

The Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry is developing Saudi-Foreign Business Councils, increasing their number to 70 and enhancing trade and investment relations with over 124 countries.

Hassan Al-Huwaizi, the Chairman of the Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that this initiative aims to activate the role of these councils in achieving the goals of Saudi Arabia’s national transformation plan, “Vision 2030.”

The expansion project involves quarterly meetings, attracting major companies and investors, increasing the representation of women, entrepreneurs, and small to medium-sized enterprises in council memberships, along with enhancing financial resources and providing technical, logistical, informational, and human support.

It is noteworthy that Saudi Arabia’s Investment Ministry issued over 2,100 investment licenses in Q3 2023, reflecting the Kingdom’s attractiveness for investment with a stable business environment.



Saudi Energy Minister: Petroleum and Petrochemical Law Guarantees Fair Competition for Investors

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. (Reuters)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. (Reuters)
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Saudi Energy Minister: Petroleum and Petrochemical Law Guarantees Fair Competition for Investors

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. (Reuters)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. (Reuters)

Shortly after the Saudi Cabinet approved the Petroleum and Petrochemical Law, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said on Tuesday the regulation aims to achieve a set of goals, mainly regulating petroleum and petrochemical operations, in a manner that contributes to economic growth.

The law also backs efforts to attract investments, elevates employment rates, upgrades energy efficiency, safeguards consumers and licensees, while ensuring product quality and creating a competitive environment that fuels fair economic yields for investors, the Minister said.

Prince Abdulaziz expressed his gratitude to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for the Cabinet’s decision to approve the new law.

He praised the Saudi leadership for its support and empowerment of the energy sector, and its contribution in boosting the sector’s productivity to achieve the targets of Vision 2030.

The new law helps in building the local energy sector’s legislative framework, Prince Abdulaziz went on to say.

“This is accomplished by leveraging the top-tier international practices, boosting performance, achieving national objectives, and ensuring the optimal use of petroleum and petrochemical resources,” he said.

The new law, replacing the Petroleum Products Trade Law, helps ensure the security and reliability of local petroleum and petrochemical supplies, the minister explained.

This is on top of achieving optimal utilization of raw materials, supporting the localization of the industry’s value chain, enabling national strategies and plans, and enhancing the control and supervision of petroleum and petrochemical operations to step up compliance with laws and regulations, he added.

The new law combats practice violations by regulating the activities of use, sale, purchase, transportation, storage, export, import, packaging, and processing of these resources.

It also regulates the establishment and operation of distribution channels and petrochemical facilities, said Prince Abdulaziz.