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Amazon Web Services to Launch Infrastructure Region in Saudi Arabia 

The new AWS Region will give developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as healthcare, education, gaming, and nonprofit organizations, greater choice for running their applications and serving end users from data centers located in the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The new AWS Region will give developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as healthcare, education, gaming, and nonprofit organizations, greater choice for running their applications and serving end users from data centers located in the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Amazon Web Services to Launch Infrastructure Region in Saudi Arabia 

The new AWS Region will give developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as healthcare, education, gaming, and nonprofit organizations, greater choice for running their applications and serving end users from data centers located in the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The new AWS Region will give developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as healthcare, education, gaming, and nonprofit organizations, greater choice for running their applications and serving end users from data centers located in the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com company, announced on Monday that it will launch an AWS infrastructure Region in Saudi Arabia in 2026.

The new AWS Region will give developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as healthcare, education, gaming, and nonprofit organizations, greater choice for running their applications and serving end users from data centers located in the Kingdom, ensuring that customers who want to keep their content in-country can do so.

As part of its long-term commitment, AWS is planning to invest more than $5.3 billion (approx. 19.88 billion Saudi riyal) in Saudi Arabia, said a statement by Amazon.

“Today’s announcement supports Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation with the highest levels of security and resilience available on AWS cloud infrastructure, helping serve fast-growing demand for cloud services across the Middle East,” said Prasad Kalyanaraman, vice president of Infrastructure Services at AWS.

“The new AWS Region will enable organizations to unlock the full potential of the cloud and build with AWS technologies like compute, storage, databases, analytics, and artificial intelligence, transforming the way businesses and institutions serve their customers,” he added.

“We look forward to helping Saudi Arabian institutions, startups, and enterprises deliver cloud-powered applications to accelerate growth, productivity, and innovation and spur job creation, skills training, and educational opportunities.”

Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Engineer Abdullah Alswaha said: “The partnership with AWS and their announcement of an AWS Region, backed by a $5.3 billion investment, ignites a new era of technological excellence and innovation for the Kingdom.”

“This cloud Region demonstrates a firm commitment to research, innovation, and empowering entrepreneurs to achieve prosperity for our region and the world,” he stressed.

To support the growth in cloud adoption across Saudi Arabia, AWS will continue to scale its training programs and help accelerate the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goal of empowering women to increase participation in the workforce.

To help support this goal, AWS is launching a new upskilling program, “AWS Saudi Arabia Women’s Skills Initiative,” in partnership with Skillsoft Global Knowledge.

AWS will train up to 4,000 women on AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials, at no charge, through classroom trainings with AWS-certified professionals. This initiative is designed to help women jumpstart a career in cloud computing.

In addition, AWS will continue to invest in upskilling students, local developers and technical professionals, nontechnical professionals, and the next generation of IT leaders in Saudi Arabia through offerings such as AWS Academy, AWS Educate, AWS re/Start, and AWS Skill Builder.

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Business

Global Supply Chains Reshape, Focus Shifts to Saudi Arabia

A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)
A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)
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Global Supply Chains Reshape, Focus Shifts to Saudi Arabia

A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)
A container ship at a Saudi port (SPA)

At a time when global supply chains are being reshaped by rising geopolitical tensions and disruptions to key routes, led by the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a central player in redirecting trade flows.

Leveraging a unique position linking East and West, and advanced logistics infrastructure reinforced by Vision 2030, the kingdom is positioning itself as a leading destination for global investment in the sector.

What began as a crisis response is now a strategic opening, drawing major logistics firms seeking safer, more reliable hubs.

Specialists say that as reliance on Saudi Red Sea ports grows and alternative routes expand, the kingdom is consolidating its role as a core node in global supply chains and a launchpad for cross-border logistics investment.

Global logistics hub

Nashmi al-Harbi, a logistics consultant, told Asharq Al-Awsat that major crises redraw investment maps, and the Strait of Hormuz is no exception.

“Commercial vessels are increasingly turning to Saudi Red Sea ports as a practical, secure alternative, reflecting the resilience of the kingdom’s infrastructure,” he said.

The shift sends a clear signal that Saudi Arabia is not just a consumer market, but a global logistics hub, in line with Vision 2030, he added.

Al-Harbi said the kingdom has become a lifeline for neighboring states, activating Gulf logistics integration and introducing exceptional measures, including customs facilitation and fee exemptions for goods transiting to Gulf markets.

“Global companies look for predictability and trust, and what the kingdom delivered during this crisis proves it offers both,” he said.

He added that Saudi Arabia’s dual access to the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea has given it a decisive edge over regional peers.

Pipeline

Exports from Yanbu on the Red Sea have climbed to 3.8 million barrels per day, supported by the East-West pipeline, which has a capacity of about 7 million barrels per day, al-Harbi said.

Built in the 1980s for this purpose, the pipeline is now seen by specialists as a highly strategic asset.

On regional coordination, he said Saudi Arabia has signed rapid logistics linkage agreements with Sharjah Port and ports in Oman and Kuwait, redirecting cargo from the Arabian Sea to Red Sea ports and then overland.

“This operational flexibility sets the kingdom apart,” he said.

Al-Harbi expects supply chains to be restructured, describing the crisis as a turning point in Gulf logistics integration and the start of more flexible, adaptive routes.

Crises drive innovation, he said, predicting wider adoption of smart tracking systems and risk management tools across Saudi supply chains.

He added that Gulf states now recognize the scale of the disruption requires new thinking, and that a return to pre-crisis conditions is unlikely.

Saudi Arabia had already been building its logistics infrastructure under Vision 2030, he said, adding that the current crisis has validated and accelerated that strategy, setting the sector on course for unprecedented growth and global positioning.

Operational capacity

Zaid al-Jarba, an expert in digital transformation and logistics, said Saudi Arabia has stood out not only for its location but also for turning geography into operational strength and for growing its logistics influence.

While many viewed Hormuz disruptions as a risk, Riyadh was steadily building alternatives, he said, developing new routes, more prepared ports, expanded airports, and stronger connectivity to ease bottlenecks.

“The advantage is not just access to the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, but the ability to connect them. That is a rare strategic strength,” he said.

Goods entering through Red Sea ports can move across the kingdom to Gulf markets, and vice versa, positioning Saudi Arabia as a bridge across the logistics network, he added.

He said logistics crises extend beyond maritime routes, with air freight and multimodal links gaining importance as risks rise.

Saudi airports, with growing cargo capacity and expanding infrastructure, have contributed to that flexibility, he said.

Aviation market

Al-Jarba said several Gulf airlines have turned to Saudi airports, underscoring a shift; Riyadh is no longer just a large aviation market, but an operational platform supporting regional traffic when alternatives are needed.

He said the kingdom’s role during the crisis, combined with its competitive edge, has drawn the attention of global logistics firms.

That edge includes its geographic position linking continents, its dual coastlines on the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, and its advanced infrastructure spanning ports, transport networks, and pipelines.

Flexible government policies, including customs facilitation and faster procedures, have further strengthened its appeal, he said, adding that a clear strategy under Vision 2030 makes Saudi Arabia a reliable, scalable base for supply chain operations.

Business

Hapag-Lloyd: Resuming Normal Shipping to Take 6-8 Weeks if Mideast Stabilizes

This aerial picture shows stacks of shipping containers at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, March 31, 2026. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP)
This aerial picture shows stacks of shipping containers at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, March 31, 2026. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP)
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Hapag-Lloyd: Resuming Normal Shipping to Take 6-8 Weeks if Mideast Stabilizes

This aerial picture shows stacks of shipping containers at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, March 31, 2026. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP)
This aerial picture shows stacks of shipping containers at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, March 31, 2026. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP)

Hapag-Lloyd voiced cautious optimism on Wednesday on the prospect of resuming shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after a two-week ceasefire agreed between the US and Iran, but said that resuming normal traffic throughout its network would take at least 6-8 weeks.

Speaking in a call to customers, CEO Rolf Habben Jansen echoed guarded remarks ⁠by peer container ⁠shipping group Maersk, saying that more security assurances were needed.

“Even if a ceasefire has now been agreed overnight, I would say that it's fair to ⁠say that the conflict in the Middle East is still severely disrupting shipping, but also supply chains," the Hapag CEO said, adding that the situation was "fluid".

According to Reuters, he estimated additional costs from the Middle East crisis at $50 million to $60 million a week and warned that the German company ⁠would ⁠have to pass on some of that to its customers. That was up from $40-$50 million stated previously.

He added that about 1,000 ships were still stuck in the region, six of which from his company with a combined capacity of about 25,000 standard containers.

Business

Turkish Shares Rise After Iran Ceasefire Deal, Lira Set for Rare Daily Gain

10 July 2020, Türkiye, Istanbul: People stand behind a Turkish national flag in front of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. (dpa)
10 July 2020, Türkiye, Istanbul: People stand behind a Turkish national flag in front of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. (dpa)
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Turkish Shares Rise After Iran Ceasefire Deal, Lira Set for Rare Daily Gain

10 July 2020, Türkiye, Istanbul: People stand behind a Turkish national flag in front of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. (dpa)
10 July 2020, Türkiye, Istanbul: People stand behind a Turkish national flag in front of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. (dpa)

Banking and ‌airline stocks led a more than 4% rise in Turkish shares and the lira was on track for a rare daily gain on Wednesday, as the two-week Middle East ceasefire sparked a relief rally across global markets.

At 0823 GMT, Türkiye's blue-chip BIST 100 index was up 4.3%, while the banking index rose 8.8%. Shares in airline ‌carriers Turkish ‌Airlines and Pegasus climbed more than ‌6% ⁠each.

The United States ⁠and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a post on X that he had invited Iranian and US delegations to meet in Islamabad on Friday.

The ⁠lira traded at 44.5400 against ‌the dollar, strengthening from ‌Tuesday's close of 44.6065.

The currency had lost about ‌1.5% in value since the US-Israeli strikes ‌on Iran began at the end of February. With a year-to-date loss of 3.6% and inflation reaching to 10% in the first three ‌months of the year, the lira has gained in real terms.

Before the ⁠two-week ⁠ceasefire agreement, economists had been expecting the central bank to reflect a cumulative 300 basis points of tightening delivered via liquidity measures in the main policy rate, which stands at 37%.

Markets are now watching whether the two-week ceasefire evolves into a more permanent arrangement, which could reshape expectations for policy tightening at the central bank's next monetary policy committee meeting on April 22.