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Saudi Finance Ministry to Ask Government Agencies to Issue Fines through National Platform

An employee of the Ministry of Commerce during a visit to monitor violations (SPA)
An employee of the Ministry of Commerce during a visit to monitor violations (SPA)
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Saudi Finance Ministry to Ask Government Agencies to Issue Fines through National Platform

An employee of the Ministry of Commerce during a visit to monitor violations (SPA)
An employee of the Ministry of Commerce during a visit to monitor violations (SPA)

The Saudi Ministry of Finance will ask all government agencies to use a unified national platform to issue fines and penalties, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The Efaa Services platform enables citizens, residents, visitors and business owners to be informed of and review all their violations with government agencies, and seeks to unify, simplify and improve the relevant procedures.

The step by the Ministry of Finance was based the royal directives to compel government agencies to take fair measures when exercising their jurisdiction in accordance with regulatory texts.

The ministry has informed private sector companies of this new directive, in order to follow up on notifications regarding violations and penalties through the Efaa platform.

The vision of the Saudi government, which the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) is working to implement through the Efaa platform, seeks to enhance services and business continuity at the level of ministries, agencies and various institutions, by raising the efficiency of applications and electronic services, and improving institutional governance and its effectiveness in managing procedures and services related to issuing violations.

The platform was able to connect approximately 36 government agencies, including ministries, agencies, institutions, centers, and other affiliated entities, to unify procedures for violations and improve their process.

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Saudi Non-Oil Exports Hit Two-Year High

The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
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Saudi Non-Oil Exports Hit Two-Year High

The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)
The King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia. (“Mawani” port authority)

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports soared to a two-year high in May, reaching SAR 28.89 billion (USD 7.70 billion), marking an 8.2% year-on-year increase compared to May 2023.

On a monthly basis, non-oil exports surged by 26.93% from April.

This growth contributed to Saudi Arabia’s trade surplus, which recorded a year-on-year increase of 12.8%, reaching SAR 34.5 billion (USD 9.1 billion) in May, following 18 months of decline.

The enhancement of the non-oil private sector remains a key focus for Saudi Arabia as it continues its efforts to diversify its economy and reduce reliance on oil revenues.

In 2023, non-oil activities in Saudi Arabia contributed 50% to the country’s real GDP, the highest level ever recorded, according to the Ministry of Economy and Planning’s analysis of data from the General Authority for Statistics.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan emphasized at the “Future Investment Initiative” in October that the Kingdom is now prioritizing the development of the non-oil sector over GDP figures, in line with its Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.

A report by Moody’s highlighted Saudi Arabia’s extensive efforts to transform its economic structure, reduce dependency on oil, and boost non-oil sectors such as industry, tourism, and real estate.

The Saudi General Authority for Statistics’ monthly report on international trade noted a 5.8% growth in merchandise exports in May compared to the same period last year, driven by a 4.9% increase in oil exports, which totaled SAR 75.9 billion in May 2024.

The change reflects movements in global oil prices, while production levels remained steady at under 9 million barrels per day since the OPEC+ alliance began a voluntary reduction in crude supply to maintain prices. Production is set to gradually increase starting in early October.

On a monthly basis, merchandise exports rose by 3.3% from April to May, supported by a 26.9% increase in non-oil exports. This rise was bolstered by a surge in re-exports, which reached SAR 10.2 billion, the highest level for this category since 2017.

The share of oil exports in total exports declined to 72.4% in May from 73% in the same month last year.

Moreover, the value of re-exported goods increased by 33.9% during the same period.