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Global Logistics Forum in Riyadh Paves the Way for Strategic Partnerships

The Global Logistics Forum addressed key topics in the transport and logistics sector. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Global Logistics Forum addressed key topics in the transport and logistics sector. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Global Logistics Forum in Riyadh Paves the Way for Strategic Partnerships

The Global Logistics Forum addressed key topics in the transport and logistics sector. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Global Logistics Forum addressed key topics in the transport and logistics sector. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Global Logistics Forum, which concluded in Riyadh on Monday, saw the signing of over 60 strategic local and international partnerships and memorandums of understanding, with a total value exceeding SAR 16 billion ($4.3 billion).

In its 2024 edition, the forum aimed to boost international cooperation in the logistics sector, with the goal of reshaping the global logistics services map.

Saudi Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Dr. Rumaih Al-Rumaih stated that the forum “serves as a platform for collaboration” within the logistics system, with the goal of enhancing efficiency, resilience, sustainability, and profitability in today’s world.

According to Al-Rumaih, the agreements announced reflect the significance of the forum and its importance for the future of the sector, showcasing the transformative impact of cooperation and highlighting the Kingdom’s leadership role in the global logistics services sector.

“We aim to leverage our unique strategic position at the crossroads of three continents,” he added.

Medical supply agreements

The Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services, in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment, announced a series of significant agreements and memorandums of understanding.

Among the most prominent was a MoU with FedEx to explore investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s logistics and transport sector, agreements with Sadel Group to establish cold storage warehouses in Jeddah (western Saudi Arabia), and other agreements with Pacific International Lines and the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) to explore new opportunities in integrated logistics services and multimodal transport.

The Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services also announced the signing of memorandums of understanding with the National Unified Procurement Company for Medical Devices and Supplies (NUPCO) to establish new regional centers for supplying medical equipment and with the Saudi Industrial Development Fund to collaborate in developing transport and logistics services to support industrial transformation.

Key announcements and partnerships

The event witnessed major announcements from global sector leaders. Agility Logistics revealed the expansion of its warehouses in Saudi Arabia and signed an agreement with the Saudi Railways Company.

Additionally, Saudi Cargo signed a new partnership with the Second Airport Group to improve air cargo services.

New scholarship and training initiatives were launched during the event. The Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services announced agreements to send a group of national talents abroad for training and capacity-building to meet the needs of the sector in the Kingdom.

The agreements were made in collaboration with the Saudi Group, Airport Holding, The Helicopter Company, The Executive Company, and Saudi Railways Company.

The Saudi Logistics Academy also announced a series of training initiatives in cooperation with NEOM, Qassim University, and Al-Salihiya Logistics Agency.

Participants are seen at a panel discussion at the forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Economic zones and hydrogen trains

The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) unveiled a series of agreements with companies such as Alat, Bahri, and Danfoss.

It also granted licenses for integrated logistics service zones to several entities. The Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority awarded certificates to Tharawat Group and Masarat Logistics Services for establishing new centers in King Abdullah Economic City.

It also signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Post to develop a new addressing system that will facilitate business operations in Saudi Arabia’s special economic zones.

In addition, CEO of the Saudi Railways Company Dr. Bashar Al-Malik revealed the success of Saudi Arabia’s experiments with the first hydrogen-powered train aimed at evaluating the suitability of this technology for the Kingdom’s environment.

This comes after Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi Minister of Energy, announced last year during his speech at the opening of Climate Week that Saudi Arabia would have the first hydrogen-powered train in the Middle East.

The inaugural edition of the Global Logistics Forum addressed key topics in the transport and logistics sector, such as enabling global markets, investing in logistics infrastructure, enhancing the resilience of logistics services in the face of disruptions in the Red Sea region, in addition to discussing the “New Era of Energy Ports” and empowering talents to develop the industries of the future.

The event was held in the presence of a large number of ministers, senior officials, leaders of international organizations, industry associations, experts, academics, and analysts, and featured 130 speakers and 80 exhibitors from 30 countries.

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Business

Saudi Arabia Activates Major Investment Engines With Approval of Special Economic Zone Rules

 King Abdullah Economic City, located in western Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
 King Abdullah Economic City, located in western Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
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Saudi Arabia Activates Major Investment Engines With Approval of Special Economic Zone Rules

 King Abdullah Economic City, located in western Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
 King Abdullah Economic City, located in western Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat). 

Saudi Arabia has taken a pivotal step toward strengthening its standing as a global investment destination after the Cabinet approved the regulatory frameworks for four Special Economic Zones (SEZs): Jazan, Ras Al-Khair, King Abdullah Economic City, and the Cloud Computing Special Economic Zone.

The move marks the effective start of the operational and legal phase for the zones, offering investors a clear roadmap on how to benefit from the incentives and competitive advantages the Kingdom is rolling out.

Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid al-Falih said the regulations will come into force in early April 2026, calling the decision a major leap in developing the regulatory ecosystem for SEZs.

He said it underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to boosting investment competitiveness regionally and globally, while building an enabling environment that attracts high-quality investments and supports sustainable growth in line with Vision 2030.

The four zones are designed to serve strategic sectors that place the Kingdom at the heart of global supply chains. The Jazan zone is set to become a hub for food processing, mining, and manufacturing, leveraging its port and proximity to African markets.

Ras al-Khair is being developed into a global center for maritime and mining industries, providing an integrated platform for shipbuilding, offshore drilling rigs, and marine support services.

King Abdullah Economic City is positioned as an advanced hub for logistics, high-value manufacturing, and the automotive sector, while the Cloud Computing and Informatics Zone in Riyadh represents a major leap in the data economy, hosting global technology firms offering local data storage and processing services.

The new regulations introduce flexible licensing regimes, attractive tax and customs standards, and streamlined operating procedures, including flexible ownership structures.

Investors will be allowed to use multiple languages for trade names, and investments within the zones will be exempt from certain provisions of the traditional Companies Law, giving global firms greater operational freedom.

On workforce policy, Al-Falih said the regulations include tailored Saudization frameworks aligned with each zone’s economic activities, balancing national talent development with the rapid growth needs of major investors.

The frameworks are part of an integrated governance model that clarifies mandates and aligns government entities, accelerating licensing processes and creating a fast, flexible business environment aligned with Saudi Arabia’s economic ambitions.

 

 

 

Business

Turkish Manufacturing Nears Stabilization as PMI Rises in December

An employee works at an assembly line in the Toyota manufacturing plant in Sakarya October 10, 2013. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
An employee works at an assembly line in the Toyota manufacturing plant in Sakarya October 10, 2013. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
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Turkish Manufacturing Nears Stabilization as PMI Rises in December

An employee works at an assembly line in the Toyota manufacturing plant in Sakarya October 10, 2013. REUTERS/Osman Orsal
An employee works at an assembly line in the Toyota manufacturing plant in Sakarya October 10, 2013. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

Turkish manufacturing activity shrank at a slower pace in December, marking two consecutive months of improvement, signaling a slight moderation in operating conditions at the end of 2025, a business survey showed on Friday.

The Istanbul Chamber of Industry Turkiye Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), compiled by S&P Global, rose to a 12-month high of 48.9 from 48.0 in November thanks ‌to softer slowdowns ‌in output, new ‌orders, ⁠employment and purchasing activity.

Readings ‌below 50.0 indicate contractions in overall activity, while figures above that suggest growth, Reuters said.

"With PMI reaching its highest level for a year in December, the manufacturing sector takes some momentum into 2026, giving hope that we will ⁠see growth in the months ahead," said Andrew Harker, ‌Economics Director at S&P ‍Global Market Intelligence.

New ‍orders eased at the slowest pace ‍since March 2024, with some firms noting improvements in customer demand. However, both total new business and new export orders continued to moderate.

Production was scaled back, though at a slower rate than in November. Employment saw ⁠a marginal reduction, while purchasing activity also experienced a softer decline, according to the survey.

Input costs rose sharply, driven by higher raw material prices, leading manufacturers to increase selling prices, the survey said.

"While inflationary pressures rebounded following the recent lows seen in November, rates of increase in input costs and output prices were still comfortably below the highs ‌we have seen at times in recent years," Harker said.

Business

Asia Stocks Make Bright Start to 2026

Stock markets welcomed the New Year with healthy gains. Punit PARANJPE / AFP
Stock markets welcomed the New Year with healthy gains. Punit PARANJPE / AFP
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Asia Stocks Make Bright Start to 2026

Stock markets welcomed the New Year with healthy gains. Punit PARANJPE / AFP
Stock markets welcomed the New Year with healthy gains. Punit PARANJPE / AFP

Asian markets made a bright start to 2026 on Friday but volumes were thin with Tokyo and Shanghai still closed as investors awaited fresh direction from Wall Street.

Stocks had a bumper 2025, with the S&P adding 16.4 percent, the tech-rich Nasdaq 20.4 percent and London's FTSE enjoying its merriest Christmas in 16 years, said AFP.

In Asia, Seoul stocks whooshed 75 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index bounced 28 percent and Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rocketed more than 26 percent.

"Naturally, the start of the new year comes with the question everyone asks moving from one year to the next: will this continue? The consensus is that, yes, it will," said Kyle Rodda at Australian brokerage Capital.com.

"When it comes to the all important US economy, Wall Street is pricing in growth will accelerate this year while inflation still moderates and interest rates get cut. Meanwhile, analysts predict that corporate fundamentals will improve," Rodda said.

Hong Kong was up 2.2 percent Friday with chip designer Biren Technologies roaring 80 percent higher after its initial public offering.

The Shanghai-based firm's listing raised more than $700 million, suggesting that investor appetite for anything related to artificial intelligence remains insatiable.

Biren "enjoys scarcity value and high market attention", said Kenny Ng, a strategist at China Everbright Securities.

"The industry is in a flourishing stage, with many firms striving for breakthroughs and significant growth potential," Ng said.

Search-engine giant Baidu jumped almost seven percent after saying its AI chip unit Kunlunxin had filed a listing application in Hong Kong.

Taipei, Sydney, Jakarta, Manila and Singapore also advanced while while Seoul's Kospi, which soared 76 percent in 2025 in large part due to AI boom, was up 1.7 percent.

Samsung Electronics added three percent after co-CEO Jun Young Hyun said customers had praised its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, some saying that "Samsung is back", Bloomberg News reported. 

After volatile recent days, following record highs for silver, precious metals started the new year on a bright note with gold up 0.64 percent per ounce and silver 1.5 percent shinier.