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Saudi Arabia, US Commit to Deeper Economic Ties with Energy, Industry Deals as Trump Visits Riyadh

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and US President Donald Trump speak during a meeting at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP)
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and US President Donald Trump speak during a meeting at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP)
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Saudi Arabia, US Commit to Deeper Economic Ties with Energy, Industry Deals as Trump Visits Riyadh

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and US President Donald Trump speak during a meeting at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP)
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and US President Donald Trump speak during a meeting at the Royal Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP)

Saudi Arabia and the United States signed on Tuesday energy and industry agreements as President Donald Trump visited Riyadh where he was welcomed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

“The United States and Saudi Arabia share a commitment to deeper economic integration, underscoring the Kingdom’s pledge of expanding cooperation in critical sectors such as health, energy, and science,” said White House in announcing the agreements.

The US Department of Energy and Saudi Ministry of Energy concluded an agreement for cooperation in the field of energy exchanged by Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.

“This agreement builds upon their strong existing relationship; it will focus collaboration on examining the potential for innovation, development, financing, and deployment of energy infrastructure,” said the statement.

The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and US Department of Energy signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to collaborate on mining and mineral resources. “The agreement contributes to economic development and the diversification and resilience of critical mineral supply chains,” added the statement.

NASA and the Saudi Space Agency signed an agreement for a CubeSat to fly on NASA’s Artemis II test flight. Saudi Arabia’s CubeSat will measure aspects of space weather at a range of distances from Earth and deploy in high Earth orbit from a spacecraft adapter on the Space Launch System rocket after the Orion spacecraft is safely flying on its own with its crew of four astronauts.

The US and Saudi Arabia recently agreed to modernize the Air Transport Agreement to allow US airlines to carry cargo between Saudi Arabia and third countries without needing to stop in the United States, an important right for cargo hub operations. Saudi carriers will have the same rights to serve the United States.

Trump had arrived in the Kingdom earlier on Tuesday on his first overseas trip since his reelection. He will next visit the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Saudi Arabia and the United States also signed the largest defense sales agreement in history, worth nearly early $142 billion.

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Business

Saudi Arabia to Host World Economic Forum Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting in April

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting on April 22-23, 2026 - SPA
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting on April 22-23, 2026 - SPA
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Saudi Arabia to Host World Economic Forum Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting in April

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting on April 22-23, 2026 - SPA
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting on April 22-23, 2026 - SPA

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting: "Building Common Ground and Reviving Growth" in Jeddah on April 22-23, 2026.

The announcement came during the closing day of the 56th Annual Meeting of the forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim confirmed the details of the regular high-level WEF meeting, announced at the 2025 WEF annual meeting, SPA reported.

In his closing remarks at the forum, the minister stressed the need for sustained dialogue to accelerate global growth, calling on participants to engage actively in the World Economic Forum's Global Collaboration and Growth meeting, set to take place in Jeddah in April.

He noted that the meeting will build on the momentum generated by the World Economic Forum's Special Meeting hosted by Riyadh in 2024, affirming that the Kingdom has emerged as a global capital of pragmatism and consequential decision-making.

President of WEF Børge Brende highlighted the forum's deepening engagement with the Kingdom. He said: "We are pleased to return to Saudi Arabia in 2026 to carry forward the conversations started at our annual meeting, creating space for leaders to work together, build trust, and ensure dialogue leads to meaningful collaboration and action."

The announcement of the Kingdom's hosting of the World Economic Forum Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting comes as a continuation of the significant success achieved at the forum's special meeting hosted by Riyadh in April 2024, reinforcing Saudi Arabia's position as a reliable international partner in promoting economic stability and enhancing cooperation between developed and developing economies to confront shared global challenges.

Business

First SDRPY Oil Derivatives Grant Arrives in Yemen's Socotra

The shipment is part of a newly announced SAR1.9 billion economic support package comprising 28 development projects - SPA
The shipment is part of a newly announced SAR1.9 billion economic support package comprising 28 development projects - SPA
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First SDRPY Oil Derivatives Grant Arrives in Yemen's Socotra

The shipment is part of a newly announced SAR1.9 billion economic support package comprising 28 development projects - SPA
The shipment is part of a newly announced SAR1.9 billion economic support package comprising 28 development projects - SPA

The first shipment of the Oil Derivatives Grant from the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) arrived in Socotra on Friday.

The shipment will be providing fuel for electricity stations in Hadibu, Qalansiyah, Muri, and Alamah and eventually serving over 70 power plants across all Yemeni governorates.

The shipment is part of a newly announced SAR1.9 billion economic support package comprising 28 development projects.

According to SPA, under an agreement with the Yemeni Ministry of Electricity and Energy, SDRPY is providing 339 million liters of diesel and fuel oil valued at $81.2 million, purchased through the Yemeni petroleum company PetroMasila.

This initiative aims to stabilize the electricity sector and support vital infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and airports, while stimulating economic growth.

The current grant follows previous Saudi fuel support totaling $180 million in 2018, $422 million in 2021, and $200 million in 2022.

Business

EU to Suspend 93 billion Euro Retaliatory Trade Package against US for 6 Months

A container ship is seen at the loading terminal "Altenwerder" in the port of Hamburg, Germany, February 17, 2025. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer
A container ship is seen at the loading terminal "Altenwerder" in the port of Hamburg, Germany, February 17, 2025. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer
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EU to Suspend 93 billion Euro Retaliatory Trade Package against US for 6 Months

A container ship is seen at the loading terminal "Altenwerder" in the port of Hamburg, Germany, February 17, 2025. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer
A container ship is seen at the loading terminal "Altenwerder" in the port of Hamburg, Germany, February 17, 2025. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer

The European Commission said on Friday it would propose suspending for another six months an EU package ​of retaliatory trade measures against the US worth 93 billion euros ($109.19 billion) that would otherwise kick in on February 7.

The package, prepared in the first half of last year when the European Union was negotiating ‌a trade deal ‌with the United States, ‌was ⁠put ​on ‌hold for six months when Brussels and Washington agreed on a joint statement on trade in August 2025.

US President Donald Trump's threat last week to impose new tariffs on eight European countries ⁠over Washington's push to acquire Greenland had made ‌the retaliatory package a ‍handy tool for the ‍EU to use had Trump followed ‍through on his threat.

"With the removal of the tariff threat by the US we can now return to the important ​business of implementing the joint EU-US statement," Commission spokesman Olof Gill said, Reuters reported.

The ⁠Commission will soon make a proposal "to roll over our suspended countermeasures, which are set to expire on February 7," Gill said, adding the measures would be suspended for a further six months.

"Just to make absolutely clear -- the measures would remain suspended, but if we need them at any point in ‌the future, they can be unsuspended," Gill said.