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Saudi Arabia Plans Global Village at Expo Site After 2030

Saudi Media Minister Salman Al-Dossary visits the Expo 2030 pavilion at the Saudi Media Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Media Minister Salman Al-Dossary visits the Expo 2030 pavilion at the Saudi Media Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Plans Global Village at Expo Site After 2030

Saudi Media Minister Salman Al-Dossary visits the Expo 2030 pavilion at the Saudi Media Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Media Minister Salman Al-Dossary visits the Expo 2030 pavilion at the Saudi Media Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia plans to transform the site of Expo 2030 Riyadh into a permanent, sustainable global village once the six-month world fair ends, officials said on Tuesday, as countries begin locking in their presence at the flagship event, with eight nations, including the US, already securing pavilion space.

The details were disclosed during a media briefing for Expo 2030, held on the sidelines of the Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh.

The briefing was attended by chief executive officer of Expo 2030 Riyadh Company Talal Al-Marri and Director General of the Center for Government Communication Abdullah Al-Maghlouth, along with several officials and specialists.

Al-Marri said the site would be fully prepared by 2029, allowing participating countries to begin early preparations ahead of the opening of the global event. He added that eight countries have already reserved pavilion plots, among them the US.

Infrastructure

Work is progressing steadily to prepare the site. In 2025, the government awarded the main infrastructure development contract and deployed a fleet of heavy equipment.

Excavation and landfill works have been carried out over an area of 1.5 million square meters, and construction of hotels dedicated to the exhibition is expected to begin later this year.

The anticipated event, described by organizers as one of the largest international platforms for bringing countries together, is under the theme “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow.” The exhibition will run from October 1, 2030, to March 31, 2031.

The event, overseen by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), will be held on a six-million-square-meter site north of Riyadh, near King Salman International Airport.

Organizers expect more than 40 million visitors from inside and outside the Kingdom, along with broad participation from international institutions and governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Sustainable development

Expo 2030 aims to host 197 countries and 29 organizations, with more than 230 pavilions addressing significant global challenges and presenting innovative solutions to build a more sustainable future.

The exhibition is designed as a global platform for sharing ideas and expertise on the future of sustainable development and international cooperation, highlighting innovation, culture, and scientific and technological progress.

Events will include a mix of interactive exhibitions, intellectual forums, advanced technology showcases, and dialogue platforms bringing together governments, companies, non-profit organizations, and universities.

Cultural and entertainment programs reflecting the diversity of global cultures and human history will also be featured.

The site’s design draws inspiration from nature and Riyadh’s historical heritage, is built around an ancient valley, and is inspired by the concepts of the oasis and the garden to reflect harmony between nature and urban progress.

The exhibition has been planned as a fully walkable experience, with public facilities and leisure spaces carefully designed to enhance visitor comfort and engagement across pavilions and open areas.

Solar energy

Among the site’s key design features are 226 spherical pavilions, arranged to reflect the philosophy of international cooperation and cultural harmony among nations.

Shaded walkways and green gardens have also been incorporated into public spaces, providing a comfortable environment for visitors and underscoring Saudi Arabia’s commitment to sustainable environmental practices.

All participating countries will contribute to preparing the pavilions, allowing each nation to showcase its culture, achievements, and future ambitions.

Expo 2030 Riyadh is also built around sustainable environmental strategies, including solar energy, natural resource management, water treatment solutions, and waste recycling, to become one of the world’s most sustainability-focused expos.

The event’s program will address themes such as climate action, prosperity for all, and a better tomorrow, reflecting key issues on the global sustainable development agenda.

Expo 2030 Riyadh reflects the Kingdom’s ambition to position itself as a global hub for knowledge, cultural, and economic exchange. It represents a central milestone in its long-term transformation under Vision 2030, aimed at diversifying the economy and strengthening its role on the global stage.

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Business

EU Opposes Removing Oil Sanctions on Russia to Cool Energy Prices

Pumpjacks operated by Aera Energy work the wells at the Midway-Sunset field near Taft in Kern County, California, on March 8, 2026. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)
Pumpjacks operated by Aera Energy work the wells at the Midway-Sunset field near Taft in Kern County, California, on March 8, 2026. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)
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EU Opposes Removing Oil Sanctions on Russia to Cool Energy Prices

Pumpjacks operated by Aera Energy work the wells at the Midway-Sunset field near Taft in Kern County, California, on March 8, 2026. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)
Pumpjacks operated by Aera Energy work the wells at the Midway-Sunset field near Taft in Kern County, California, on March 8, 2026. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)

EU economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis said Tuesday the European Union did not support removing sanctions on Russian oil despite soaring energy prices, AFP reported.

"We must continue to exert maximum pressure on Russia," he said when asked about US President Donald Trump's announcement he will waive some sanctions on oil, warning easing restrictions would "reinforce Russia's capacity to wage war, undermining Ukraine".

Business

Airlines Hike Ticket Prices as Iran War Propels Fuel Costs

A Qantas logo is visible on the tail of an airplane at an airport in Sydney, Australia, September 18, 2025. (Reuters)
A Qantas logo is visible on the tail of an airplane at an airport in Sydney, Australia, September 18, 2025. (Reuters)
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Airlines Hike Ticket Prices as Iran War Propels Fuel Costs

A Qantas logo is visible on the tail of an airplane at an airport in Sydney, Australia, September 18, 2025. (Reuters)
A Qantas logo is visible on the tail of an airplane at an airport in Sydney, Australia, September 18, 2025. (Reuters)

Australia's Qantas Airways , Scandinavia's SAS and Air New Zealand announced airfare hikes on Tuesday, blaming an abrupt spike in the cost of fuel caused by the Middle East conflict.

Jet fuel prices, which were around $85 to $90 per barrel before US-Israeli strikes on Iran, have soared to between $150 and $200 per barrel in recent days, New Zealand's flag carrier said as it suspended its financial outlook for 2026 due to uncertainty over the conflict.

The war, which disrupted shipping via the world's most vital oil export route, has sent oil prices surging, upending global travel, pushing airline tickets on some routes sky-high, and sparking fears of a deep travel slump that could lead to widespread grounding of planes.

"Increases of this magnitude make it necessary to react in order to maintain stable and reliable operations," an SAS spokesperson said in a statement to Reuters, adding it had implemented a "temporary price adjustment".

The largest Scandinavian airline said last ‌year it had temporarily ‌adjusted its fuel hedging policy due to uncertain market conditions and that it had no ‌fuel ⁠consumption hedged for the ⁠following 12 months.

While several Asian and European airlines, including Lufthansa and Ryanair, have oil hedging in place, securing a part of their fuel supplies at fixed prices, Finnair warned that even the availability of fuel could be at risk if the conflict dragged on.

"A prolonged crisis could affect not only the price of fuel but also its availability, at least temporarily," a Finnair spokesperson said, adding that it had not seen this happening yet. It had hedged over 80% of its first-quarter fuel purchases.

AIRSPACE CHAOS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Highlighting the airspace chaos in the Middle East, planes arriving in Dubai were briefly placed in a ⁠holding pattern on Tuesday due to a potential missile attack, flight tracking service Flightradar24 said on X. ‌The planes eventually landed.

Qantas said in addition to increasing international fares, it was exploring ‌options to redeploy capacity to Europe as airlines and passengers seek to evade disruptions in the Middle East, where drone and missile fire have ‌curtailed flights.

Airfares have soared on Asia-Europe routes due to airspace closures and capacity constraints, and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways said on ‌Tuesday it was adding extra flights to London and Zurich in March.

Air New Zealand said it had raised one-way economy fares by NZ$10 ($6) on domestic routes, NZ$20 on short-haul international services and NZ$90 on long-haul, with more adjustments to prices and schedules possible if jet fuel costs remain elevated.

Hong Kong Airlines said on its website it would raise its fuel surcharges by up to 35.2% from Thursday, with the sharpest increase on flights between ‌Hong Kong and the Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal.

AIRLINE SHARES STABILISE AFTER SELLOFF

Some airline stocks rose and oil prices fell to around $90 a barrel on Tuesday from a high of $119 on Monday ⁠after US President Donald Trump said ⁠on Monday the war could be over soon. When markets opened in Europe, airline shares were up between 4% and 7%.

In Asia, airline shares showed signs of stabilising, with Qantas closing up 0.5%, Korean Air Lines rising 3% and Cathay Pacific up 3.6%. All had recorded sharp declines on Monday.

Fuel is the second-largest expense for air carriers after labor, typically accounting for a fifth to a quarter of operating expenses.

CONFLICTS SHRINKING AVAILABLE AIRSPACE

In addition to high fuel costs, tightening airspace also threatens to derail the global travel industry, as pilots reroute to avoid the Middle East conflict and capacity on popular routes fills up.

Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad typically jointly account for about one-third of the passenger traffic between Europe and Asia and fly more than half of all passengers from Europe to Australia, New Zealand and nearby Pacific Islands, according to Cirium.

European airlines have already struggled with the shortage of available airspace created by the war in Ukraine, with many avoiding Russian airspace and flying longer international routes. Now, with even less available airspace, they say their business has become even more challenging.

Business

Aramco Sees ‘Catastrophic Consequences’ for Oil Markets if Hormuz Strait Remains Blocked

President and CEO of Saudi's Aramco, Amin Nasser, speaks during the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 29, 2024. (Reuters)
President and CEO of Saudi's Aramco, Amin Nasser, speaks during the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 29, 2024. (Reuters)
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Aramco Sees ‘Catastrophic Consequences’ for Oil Markets if Hormuz Strait Remains Blocked

President and CEO of Saudi's Aramco, Amin Nasser, speaks during the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 29, 2024. (Reuters)
President and CEO of Saudi's Aramco, Amin Nasser, speaks during the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 29, 2024. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia's Aramco , the world's top oil exporter, said on Tuesday there would be "catastrophic consequences" for the world's oil markets if the Iran war continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil shipments have been largely blocked from using the shipping artery, where normally roughly 20% of the world's oil would pass through daily. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday they would not allow "one liter of oil" to be shipped from the Middle East if US and Israeli attacks continue.

"There would be catastrophic consequences for the world's oil markets and the longer the disruption goes on ... the more drastic the consequences for the global economy," Aramco CEO Amin Nasser told reporters on an earnings call.

"While we have faced disruptions in the past, this one by far is the biggest crisis the region's oil and gas industry has faced."

WIDE RANGE OF SECTORS MAY BE HIT

The crisis has not only ‌upended the shipping ‌and insurance sectors, but it also promises to have drastic domino effects on aviation, agriculture, automotive ‌and ⁠other industries, he added.

Global ⁠crude benchmark Brent, which rocketed to a more than three-year high of nearly $120 a barrel on Monday, was trading around $92 on Tuesday following comments by US President Donald Trump predicting the war could end soon.

Trump, however, warned that the US would hit Iran much harder if it blocked exports from the vital energy-producing region.

He has also said the US Navy could escort ships in the Gulf to guarantee safe passage. But the Navy's capacity to do that is unclear, with some vessels already engaged in strikes against Iran and shooting down its missiles.

Asked about US Navy escorts and whether they were possible on the scale required, Nasser said there are sizable volumes involved, ⁠adding that Aramco's customers assume the risk of delivery.

"Of course, we would support any actions ‌or measures that would help to deliver our products to our customers, to ‌the global market," he said.

NO EXPORTS FROM THE GULF

Nasser noted global inventories of oil ‌were at a five-year low and said the crisis will lead to drawdowns at a faster rate, adding that it was critical that shipping in the strait resumed.

"Unfortunately, for global markets, most of the spare capacity is in this region," Nasser told analysts on a call, noting that incremental demand throughout the year will keep the market tightly balanced.

At present, Aramco is not exporting oil from the Gulf as ships cannot load ‌cargoes there. But the company, which does not disclose its exact crude output, is meeting the majority of its customers' needs, he said, partly by tapping into global inventories.

"Now, that ⁠cannot be used - that inventory - ⁠for an extended period of time, but for the time being, we are capitalizing on it," he said.

The East-West pipeline is, meanwhile, being used to transport mostly Arab Light and some Arab Extra Light crude grades to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. The pipeline, which has more than doubled its initial capacity, is expected to reach its full capacity of 7 million barrels per day in the next couple of days as customers re-route, Nasser said.

"Even with our ability to export through the western region, you're talking about close to 350 million barrels of disruptions that will come off the market," he said.

In addition to the pipeline, Aramco is also able to direct crude towards domestic demand, he noted. Close to 2 million bpd of the pipeline's 7 million bpd capacity is going to western domestic refineries, which are net exporters of products, Nasser added.

A small fire from an attack last week on Aramco's Ras Tanura refinery, its largest domestically, was quickly extinguished and brought under control, Nasser said, adding that the refinery was in the process of being restarted.