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NEOM Forms its Global Advisory Board

Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM in Riyadh. (Reuters)
Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM in Riyadh. (Reuters)
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NEOM Forms its Global Advisory Board

Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM in Riyadh. (Reuters)
Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM in Riyadh. (Reuters)

NEOM, the destination for the future of living being developed in the Northwest of Saudi Arabia, announced on Tuesday its global Advisory Board. The Board brings together experts in key sectors to provide industry insight, advise on key milestones and forge strategic connections for NEOM.

Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM, said: “We welcome the global and diverse expertise of the Advisory Board and are confident that each of them will make huge contributions to the development of NEOM. The Advisory Board will help shape NEOM’s future through its detailed knowledge and connections with potential long-term strategic partners.”

The members of the Advisory Board come from backgrounds in urban planning, architecture, design, technology, sustainability, energy and manufacturing. Those members have previously been engaged with NEOM in a meeting held in New York, USA in August 2018 to review NEOM’s strategy and discuss updates on the project.

Each of the Advisory Board members has been carefully chosen for their expertise and has demonstrated relevant experience, a global business background, familiarity with large-scale projects, senior board-level roles, international influence and enthusiasm for the aims of NEOM.

The members of the Advisory Board are:

- Sam Altman, President of YC Group and Co-Chairman of Open AI. Altman is an American entrepreneur, investor, programmer and blogger. He was named the top investor under 30 by Forbes in 2015 and one of the "Best Young Entrepreneurs in Technology" by Businessweek in 2008. Altman is also the Chairman of two energy companies, Helion and Oklo.

- Marc Andreessen, Co-Founder and General Partner of Andreessen Horowitz. Andreessen is a pioneer in the tech world. He founded software companies like Opsware, Mosaic, Netscape and Ning. Andreessen sits on the board of directors of Facebook, eBay and Hewlett Packard Enterprise among others. Andreessen was one of six inductees in the World Wide Web Hall of Fame announced at the First International Conference on the World-Wide Web in 1994.

- Tim Brown, CEO and President of IDEO. IDEO focuses on the value of design thinking to business people and designers. Brown discusses this around the world, including at the World Economic Forum in Davos and through TED Talks. He is an industrial designer by training and has earned numerous design awards, as well as advising senior business leaders.

- Timothy Collins, Founder and CEO of Ripplewood Advisors, L.L.C. Collins founded investment firm Ripplewood in 1995, with previous experience at Onex Corporation, Lazard Freres & Company, Booz Allen Hamilton and Cummins Engine Company. He has served on a number of corporate boards and is currently Chairman of the Yale SOM Advisory Board.

- Alexandra Cousteau, Senior Advisor to Oceana. Cousteau is an expert in environmental issues and is currently a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, filmmaker and global oceans expert.

- Dan Doctoroff, Founder and CEO of Sidewalk Labs. Before taking over Sidewalk Labs, Doctoroff was President and CEO of Bloomberg L.P., with previous roles including Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding in New York and Managing Partner of Oak Hill Capital Partners. He serves on the boards of the University of Chicago, World Resources Institute, the US Olympic Committee, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Human Rights First. He also helped found several charitable organizations.

- Lord Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners. Foster + Partners is a global studio for architecture, urbanism and design. Notable projects include Reichstag in Berlin, the Great Court of British Museum, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Headquarters of Apple, Bloomberg and Comcast and airports in Hong Kong and Beijing. He is also the President of the Norman Foster Foundation.

- Jean Fréchet, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. Fréchet is a Professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley and Vice President for Research at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia. He is a leader in developing strategies and managing resources to support interdisciplinary, collaborative research bridging science and engineering. Professor Fréchet is the author of over 800 publications with more than 106,000 citations and 200 patents.

- Travis Kalanick, CEO of City Storage Systems, a holding company focused on redeveloping real estate assets to fuel urban job creation and neighborhood rejuvenation. Kalanick is also Co-Founder and former CEO of Uber. During his seven years leading Uber, the company grew to operate in more than 70 countries, employed over 15,000 people and provided 3 million drivers with flexible work opportunities to complete over 5 billion rider trips. Prior to Uber, he founded Red Swoosh, a networking software company.

- Neelie Kroes, Former Vice President of the European Commission. Neelie is a former EU Commissioner, the first term as EU Commissioner for Competition Policy and the second term as Commissioner in charge of the Digital Agenda for Europe. In the last term, she was also Vice President of the European Commission. Before that, Neelie Kroes was Minister for Transport, Public Works and Telecommunication in the Netherlands. Currently, she serves on various international company boards.

- Andrew Liveris, Former Chairman and CEO of Dow Chemical and Executive Chairman of DowDuPont. Liveris ran Dow, a producer and marketer of chemical, materials, plastics and specialty chemicals for over 14 years and was responsible for transforming Dow and DuPont into the largest chemical company in the world. He has advised two US presidents, written a seminal book on the criticality of manufacturing to economic development and is on the boards of Saudi Aramco, WorleyParsons and IBM, and an advisor to the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

- Ernest J. Moniz, President and CEO of the Energy Futures Initiative. Moniz served as the 13th United States Secretary of Energy from 2013 to January 2017. He is the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics and Engineering Systems emeritus and Special Advisor to the MIT President. Dr. Moniz is CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative and of the Energy Futures Initiative and the inaugural Distinguished Fellow of the Emerson Collective.

- Marc Raibert, Founder and CEO of Boston Dynamics. Raibert leads the development of some of the world's most advanced robots. Before founding Boston Dynamics in 1992, he was a professor at MIT and Carnegie Mellon University, and is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering.

- Carlo Ratti, Professor of Urban Technologies and Planning Director at MIT’s Senseable City Lab. Ratti is an architect and engineer by training and currently teaches at MIT. He has co-authored over 500 publications and patents.

- John Rossant, Founder and Chairman at the NewCities Foundation. Rossant founded the NewCities Foundation in 2010 with an aim to shape the future of urban projects. He was previously responsible for the production of global forums, such as the e-G8 in Paris and the World Economic Forum in Davos and is also the CEO and Chief Curator of LA CoMotion, the annual conference and event on future mobility. He is a board member of the Fondation Tocqueville in Paris and Humanity in Action in New York.

- Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp. Son founded SoftBank, a global technology company that aspires to drive the Information Revolution in 1981 and has expanded its business to cover a range of technologies, including telecommunications, AI, smart robotics, IoT and clean energy. In 2017, SoftBank announced the first major close of the SoftBank Vision Fund to support the transformational companies at the forefront of the Information Revolution.

- Rob Speyer, President and CEO of Tishman Speyer. Speyer has grown Tishman Speyer into a leading global real estate company with $50 billion in assets. He is the Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, and in 2013 became the youngest-ever Chairman of the Real Estate Board of New York. He currently serves on the advisory council of EXOR as well as several charitable ventures.

- Peter R. Voser, Chairman of ABB Group. Before taking up his position as Chairman of the Board of technology giant ABB, Voser served as CEO at Shell, amongst other positions with the company. He currently serves as a board member at Roche, IBM and Temasek, as well as several non-profit organizations.

Additional members of the Advisory Board will be announced as they are appointed.

NEOM’s emphasis on sustainability and innovation makes it a core pillar of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious blueprint to diversify its economy and enable wider societal transformation. NEOM forms part of the Saudi Giga-Projects Investment Pool for the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia. The giga-projects are integrated economic ecosystems that will support the economic transformation of the Kingdom and act as a catalyst for investment across various sectors, and in addition to NEOM include The Red Sea Project, and Qiddiya.

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Business

Minister of Industry Heads Saudi Delegation to 52nd Meeting of Industrial Cooperation Committee

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef heads the Kingdom’s delegation at the 52nd meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Industrial Cooperation Committee in Doha, Qatar. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef heads the Kingdom’s delegation at the 52nd meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Industrial Cooperation Committee in Doha, Qatar. (SPA)
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Minister of Industry Heads Saudi Delegation to 52nd Meeting of Industrial Cooperation Committee

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef heads the Kingdom’s delegation at the 52nd meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Industrial Cooperation Committee in Doha, Qatar. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef heads the Kingdom’s delegation at the 52nd meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Industrial Cooperation Committee in Doha, Qatar. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef headed the Kingdom’s delegation at the 52nd meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Industrial Cooperation Committee in Doha, Qatar.

The meeting discussed important industrial matters shared among the GCC nations, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

Participants assessed progress on creating a unified definition and standards for GCC-made products. The meeting stressed the importance of both supporting the GCC's industrial sector and coordinating efforts among member nations to grow their national industries.

The committee explored initiatives proposed by Saudi Arabia to boost the GCC industrial sector, including the GCC Industrial Excellence Award. The initiative aims to boost economic growth and tackle obstacles in the sector.

Business

Abdulaziz bin Salman: Countries Lagging Behind Should Follow Our Approach

The Minister of Energy addressing the audience in a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Islamic Development Bank Group. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Minister of Energy addressing the audience in a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Islamic Development Bank Group. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Abdulaziz bin Salman: Countries Lagging Behind Should Follow Our Approach

The Minister of Energy addressing the audience in a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Islamic Development Bank Group. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Minister of Energy addressing the audience in a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Islamic Development Bank Group. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz said that the Kingdom ranks second in terms of the lowest intensity of carbon dioxide emissions, and the same place for methane emissions.
“Our issue is not recognizing the existence of the problem of climate change, but rather how to deal with it in a fair and direct manner, taking into account the differences in national circumstances in countries”, said the Minister.
His remarks came Tuesday during a panel discussion entitled, Security, the Future of Energy and Sustainable Development, on the sidelines of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Islamic Development Bank Group.
He added that countries have unanimously agreed to the Paris Climate Agreement, “but the real problem does not lie in the text of the agreement, but rather in the strange interpretation of its content.”
The discussion on climate change must be realistic and logical to enable all parties to cooperate and confront this global issue, Prince Abdulaziz underlined, saying that energy security cannot be sacrificed in favor of climate change, and vice versa, indicating that governments have a moral responsibility to provide the elements of growth for future generations.
The minister stressed that the issue of inequality was the reason for the faltering of climate change negotiations, referring to the Sharm El-Sheikh and Dubai summits, which he said contributed to mending this gap and dealing with climate change with realism.
He pointed to some hypocrisy in the discourse regarding the distribution of responsibilities towards climate change, noting that it is not possible to ask countries such as Indonesia, which suffers from energy scarcity, or Nigeria, Ghana, or Madagascar, to switch to renewable energy, at a time when they are facing difficulties in obtaining electricity.
During his speech, the Saudi minister referred to a recent statistic, which gives OPEC countries a historical responsibility of 4 percent for carbon dioxide emissions, while the United States bears 24 percent, China approximately 22 percent, and the European Union 16 percent.
“So why should we receive lectures about reducing our emissions,” he asked, noting that countries “lagging behind should follow our approach.”

 

 

Business

Riyadh’s Population Rise to 15 Million Helps Shift City towards Independent Economy

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Riyadh’s Population Rise to 15 Million Helps Shift City towards Independent Economy

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Real estate experts said that Riyadh’s goal to increase its population by about 15 million people in 2030 will contribute to its transformation into a city with an independent and sustainable economy.

They added that the Riyadh Season, as well as major projects and government plans will accelerate the realization of the Saudi capital’s objectives by 2030.

According to the official announcement of the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh, the region aims to reach 15 million people by 2030 thanks to attractive factors and capabilities that further strengthen the Kingdom's efforts to diversify its economic resources.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, writer and real estate expert Sami Abdulaziz said the latest statistics indicate that the capital is currently home to about 7.5 million people, adding that the average occupancy of residential units reaches seven individuals, thus the number of units required by 2030 is around 350,000.

The Ministry of Housing alone will provide about 300,000 housing units until the target date, he remarked, noting that developers, contracting companies, and investors in the sector will secure the remaining amount, which will contribute to increasing the availability real estate units, therefore leading to price stability.

Abdulaziz pointed to the importance of studying the rest of the market factors, including the number of units required during the next five years, their locations, the construction costs, the public facilities and services needed, the size of the private sector’s participation and others.

He also expected the Riyadh Season and the city’s major projects to become a major contributor to achieving the capital’s goal of reaching 15 million residents in 2030.

Real estate expert Eng. Ahmed Al-Faqih highlighted Riyadh’s status as one of the most developed cities in the Middle East, in addition to the great progress the city is witnessing simultaneously with Vision 2030.

Achieving the target of 15 million residents would transform Riyadh into a city with an independent economy, he added.

Business

Saudi Arabia’s Review of Vision 2030 Proves its Awareness of Global Changes

Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dr. Jihad Azour. (Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg)
Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dr. Jihad Azour. (Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg)
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Saudi Arabia’s Review of Vision 2030 Proves its Awareness of Global Changes

Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dr. Jihad Azour. (Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg)
Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dr. Jihad Azour. (Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg)

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said the Kingdom will adapt to the current economic and geopolitical challenges and will work to review Vision 2030 to transform its economy based on the current circumstances by reducing the size of some projects and accelerating the pace of others.

Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dr. Jihad Azour praised this direction, saying Saudi Arabia was aware of the rapid global changes and must keep pace with them by reviewing its vision.

He underlined the importance of structural reforms that constitute the largest part of the economic transformation process, pointing out that a number of required reforms would facilitate the integration of the entire Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The annual report of Vision 2030, issued on the anniversary of its launch on April 25, 2016, showed that 87 percent of the goals of this ambitious plan were completed, or on the right track. However, the growing challenges necessitate some adjustments, as announced by Al-Jadaan during the special meeting of the World Economic Forum, which was held in Riyadh.

Azour participated on Tuesday in a panel discussion, “Expectations for the Economies of the Middle East and North Africa... Policies to Overcome Challenges and Harness Opportunities,” organized by the Think Research and Advisory, which is affiliated with the Saudi Research and Media Group.

He said the transformation journey in Saudi Arabia went through three stages: formulating the vision, ensuring the success of implementation, and adapting the strategy to changes and priorities.

“This is what is happening today. Saudi Arabia is aware that there are global changes taking place rapidly, and it must keep pace with them by amending its vision... In addition, Saudi Arabia is focusing on addressing weak points, identifying successful elements, and ensuring the ability to withstand in the face of economic shocks... Moving quickly is an element of success,” the IMF regional director stated.

The IMF had reduced its expectations for the growth of the Saudi economy to 2.6 percent this year from its previous forecast in January of 2.7 percent. In return, it raised its expectations for growth in 2025 to 6 percent, compared to 5.5 percent in the January forecast.

Azour noted that over the past years, the Saudi economy has become more internationally connected, as its membership in the G20 has allowed it to come under the spotlight, and for reforms to be accelerated to make the economy more productive and competitive, through diversification of revenues.

“There is no doubt that there are a number of required reforms that would encourage the entire Gulf Cooperation Council countries to better integrate... It is possible to accelerate this integration by thinking again about the single market, so that the entire GCC countries become more competitive, in a world where competition is now more difficult due to geopolitical developments,” according to Azour.

He went on to say that structural reforms enabled the GCC countries to manage shocks effectively, which demonstrated their strength during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On a different note, Azour said foreign direct investment has witnessed a decline in the past decade in the region, including within the GCC, adding that negative risks affected countries with high levels of debt.

“It is important for countries in the Middle East and North Africa region to reduce their debts to alleviate the effects of inflation,” he underlined.

Azour explained: “The shipping crisis through the Red Sea constitutes a shock, but if measured, the cost of shipping across the MENA region is still relatively low... What is more difficult to measure is the possibility of predicting what will happen to the Suez Canal, through which a third of the world’s shopping containers pass, which reflects its importance at the global level.”

Business

Oil Falls for a Third Day as Middle East Ceasefire Hopes Rise

Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. (Reuters)
Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. (Reuters)
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Oil Falls for a Third Day as Middle East Ceasefire Hopes Rise

Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. (Reuters)
Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. (Reuters)

Oil prices fell for a third day on Wednesday amid increasing hopes of a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East and on rising crude inventories and production in the US, the world's biggest oil consumer.

Both oil price benchmarks were down more than 1% at 0650 GMT. Brent crude futures for July were 88 cents lower at $85.45 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures for June were 90 cents lower at $81.03 per barrel.

Expectations that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas could be in sight, following a renewed push led by Egypt to revive stalled negotiations between the two, pushed oil prices lower.

"The potential for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has eased concerns of an escalation of the conflict and any possible disruptions to supply," ANZ analysts said in a note on Wednesday.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Tuesday to go ahead with a long-promised assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, whatever the response by Hamas to the latest proposals for a halt to the fighting and a return of Israeli hostages.

Also pressuring prices were swelling US crude oil inventories and rising crude supply.

US crude oil inventories rose 4.906 million barrels in the week ended April 26, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures, which defied expectations for a decline of 1.1 million barrels.

Traders will be waiting to see if official data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) due at 1430 GMT confirms the build.

US production rose to 13.15 million barrels per day (bpd) in February from 12.58 million bpd in January, its biggest monthly increase in about 3-1/2 years, the EIA said on Tuesday.

"Continued signs of inflation also raised concerns about demand for crude oil. This comes ahead of the US driving season, where demand for gasoline rises strongly," analysts at ANZ said.

Business

BlackRock to Launch PIF-backed Saudi Investment Platform

Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, speaks during an interview with CNBC on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, speaks during an interview with CNBC on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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BlackRock to Launch PIF-backed Saudi Investment Platform

Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, speaks during an interview with CNBC on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, speaks during an interview with CNBC on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, US, April 14, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

The world's largest asset manager BlackRock (BLK.N), said on Tuesday it plans to launch a new investment platform in Saudi Arabia, backed by up to $5 billion from Saudi sovereign wealth fund the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

BlackRock and PIF said they had signed a memorandum of understanding under which BlackRock would establish a Riyadh-based multi-asset investment platform.

The two parties said the platform would accelerate growth of Saudi Arabia's capital markets, with a Riyadh-based investment team looking to raise additional funds locally and overseas.

A BlackRock spokesperson said its platform would be focused on Saudi Arabia but would span investments across the Middle East and North Africa, including infrastructure and credit within private markets and equities in public markets.

BlackRock chairman and CEO Larry Fink said that Saudi Arabia had become an "increasingly attractive" destination for international investment.

PIF's deputy governor Yazeed A. Al-Humied said the agreement would help make the Saudi investment market more internationally diverse and dynamic.

Business

G7 Agree to Quit Coal in Power Generation by 2035

Smoke and steam billow from Belchatow Power Station, Europe's largest coal-fired power plant powered by lignite, operated by Polish utility PGE, in Rogowiec, Poland, November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Smoke and steam billow from Belchatow Power Station, Europe's largest coal-fired power plant powered by lignite, operated by Polish utility PGE, in Rogowiec, Poland, November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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G7 Agree to Quit Coal in Power Generation by 2035

Smoke and steam billow from Belchatow Power Station, Europe's largest coal-fired power plant powered by lignite, operated by Polish utility PGE, in Rogowiec, Poland, November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Smoke and steam billow from Belchatow Power Station, Europe's largest coal-fired power plant powered by lignite, operated by Polish utility PGE, in Rogowiec, Poland, November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

Energy ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies agreed on Tuesday to end the use of coal in power generation during the first half of the next decade, but gave leeway to Germany and Japan whose economies depend on the fuel.

The agreement is a further step in the direction indicated last year by the COP28 United Nations climate summit to reduce use of fossil fuels, of which coal is the most polluting.

"It is the first time that a path and a target has been set on coal," said minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, who chaired the two-day meeting in a former royal residence near Turin, Reuters reported.

However, the G7 communique also included an alternative goal of phasing out coal-fired power plants "in a timeline consistent with keeping a limit of a 1.5°C temperature rise within reach, in line with countries' net-zero pathways".

Limiting temperature rises to 1.5 Celsius (2.7F) above pre-industrial levels, scientists have said, can prevent the most severe consequences of climate change.

The caveat, according to sources who requested anonymity, was included to grant room for manoeuvre to Germany and Japan.

In view of the impact of Russia's invasion on Ukraine on Europe's fuel security, it also offers flexibility in case of a new, unexpected conflict, Italy's energy minister told the closing news conference on Tuesday.

Support from many governments for strong climate action has faded as economic weakness has made them focus on the immediate cost and it remains to be seen how Germany and Japan will move to reduce the use of coal, which produces more than a quarter of their electricity.

Germany has written into its legislation a final target to shut coal plants by 2038, while the current government has expressed the will to phase out coal by 2030, and Japan has not set a date.

German Economy Ministry State Secretary Anja Hajduk told Reuters Tuesday's deal was an important achievement.

Business

Mosaic to Sell Stake in Saudi JV to Ma'aden for $1.5 Billion in Stock

One of the factories affiliated with the Saudi Ma’aden Company (File/AAWSAT)
One of the factories affiliated with the Saudi Ma’aden Company (File/AAWSAT)
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Mosaic to Sell Stake in Saudi JV to Ma'aden for $1.5 Billion in Stock

One of the factories affiliated with the Saudi Ma’aden Company (File/AAWSAT)
One of the factories affiliated with the Saudi Ma’aden Company (File/AAWSAT)

Fertilizer maker Mosaic Co (MOS.N) said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia's firm Ma'aden would acquire the US-based company's stake in a phosphate production joint venture by issuing shares worth about $1.5 billion.

Ma'aden will issue about 111 million shares to buy the 25% stake Mosaic owns in Ma'aden Wa'ad Al Shamal Phosphate Co, a joint venture between Mosaic, Ma'aden and Saudi Basic Industries (2010.SE), opens new tab Corp.

Mosaic had said in February that a lot of the cash generated from the asset had gone into reducing debt and investing in the joint venture was not at the top of its priority, Reuters reported.

The phosphate producer curtailed output after fertilizer prices dropped last year due to lukewarm demand from key markets.

The deal is expected to close by the end of this year.

Business

Riyadh WEF Special Meeting Calls for Tech Use in Global Economic Growth

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
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Riyadh WEF Special Meeting Calls for Tech Use in Global Economic Growth

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Leaders from around the world are stressing the importance of boosting global growth and tackling economic challenges, calling for urgent action to chart a sustainable future.

Riyadh had hosted global leaders for a two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) special meeting in Riyadh.

The Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development 2024 - held under the patronage of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - brought together key leaders to exchange perspectives, consider new data, and advance high-impact partnerships.

Attendees at the meeting stressed the importance of working together to boost sustainable economic growth and tackle obstacles.

They highlighted the need to use technology wisely amid global changes, aiming not just for economic growth but also to fix systemic issues.

They urged unified efforts to address economic slowdowns and build resilience by pooling expertise and resources to create new strategies for growth, job creation, and fair opportunities in building stronger economies.

Wide-ranging discussions at the WEF meeting delved into geopolitical and technological developments, with a focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, renewable energy, logistics sectors, and other economic issues confronting the world.

Saudi Economy Minister Faisal Alibrahim stated that the global economy is still facing slow growth. He stressed the need for fair technology distribution, saying it could boost growth in less developed countries.

During the final plenary session, Alibrahim announced that the Kingdom joined the AI Governance Alliance, and will co-launch the ‘Inclusive AI Initiative for Growth and Development’, to develop solutions for AI access and adoption.

Alibrahim also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing non-oil sectors since Vision 2030, aiming for a diverse economy led by productivity. He mentioned Saudi Arabia’s adaptability to AI technologies.

Additionally, Alibrahim discussed the recent conflicts in the Middle East, suggesting that peace in the region would help economic progress.

“We may end up with this decade being remembered as the Turbulent Twenties or the Tepid Twenties, and what we actually want is Transformational Twenties,” said Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund.

“Over the next 100 years leaders must aim for the same degree of wealth as that created over the past 100 years, but with a much better distribution of the benefits of growth,” she added.

Business

Al-Ghais: It's about Reducing Emissions, Not the Demand for Crude

Workers in an oil field in Hubei Province, China (Reuters)
Workers in an oil field in Hubei Province, China (Reuters)
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Al-Ghais: It's about Reducing Emissions, Not the Demand for Crude

Workers in an oil field in Hubei Province, China (Reuters)
Workers in an oil field in Hubei Province, China (Reuters)

The Secretary-General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Haitham Al-Ghais, stressed that the pace at which global demand for energy is increasing means that alternatives cannot replace oil in the same proportion.
Al-Ghais wrote an opinion piece for the media platform Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) entitled, “It’s about reducing emissions, not oil demand”, in which he talked about the spread of terms such as “the end of oil,” which reduce or ignore key details related to current and future demand for oil.
“Such assertions, despite all evidence to the contrary, are all the more dangerous given their potential to foster energy policies that stoke energy chaos,” Al-Ghais said, adding: “What if investments in supply fall as a result, but demand for oil keeps increasing, as we are seeing today?”
He continued: “Although the main goal of the Paris Agreement on climate change is to reduce emissions – not to choose energy sources – it feels like this has been forgotten, replaced by rigid narratives to reduce demand for hydrocarbons without thinking through the effects on energy security, socio-economic development, or reducing energy poverty.”
He stressed that such narratives “forget that oil continues to be irreplaceable in fostering global prosperity and maintaining energy security.”
Touching on the centrality of oil, the OPEC secretary general wrote: “It is sometimes easy to forget just how critical oil is to our everyday lives, but without it we would not have gasoline, heating oil, jet fuel, syringes, soap, computers, car tires, contact lenses, artificial limbs, many types of medicine and much more. The fiberglass, resin and plastic needed to construct most wind turbines and the ethylene for solar panels would not exist either.”
He added: “The reality is that the end of oil is not in sight. Oil continues to make up almost a third of the global energy mix today and global oil demand continues to rise.”
In another article published on the OPEC website, Al-Ghais called on all job seekers, of all generations, to consider working in the oil industry, stressing that it is “an opportunity... to provide energy to the world.”
“The oil and gas industry has a significant role to play in employment globally. In terms of direct employment, the industry recruits highly skilled and specialized workers, but its impact extends far beyond this. For local and national economies, it has significant multiplier benefits, generating opportunities for a wide range of businesses. This includes various other parts of the manufacturing supply chain, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants and shops. All told, the oil industry alone supports around 70 million jobs worldwide,” he stated.
In this context, Al-Ghais voiced concern over reports of a “‘hiring crisis’ facing the industry, an impending labor shortage, that the younger generation is being ‘put off’ from pursuing a career in the industry, and that fewer petroleum related subjects are being offered at universities.”
He noted that a number of factors could be behind these trends, “including the perception that the industry is not a viable long-term employment option, driven by the misguided view that oil is not part of a sustainable energy future.”
He stressed that the oil industry is spread all over the world, and is found in regions, towns, villages and communities, where it has the main say.
“At OPEC, we have a clear and consistent message on oil industry jobs – the world will need more of them! We foresee oil demand growing to 116 mb/d by 2045 and to meet this, and further evolve technologies to reduce emissions, we will need more workers,” Al-Ghais underlined.
He concluded by saying: “And finally, to all jobseekers – of all generations ̶ I encourage you to consider a career in the oil industry. It is one of boundless opportunities for professional fulfillment, and a vital cog in providing energy to the world.”