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Saudi Arabia, UAE Lead 5G Networks in Middle East

Saudi Arabia, UAE Lead 5G Networks in Middle East
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Saudi Arabia, UAE Lead 5G Networks in Middle East

Saudi Arabia, UAE Lead 5G Networks in Middle East

The fifth generation (5G) is expected to reach 30 million subscriptions for enhanced mobile broadband in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) by the end of 2024, representing two percent of total mobile subscriptions.

This will make 5G the fastest generation of cellular technology to be rolled out on a global scale, according to the new regional edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.

Key drivers for 5G deployment include increased network capacity, lower cost per gigabyte and new use case requirements, the report said.

It added that the majority of the 5G subscriptions in the MEA are expected to come from advanced ICT markets like the GCC countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While in Africa, considerable momentum is building up in South Africa.

From a mobile data traffic point of view, the region is globally the highest with nine times growth forecast from 2018 to 2024 and mobile broadband subscriptions to double from 860 to 1,630 million in the same period.

The report noted that the MEA region’s telecom market is characterized by increasing uptake of LTE and there is a high usage of apps.

Economies in the Middle East and North Africa have shown signs of recovery in 2018 and are expected to grow by 3.9 percent in 2019 as oil exporters benefit from the improved outlook for oil prices.

The report noted that continued economic growth in the region, coupled with a young population, favorable policies and lower cost devices will drive investment in the telecoms sector, increasing uptake of ICT services.

LTE subscriptions will have the highest growth at 23 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2018 and 2022, driven by increased mobile communications service provider investment in 4G networks as well as rising usage of data-intensive mobile services in the region.

The combination of increasing usage of mobile video applications on higher resolution screens and better network throughputs will lead to a rise in the data traffic per active smartphone from 2.9GB per month in 2018 to 15GB per month in 2024, the report added.

“As 5G now hits the market, its coverage build-out and uptake in subscriptions is expected to be faster than for previous generations,” said Rafiah Ibrahim, head of Ericsson Middle East and Africa.

“At the same time, cellular IoT continues to grow strongly. As networks mature and ecosystems evolve, service providers need to become increasingly agile to achieve the goal of profitable growth,” she stressed.

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Business

Iranian Products Featured at Arab, Global Expo in Makkah 

The Iranian pavilion at the Arab and Global Expo in Makkah. (SPA)
The Iranian pavilion at the Arab and Global Expo in Makkah. (SPA)
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Iranian Products Featured at Arab, Global Expo in Makkah 

The Iranian pavilion at the Arab and Global Expo in Makkah. (SPA)
The Iranian pavilion at the Arab and Global Expo in Makkah. (SPA)

The Iranian pavilion at the Arab and Global Expo in Makkah displayed a variety of Iranian products from numerous sectors, attracting a large number of visitors.

The pavilion featured food items, spices, sweets, and nuts, as well as textiles, leather goods, handicrafts, and handmade items, all representing Iranian heritage.

The pavilion's participation aims to strengthen trade relations with the Saudi and Gulf markets and open new channels for economic cooperation.

The exhibition provides an important platform to showcase the quality and competitiveness of Iranian industries.

The Arab and Global Expo in Makkah, running until December 12, is one of the most prominent trade events, bringing together companies and institutions from several countries to promote trade and present innovative and diverse products to visitors.

Business

China's Trade Surplus Tops $1 Trillion despite Plunge in US-bound Exports

China's exports topped expectations last month and sent the trade surplus to a record above $1 trillion. AFP
China's exports topped expectations last month and sent the trade surplus to a record above $1 trillion. AFP
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China's Trade Surplus Tops $1 Trillion despite Plunge in US-bound Exports

China's exports topped expectations last month and sent the trade surplus to a record above $1 trillion. AFP
China's exports topped expectations last month and sent the trade surplus to a record above $1 trillion. AFP

China's towering annual trade surplus surpassed $1 trillion for the first time last month, data showed Monday, as a sharp drop in shipments to the United States was offset by surging exports to other major markets.

Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump reached a tentative truce to their fierce trade war when they met in late October, agreeing a pause to painful measures that included lofty tit-for-tat tariffs.

Exports have served as a key economic lifeline for China as trade and relations with the United States and others have fluctuated in recent years.

That has helped temper a prolonged debt crisis in the country's vast property sector and sluggish domestic spending, which have weighed on growth and are among the most pressing issues facing Beijing.

Exports climbed 5.9 percent year-on-year in November, reversing the slight decline recorded in October, the General Administration of Customs said.

The reading was also above a Bloomberg forecast of four percent growth.

The jump came despite a continued downturn in shipments to the United States, which sank 28.6 percent to $33.8 billion in November, the data showed.

"Weakness in exports to the United States was more than offset by shipments to other markets," Zichun Huang of Capital Economics wrote in a note.

"Exports are likely to remain resilient, thanks to trade rerouting and rising price competitiveness as deflation pushes down China's real effective exchange rate," Huang said.

The surge in shipments last month added to the country's ballooning annual trade surplus for the first 11 months of the year, which the Customs data showed hit $1.08 trillion in November.

"China's trade surplus this year has already surpassed last year's level, and we expect it to widen further next year," Huang wrote.

But the imbalance has long been a sticking point for major Western trading partners.

French President Emmanuel Macron threatened in remarks published Sunday to impose tariffs on China if Beijing fails to reduce its massive trade surplus with the European Union.

Macron -- who concluded a state visit to China last week -- warned in business daily Les Echos that "Europeans will be forced to take strong measures in the coming months".

In a further sign of China's weak domestic consumption, the data showed Monday that imports rose 1.9 percent on-year in November -- slower than the three percent increase predicted by Bloomberg.

"The rebound of export growth in November helps to mitigate the weak domestic demand," Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management, wrote in a note.

"The economic momentum slowed in the fourth quarter partly driven by the continued weakness in the property sector," he said.

Xi and Trump agreed at the October meeting in South Korea to scale back sky-high tariffs on each other's goods and blistering export controls that had sent shockwaves across global industries.

The detente is due to expire late next year, allowing time for officials to reach a permanent deal -- though experts warn such a breakthrough will be challenging.

"There's no guarantee this uneasy truce will last that long," Lynn Song, ING chief economist for Greater China, said last week.

"A lot needs to go right for the agreement to hold for the full year," he wrote, adding that "it seems prudent to expect a softer external demand backdrop for next year."

China's leaders -- who are targeting overall growth this year of five percent -- are expected to convene a key meeting this week focused on economic planning.

Business

King Abdulaziz Int’l Airport Records Increase in Passenger Traffic in November 2025

King Abdulaziz International Airport recorded notable growth in operational performance during November 2025. (SPA)
King Abdulaziz International Airport recorded notable growth in operational performance during November 2025. (SPA)
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King Abdulaziz Int’l Airport Records Increase in Passenger Traffic in November 2025

King Abdulaziz International Airport recorded notable growth in operational performance during November 2025. (SPA)
King Abdulaziz International Airport recorded notable growth in operational performance during November 2025. (SPA)

King Abdulaziz International Airport recorded notable growth in operational performance during November 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The total number of passengers reached 4.86 million, marking an increase of 8.6 percent, while the total number of flights reached 25,900, reflecting a growth of 10.6 percent.

The airport recorded its highest operating day on November 20, 2025, serving more than 176,800 passengers in a single day, representing a 9.6 percent increase compared to the peak day recorded in November 2024. The total number of handled baggage items also rose to 5.6 million, registering a year-on-year growth of 25.4 percent.

From the beginning of 2025 through November 30, the total number of passengers reached 48 million, an increase of 8.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024. Over the same period, the number of flights reached 273,700, reflecting an increase of 8.2 percent.

These figures highlight the continued expansion of services at King Abdulaziz International Airport, one of the region's most prominent aviation hubs. They also underscore ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency and provide a seamless and comfortable travel experience, supporting increased travel options and contributing to the growth of tourism and trade.