13 Initiatives to Enhance Saudi Foreign Trade

13 Initiatives to Enhance Saudi Foreign Trade
TT

13 Initiatives to Enhance Saudi Foreign Trade

13 Initiatives to Enhance Saudi Foreign Trade

The Saudi General Authority for Foreign Trade said it is working on 13 initiatives focused on supporting the Kingdom’s sectors within the framework of boosting foreign trade and resolving the challenges facing international investments. This falls within the framework of the national vision for transformation, Kingdom Vision 2030.

The announcement came during a workshop organized by the Saudi South African Business Council at the Council of Saudi Chambers in cooperation with the Saudi General Authority for Foreign Trade.

The workshop showcased a series of investment agreements between the Kingdom and South Africa and the latter’s economic benefits.

A number of experts from the Saudi General Authority for Foreign Trade attended the workshop, in addition to businessmen and Hisham al-Amoudi, the Saudi South African Business Council General Manager.

Al-Amoudi opened the workshop reaffirming the extensive efforts spent by the Saudi General Authority for Foreign Trade in resolving challenges facing international investments and working to boost bilateral partnerships according to Saudi Vision 2030.

For her part, Saudi General Authority for Foreign Trade expert in private sector partnerships Nouf al-Hassoun affirmed that the Authority is working on 13 initiatives to support foreign Saudi business council.

Hassoun said that the initiatives are in their last phases of preparation before going into implementation.

She stressed that one of the Authority’s goals is to maximize the Kingdom’s international trade and investment gains, enable exports of non-oil goods, services and national investments to enter international markets, provide protection for Saudi products and services from harmful practices in international trade and attract foreign investment.

Saudi General Authority for Foreign Trade expert in international relations Mohammed al-Sabhan said that the Authority has resumed negotiations to sign a free trade agreement with South Africa, the Southern African Development Community and the Gulf Cooperation Council.



OPEC Again Cuts 2024, 2025 Oil Demand Growth Forecasts

The OPEC logo. Reuters
The OPEC logo. Reuters
TT

OPEC Again Cuts 2024, 2025 Oil Demand Growth Forecasts

The OPEC logo. Reuters
The OPEC logo. Reuters

OPEC cut its forecast for global oil demand growth this year and next on Tuesday, highlighting weakness in China, India and other regions, marking the producer group's fourth consecutive downward revision in the 2024 outlook.

The weaker outlook highlights the challenge facing OPEC+, which comprises the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia, which earlier this month postponed a plan to start raising output in December against a backdrop of falling prices.

In a monthly report on Tuesday, OPEC said world oil demand would rise by 1.82 million barrels per day in 2024, down from growth of 1.93 million bpd forecast last month. Until August, OPEC had kept the outlook unchanged since its first forecast in July 2023.

In the report, OPEC also cut its 2025 global demand growth estimate to 1.54 million bpd from 1.64 million bpd, Reuters.

China accounted for the bulk of the 2024 downgrade. OPEC trimmed its Chinese growth forecast to 450,000 bpd from 580,000 bpd and said diesel use in September fell year-on-year for a seventh consecutive month.

"Diesel has been under pressure from a slowdown in construction amid weak manufacturing activity, combined with the ongoing deployment of LNG-fuelled trucks," OPEC said with reference to China.

Oil pared gains after the report was issued, with Brent crude trading below $73 a barrel.

Forecasts on the strength of demand growth in 2024 vary widely, partly due to differences over demand from China and the pace of the world's switch to cleaner fuels.

OPEC is still at the top of industry estimates and has a long way to go to match the International Energy Agency's far lower view.

The IEA, which represents industrialised countries, sees demand growth of 860,000 bpd in 2024. The agency is scheduled to update its figures on Thursday.

- OUTPUT RISES

OPEC+ has implemented a series of output cuts since late 2022 to support prices, most of which are in place until the end of 2025.

The group was to start unwinding the most recent layer of cuts of 2.2 million bpd from December but said on Nov. 3 it will delay the plan for a month, as weak demand and rising supply outside the group maintain downward pressure on the market.

OPEC's output is also rising, the report showed, with Libyan production rebounding after being cut by unrest. OPEC+ pumped 40.34 million bpd in October, up 215,000 bpd from September. Iraq cut output to 4.07 million bpd, closer to its 4 million bpd quota.

As well as Iraq, OPEC has named Russia and Kazakhstan as among the OPEC+ countries which pumped above quotas.

Russia's output edged up in October by 9,000 bpd to about 9.01 million bpd, OPEC said, slightly above its quota.