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Saudi Arabia to Allocate $100 Million for 1st Global Tourism Fund

Saudi Arabia hosts the first global summit with wide international participation to discuss the recovery of the tourism sector internationally (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Saudi Arabia hosts the first global summit with wide international participation to discuss the recovery of the tourism sector internationally (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Saudi Arabia to Allocate $100 Million for 1st Global Tourism Fund

Saudi Arabia hosts the first global summit with wide international participation to discuss the recovery of the tourism sector internationally (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Saudi Arabia hosts the first global summit with wide international participation to discuss the recovery of the tourism sector internationally (Asharq Al-Awsat).

In partnership with the World Bank, Saudi Arabia made a pledge of USD100 million for the establishment of a global fund to support tourism, as the first international fund of its kind to stimulate the sector’s post-pandemic growth.

The announcement came during a summit launched on Wednesday in Riyadh with the participation of tourism ministers and relevant international organizations, to discuss ways to reshape the future of tourism that has collapsed with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib stressed that the Kingdom, through its contribution to the establishment of the International Fund for Comprehensive Tourism in cooperation with the World Bank, aims to support human capabilities to make the most of the sector for a more sustainable future, a step that promotes tourism while preserving the local environment.

Khatib underlined the importance of achieving sustainability in the sector in all areas, especially the environment, pointing to the need for sustainable financial resources by diversifying income and investment returns.

“We must rebuild tourism and make it more resilient in the face of crises, to overcome the challenges of the past 14 months, during which many jobs were lost in the sector,” the Saudi minister told the conference.

He also emphasized the importance of global exchange and coordination under the umbrella of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), calling for the development of a unified protocol to facilitate travel.

The minister said that the NEOM project is a destination that offers the world an environmentally friendly sustainable development model, as it offers a transport system free of carbon emissions. Other projects, including the Red Sea, exclusively rely on clean energy, he remarked, noting that Saudi Arabia has also adopted the Green Middle East Initiative to plant billions of trees.

Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili hoped the sector would regain its health and growth.

“We are here in Riyadh with senior officials and ministers from around the world to inject many ideas and have the ability to answer many difficult questions, so that we can re-launch tourism safely,” he said.

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Putin: Russia to Continue Cooperation with OPEC+

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow on Thursday (EPA)
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow on Thursday (EPA)
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Putin: Russia to Continue Cooperation with OPEC+

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow on Thursday (EPA)
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow on Thursday (EPA)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that his country will continue to develop cooperation with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies known as OPEC+, as well as members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

Putin also said Russia is fulfilling its obligations to supply energy resources to the global market.

The Russian President was speaking at the Russian Energy Week before a panel of top ministers from OPEC+ called the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee is scheduled to meet on Oct. 2 to review the market and is not expected to make any changes to policy.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told Reuters on Thursday that there were no changes to OPEC+ plans to start phasing out oil production cuts from December.

OPEC+, which groups OPEC members and allies such as Russia, is scheduled to raise output by 180,000 barrels per day in December. Iraq and Kazakhstan have pledged to cut 123,000 bpd in September to compensate for earlier pumping above agreed levels.

OPEC+ sources told Reuters on Thursday that the producer group is set to go ahead with a December oil output increase because its impact will be small should a plan for some members to make larger cuts to compensate for overproduction be delivered in September and later months.

Speaking at the Russian Energy Week, Putin said on Thursday, “Russia is fulfilling its obligations to supply energy resources to the global market. It plays a stabilizing role in it, participating in such authoritative formats as OPEC+, and the GECF.”

He added: “And we will certainly continue this cooperation with our partners.”

Putin praised cooperation with the BRICS group of countries, which Moscow sees as a counterbalance to the West, adding that Russia will continue cooperation with the OPEC+ oil producers.

Putin also acknowledged difficulties in payments for Russian energy exports, for which “friendly” counries, which have not introduced sanctions against Russia, account for 90%.

Russian oil and gas sales account for around a third of total state budget revenues and have been crucial for underpinning country's economy, which faces multiple sanctions from the West over the military conflict with Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on the sidelines of Russian Energy Week that all countries participating in the OPEC+ deal are currently in full compliance with their respective obligations, Russian, according to the Interfax news agency.

He said Russia aims to be producing 540 million tons of oil per year by 2050 in the baseline scenario, but this amount might be adjusted depending on the country's obligations within OPEC+.

“Indeed, 540 million tons is the baseline scenario for which we're aiming [for oil output by 2050], but with a caveat taking into account cooperation with our partners in OPEC+. We have no objective to flood the market if it does not require this. But [it also works] the other way, to give the market additional resources if this is required,” Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin said.

He said Russia is not worried about potential growth of demand in the period to 2030 or the period to 2050.

“In our view, it's fairly substantial. It's at least 5 million-7 million bpd, meaning about 4.5%-5.5% from current consumption to 2030. Subsequently, we're talking about around 5% additional growth to 2050,” Sorokin said.