MAWANI Announces Investment Opportunities to Develop 8 Saudi Ports

A view of the Jeddah Islamic Port. (SPA)
A view of the Jeddah Islamic Port. (SPA)
TT

MAWANI Announces Investment Opportunities to Develop 8 Saudi Ports

A view of the Jeddah Islamic Port. (SPA)
A view of the Jeddah Islamic Port. (SPA)

The Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI), through the Supervisory Committee for Privatization in the Transportation Sector and in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services (MOTLS) and the National Center for Privatization & PPP (NCP), has announced investment opportunities in partnership with the private sector to develop and operate multi-purpose terminals in eight Saudi ports.

The initiative comes in line with the objectives of the National Strategy of Transport and Logistics Services.

It also contributes to promoting the Kingdom’s economic growth, developing local services in the ports sector and raising the competitiveness of Saudi ports regionally and globally.

The promising opportunities are represented in build-operate-transfer (BOT) structure for terminals in each of Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, Ras Al-Khair Port, Jizan Port, Yanbu Commercial Port, King Fahad Industrial Port in Jubail, King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu, and Jubail Commercial Port, equipping the ports to serve various functions, including containers, general cargo, bulk cargo, RORO cargo, passengers, and livestock.

The initiative falls within strengthening the partnership between the public and private sectors in ports and logistics services. This is in addition to optimizing the utilization of assets and increasing operational efficiency in this vital sector.

Separately, the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources signed a MoU with Sadara Chemical Company to develop the business environment of the integrated services zones.

The memorandum is aimed at diversifying economic sources to achieve an added value in the industrial sector and to contribute in providing job vacancies to citizens, as well as to push cooperation among government institutions, the private industrial sector and international firms.



UN Predicts World Economic Growth to Remain at 2.8% in 2025

A vegetable vendor sits beside a bonfire on his handcart on a cold winter evening in New Delhi on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)
A vegetable vendor sits beside a bonfire on his handcart on a cold winter evening in New Delhi on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)
TT

UN Predicts World Economic Growth to Remain at 2.8% in 2025

A vegetable vendor sits beside a bonfire on his handcart on a cold winter evening in New Delhi on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)
A vegetable vendor sits beside a bonfire on his handcart on a cold winter evening in New Delhi on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP)

Global economic growth is projected to remain at 2.8% in 2025, unchanged from 2024, held back by the top two economies, the US and China, according to a United Nations report released on Thursday.

The World Economic Situation and Prospects report said that "positive but somewhat slower growth forecasts for China and the United States" will be complemented by modest recoveries in the European Union, Japan, and Britain and robust performance in some large developing economies, notably India and Indonesia.

"Despite continued expansion, the global economy is projected to grow at a slower pace than the 2010–2019 (pre-pandemic) average of 3.2%," according to the report by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

"This subdued performance reflects ongoing structural challenges such as weak investment, slow productivity growth, high debt levels, and demographic pressures," Reuters quoted it as saying.

The report said US growth was expected to moderate from 2.8% last year to 1.9% in 2025 as the labor market softens and consumer spending slows.

It said growth in China was estimated at 4.9% for 2024 and projected to be 4.8% this year with public sector investments and a strong export performance partly offset by subdued consumption growth and lingering property sector weakness.
Europe was expected to recover modestly with growth increasing from 0.9% in 2024 to 1.3% in 2025, "supported by easing inflation and resilient labor markets," the report said.

South Asia is expected to remain the world’s fastest-growing region, with regional GDP projected to expand by 5.7% in 2025 and 6% in 2026, supported by a strong performance by India and economic recoveries in Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the report said.

India, the largest economy in South Asia, is forecast to grow by 6.6% in 2025 and 6.8% in 2026, driven by robust private consumption and investment.
The report said major central banks are likely to further reduce interest rates in 2025 as inflationary pressures ease. Global inflation is projected to decline from 4% in 2024 to 3.4% in 2025, offering some relief to households and businesses.
It calls for bold multilateral action to tackle interconnected crises, including debt, inequality, and climate change.
"Monetary easing alone will not be sufficient to reinvigorate global growth or address widening disparities," the report added.