150 Global Companies Show Interest in NEOM Projects

The sun sets over NEOM. (NEOM via Twitter)
The sun sets over NEOM. (NEOM via Twitter)
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150 Global Companies Show Interest in NEOM Projects

The sun sets over NEOM. (NEOM via Twitter)
The sun sets over NEOM. (NEOM via Twitter)

After concluding a four-day assembly, NEOM Chief Projects Officer Brett Smythe revealed that more than 150 local and international design and construction corporations have displayed interest in the Saudi mega project.

“What we now have edited at these conferences confirms the nice curiosity we’re aiming for at NEOM,” he said.

“We’re critical about constructing the NEOM in a totally completely different approach and we’re working to carry the sector to technological improvement, improvements and innovation,” he added.

NEOM is the cornerstone project supporting the realization of Saudi Arabia’s national transformation plan Vision 2030, especially in terms of diversifying sources of income.

NEOM is distinguished by the magnitude and diversity of businesses and projects it covers.

In its “The Line” project, NEOM is looking to create 380,000 jobs and to add SAR 180 billion to the Kingdom’s GDP by 2030.

“The scale and complexity of this project require strong partnerships between NEOM and the entire industry value chain to make NEOM’s vision a reality,” its Chief Executive Officer Nadhmi Al-Nasr said.

There was particular interest in NEOM’s focus on innovation, Smythe noted.

“We are serious about building NEOM in a completely different way and are steering the industry toward technological advancement, greater innovation and efficiency,” he stressed.



Egypt’s Net Foreign Assets Jump in March after IMF Review Approval

 Visitors look out towards the Giza pyramid complex as they tour the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza on the southwestern outskirts of the capital Cairo on May 5, 2025. (AFP)
Visitors look out towards the Giza pyramid complex as they tour the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza on the southwestern outskirts of the capital Cairo on May 5, 2025. (AFP)
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Egypt’s Net Foreign Assets Jump in March after IMF Review Approval

 Visitors look out towards the Giza pyramid complex as they tour the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza on the southwestern outskirts of the capital Cairo on May 5, 2025. (AFP)
Visitors look out towards the Giza pyramid complex as they tour the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza on the southwestern outskirts of the capital Cairo on May 5, 2025. (AFP)

Egypt's net foreign assets jumped by $4.9 billion in March, central bank data showed, apparently boosted by the approval of the fourth review of the country's IMF program.

Net foreign assets climbed to the equivalent of $15.08 billion from $10.18 billion at the end of February, according to Reuters calculations based on official central bank currency exchange rates.

The International Monetary Fund in early March approved the disbursement to Egypt of $1.2 billion after completing its review of the country's $8 billion economic reform program. It also approved a request for a $1.3 billion arrangement under the IMF's resilience and sustainability facility.

Foreign investors were significant purchasers of Egyptian pound treasury bills after the approval and as one-year bills acquired after the March 2024 IMF agreement matured, two bankers said.

Egypt had been using foreign assets, which include assets held by both the central bank and commercial banks, to help prop up its currency since as long ago as September 2021. Net foreign assets turned negative in February 2022 and only returned to positive territory in May last year.

Foreign assets increased in February at both the central bank and commercial banks, while foreign liabilities rose at the central bank but declined at commercial banks.