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Saudi Arabia Prepares for 1st Gov’t Issuance of Green Bonds

Over the past few years, the efforts made by Saudi Arabia towards sustainability came at the top of the priorities of Vision 2030’s policies and agenda (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Over the past few years, the efforts made by Saudi Arabia towards sustainability came at the top of the priorities of Vision 2030’s policies and agenda (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Prepares for 1st Gov’t Issuance of Green Bonds

Over the past few years, the efforts made by Saudi Arabia towards sustainability came at the top of the priorities of Vision 2030’s policies and agenda (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Over the past few years, the efforts made by Saudi Arabia towards sustainability came at the top of the priorities of Vision 2030’s policies and agenda (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia on Monday unveiled proposals for making financial institutions compatible with sustainable development and expand the scope of sustainable finance as part of the Kingdom’s plans for issuing green bonds.

Building the sustainable financial system for Saudi Arabia is a strategic step within the goals of Vision 2030 towards sustainability and commitment to the concept of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) and its implications for the global financial system, Minister of Finance, Mohammed Al-Jadaan, said in the closing speech of the first session of the Financial Sector Conference.

On behalf of Al-Jadaan, Assistant Minister of Finance for Macro Fiscal Policies and International Relations, Abdulaziz Alrasheed, said that the announcement by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the Saudi Green Initiative Forum (SGI) and Middle East Green Initiative Summit (MGI) clearly showed the environmental protection’s roadmap.

More details will be announced later, he noted.

Renewable energy is at the heart of the energy requirements of mega projects, in addition to the efficiency and accuracy driven by advanced technology applications; that will attract sustainable financing.

He pointed out that The Red Sea Development Co. is a clear example, as it will secure a loan of about SAR 14.12 billion and will be the first “green finance through credit facilities”.

“We implemented sustainable and innovative financial solutions to design the environment in a way that does not require, for example, paying companies to renovate lighting or air-conditioning units in schools, hospitals, and government buildings, but rather a percentage of energy savings is shared,” Al-Jadaan said.

“We see a return in capital expenditures in a period not exceeding 20 months, after we have implemented the latest technologies in the water desalination field due to the improvement in energy efficiency,” he further continued.

“We are fully aware that the journey is still long, and that there are many things that must be done. Accordingly, the government pledges to redouble its efforts to fulfill its promises and actions that it recently announced,” the minister noted.

He confirmed total commitment to work with governments and businesses around the world in order to provide citizens and future generations, and the world at large, with a more sustainable economy.

The Kingdom is determined to lead through a sustainable economy based on the ESG concepts and their implications for the global financial system and sustainable financing.

Over the past few years, the efforts made by Saudi Arabia towards sustainability came at the top of the priorities of Vision 2030’s policies and agenda.

The Kingdom has dealt with the sustainability issue not only directly but also indirectly through the capital markets. Al-Jadaan believes that the financial sector is one of the main enablers to enhance the Kingdom’s efforts to achieve the country’s goals towards sustainability.

“We reviewed our strategy and commitments to include sustainability as the main goal during the overall development of the Saudi financial system,” the minister said.

“We launched the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance and its Implications on the Global Financial System initiative and the Financial Sustainability in the Kingdom initiative, with the aim of providing the financial sector with the necessary tools to enhance and strengthen the Kingdom’s capabilities in the financing and investment sustainability field,” Al-Jadaan concluded.

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Business

Morocco Targets $10 Billion AI Contribution to GDP by 2030

People wave Morocco's flag in the old town of Rabat, on January 9, 2026 prior the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) quarter-final football match Morocco v Cameroon. (AFP)
People wave Morocco's flag in the old town of Rabat, on January 9, 2026 prior the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) quarter-final football match Morocco v Cameroon. (AFP)
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Morocco Targets $10 Billion AI Contribution to GDP by 2030

People wave Morocco's flag in the old town of Rabat, on January 9, 2026 prior the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) quarter-final football match Morocco v Cameroon. (AFP)
People wave Morocco's flag in the old town of Rabat, on January 9, 2026 prior the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) quarter-final football match Morocco v Cameroon. (AFP)

Morocco is targeting a 100 billion dirhams ($10 billion) boost to its gross domestic product from artificial intelligence by 2030, the minister in charge of digital transition said on Monday, as the country steps up its investment in training programs, sovereign data centers and cloud services.

Morocco, whose current GDP comes to around $170 billion, plans to invest in artificial intelligence centers linked ‌to universities and ‌the private sector, and ‌to ⁠integrate AI solutions ‌into public administration and industry, Minister Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni told a conference in Rabat.

The GDP boost would largely come from expanding domestic data-processing capacity through sovereign data centers, scaling up cloud and fiber-optic infrastructure, and building an AI-skilled workforce ⁠to support the deployment of AI solutions across industry ‌and government, she said.

Under the ‍plan, Morocco expects ‍to create 50,000 AI-related jobs and train ‍200,000 graduates in AI skills by 2030.

As part of that effort, Seghrouchni on Monday signed a partnership agreement with France's Mistral AI to support the development of generative AI tools in Morocco.

"We want to turn Morocco into ⁠a future excellence hub in AI and data science," Seghrouchni said.

The government is also preparing legislation governing artificial intelligence, according to the minister.

Morocco has earmarked 11 billion dirhams ($1.2 billion) for its digital transformation strategy for 2024–2026, covering AI initiatives and the expansion of fiber-optic infrastructure. It is separately planning a 500-megawatt, renewable energy-powered data center in the southern city of Dakhla ‌to boost the security and sovereignty of national data storage.

Business

Saudi Arabia Consolidates Its Position Among the World’s Top 20 Economies in 2026

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) 
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) 
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Saudi Arabia Consolidates Its Position Among the World’s Top 20 Economies in 2026

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) 
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) 

As the global financial landscape is reshaped by accelerating geopolitical shifts, economic data show that Saudi Arabia has firmly consolidated its place among the world’s 20 largest economies in 2026.

This standing reflects the success of Vision 2030 in diversifying income sources and expanding gross domestic product. The Kingdom ranks 19th globally, outperforming several long-established economies, with GDP projected at $1.316 trillion.

According to data based on International Monetary Fund reports released in October 2025, the global economy is expected to reach $123.6 trillion in 2026. Economic power remains highly concentrated, with the world’s five largest economies accounting for more than 55 percent of total global output:

United States: Continues to lead with GDP of $31.8 trillion, supported by a resilient labor market and sustained consumer spending, with real growth projected at 2.1 percent.

China: Ranks second with an estimated GDP of $20.7 trillion, despite demographic challenges and its transition toward advanced manufacturing.

Germany: Retains Europe’s top position in third place with GDP of $5.3 trillion, despite pressure from high energy costs.

India: The “rising star,” securing fourth place globally with GDP of $4.5 trillion and posting the fastest growth among major economies at 6.2 percent.

Japan: Slips to fifth place with GDP of $4.4 trillion, facing demographic headwinds despite strengths in robotics and automotive industries.

Linked to recent IMF assessments, Saudi Arabia stands out as a key pillar in what experts describe as a new “economic geography.” While many emerging markets have struggled with interest-rate volatility and inflation distortions in advanced economies - particularly the United States - the Kingdom has demonstrated a strong ability to absorb external shocks.

The IMF views Saudi Arabia’s large-scale investments in high-potential sectors not merely as a driver of domestic growth, but as part of a broader global shift in capital flows toward destinations offering stability and long-term attractiveness.

The data also underscore the strong performance of other economies on the list. Brazil ranks 11th with GDP exceeding $2.2 trillion, while Türkiye and Indonesia continue to compete closely in 16th and 17th place, respectively.

 

 

Business

Saudi Industrial Production Index Records Highest Growth Since Early 2023

A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem). (Sipchem)
A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem). (Sipchem)
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Saudi Industrial Production Index Records Highest Growth Since Early 2023

A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem). (Sipchem)
A facility operated by the Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem). (Sipchem)

Saudi Arabia’s Industrial Production Index posted a year-on-year increase of 10.4 percent in November 2025, compared with the same month a year earlier, marking its highest growth rate since the beginning of 2023, according to preliminary data. On a monthly basis, however, the index declined by 0.7 percent.

Data released by the General Authority for Statistics on Sunday showed that the index for oil-related activities rose by 12.9 percent year on year in November, while the index for non-oil activities increased by 4.4 percent compared with the same month of the previous year.

Month on month, the index for oil activities recorded a rise of 0.5 percent, while the non-oil activities index fell by 3.4 percent compared with October 2025.

In November, the sub-index for mining and quarrying activities climbed 12.6 percent year on year, driven by higher oil production during the month. Saudi oil output rose to 10.1 million barrels per day, compared with 8.9 million barrels per day in November last year.

On a monthly basis, the mining and quarrying sub-index also increased by 0.5 percent.

The manufacturing sub-index recorded an annual rise of 8.1 percent, supported by a 14.5 percent increase in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products, as well as a 10.9 percent rise in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products.

In monthly terms, preliminary results showed the manufacturing sub-index edged up by 0.3 percent, buoyed by a 0.3 percent increase in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products and a 1.0 percent rise in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products.

As for other activities, the sub-index for electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply fell by 4.3 percent year on year. In contrast, the sub-index for water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities rose by 10.2 percent compared with November last year.

Compared with October 2025, the electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply sub-index dropped sharply by 28.6 percent, while the water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities sub-index declined by 3.1 percent.