Saudi EXIM Launches New Strategy to Reach Global Markets

EXIM announced the 2022 - 2026 strategy, approved by the Board of Directors of the National Development Fund (NDF), during an event in Riyadh on Monday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
EXIM announced the 2022 - 2026 strategy, approved by the Board of Directors of the National Development Fund (NDF), during an event in Riyadh on Monday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi EXIM Launches New Strategy to Reach Global Markets

EXIM announced the 2022 - 2026 strategy, approved by the Board of Directors of the National Development Fund (NDF), during an event in Riyadh on Monday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
EXIM announced the 2022 - 2026 strategy, approved by the Board of Directors of the National Development Fund (NDF), during an event in Riyadh on Monday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Export-Import Bank (EXIM) launched a new strategy to facilitate national non-oil exports to reach global markets for the next five years.

The strategy enables Saudi non-oil exports to reach global markets by closing financing gaps and reducing export risks.

It focuses on maximizing the economic impact of the Bank's activities, improving customer experience, ensuring financial sustainability and operational efficiency, attracting and developing talent, and making the most of the available technologies.

EXIM announced the 2022 - 2026 strategy that was approved by the Board of Directors of the National Development Fund (NDF) during a meeting that included Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef and EXIM CEO Saad Alkhalb.

Alkhorayef stressed that the importance of the new strategy lies in directing the Bank's efforts to serve the goals and interests of national strategies to help achieve Vision 2030.

It also facilitates efforts to serve local exporters in cooperation with the relevant authorities within the systems of enabling exports, industry, and mining.

The Minister stated that the Bank is contributing to reaching the Vision's goals of increasing non-oil exports to 50 percent of non-oil domestic product.

The Bank, he continued, is the official export credit and guarantee agency that provides solutions and facilities credit to exporters and their clients.

He stressed the commitment of the Bank to supporting the relevant national strategies and combining its efforts with the relevant authorities to achieve the national goals.

For his part, Alkhalb explained that the EXIM aims to maximize the development impact of its activities on the national economy and on Saudi non-oil exports in particular.

He said the plans allow the private financial sector to contribute in developing the Kingdom's non-oil exports through various credit solutions in terms of financing and insurance.

Alkhalb also added that the initiatives ensure effective partnerships with local, regional, and global agencies and provide opportunities for vital sectors to provide competitive non-oil products and services.

It increases the contribution of the sector's exports to the GDP and boosts the country's position in global trade, Alkhalb remarked.

EXIM provided over $1.5 billion in credits to empower Saudi exporters to boost their role in supporting the goals of Vision 2030 and boost its aspirations to increase the effectiveness of the alternative economy and raise the share of Saudi non-oil exports in the total non-oil GDP.

The Bank also signed five memoranda of understanding that support the its drive to seize more opportunities to empower Saudi exporters, expand the scope of its partnerships, and open new investment horizons for various sectors through cooperation with local, regional, and international finance and credit institutions.



Ukraine Threatens to Halt Transit of Russian Oil to Europe

A view of storage tanks and pipelines at the Mero central oil tank farm, which moves crude through the Druzhba oil pipeline, near Nelahozeves, Czech Republic, August 10, 2022. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File Photo
A view of storage tanks and pipelines at the Mero central oil tank farm, which moves crude through the Druzhba oil pipeline, near Nelahozeves, Czech Republic, August 10, 2022. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File Photo
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Ukraine Threatens to Halt Transit of Russian Oil to Europe

A view of storage tanks and pipelines at the Mero central oil tank farm, which moves crude through the Druzhba oil pipeline, near Nelahozeves, Czech Republic, August 10, 2022. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File Photo
A view of storage tanks and pipelines at the Mero central oil tank farm, which moves crude through the Druzhba oil pipeline, near Nelahozeves, Czech Republic, August 10, 2022. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File Photo

A top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said Kyiv would halt the transit of Russian oil across its territory at the end of the year, when the current contract expires and is not renewed.

Mykhailo Podolyak said in an interview with the Novini.Live broadcaster that current transit contracts for Russian supplies that run through the end of the year will not be renewed.

“There is no doubt that it will all end on January 1, 2025,” he said.

Kiev says it is prepared to transport gas from the Central Asian countries or Azerbaijan to Europe, but not from Russia, as it is crucial for Ukraine to deprive Russia of its sources of income from the sale of raw materials after it attacked its neighbor well over two years ago.

The contract for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to Europe between the state-owned companies Gazprom and Naftogaz ends on December 31.

Despite the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainians have fulfilled the contract terms - in part at the insistence of its European neighbors, especially Hungary.

But the leadership in Kiev has repeatedly made it clear that it wants the shipments to end.

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic energy security envoy Vaclav Bartuska said on Friday that any potential halt in oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine from Russia from next year would not be a problem for the country.

Responding to a Reuters question – on comments by Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak that flows of Russian oil may stop from January – Bartuska said Ukraine had also in the past warned of a potential halt.

“This is not the first time, this time maybe they mean it seriously – we shall see,” Bartuska said in a text message. “For the Czech Republic, it is not a problem.”

To end partial dependency on the Druzhba pipeline, Czech state-owned pipeline operator MERO has been investing in raising the capacity of the TAL pipeline from Italy to Germany, which connects to the IKL pipeline supplying the Czech Republic.

From next year, the increased capacity would be sufficient for the total needs of the country’s two refineries, owned by Poland’s Orlen, of up to 8 million tons of crude per year.

MERO has said it planned to achieve the country’s independence from Russian oil from the start of 2025, although the TAL upgrade would be finished by June 2025.

On Friday, oil prices stabilized, heading for a weekly increase, as disruptions in Libyan production and Iraq’s plans to curb output raised concerns about supply.

Meanwhile, data showing that the US economy grew faster than initially estimated eased recession fears.

However, signs of weakening demand, particularly in China, capped gains.

Brent crude futures for October delivery, which expire on Friday, fell by 7 cents, or 0.09%, to $79.87 per barrel. The more actively traded November contract rose 5 cents, or 0.06%, to $78.87.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures added 6 cents, or 0.08%, to $75.97 per barrel.

The day before, both benchmarks had risen by more than $1, and so far this week, they have gained 1.1% and 1.6%, respectively.

Additionally, a drop in Libyan exports and the prospect of lower Iraqi crude production in September are expected to help keep the oil market undersupplied.

Over half of Libya’s oil production, around 700,000 barrels per day (bpd), was halted on Thursday, and exports were suspended at several ports due to a standoff between rival political factions.

Elsewhere, Iraq plans to reduce oil output in September as part of a plan to compensate for producing over the quota agreed with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

Iraq, which produced 4.25 million bpd in July, will cut output to between 3.85 million and 3.9 million bpd next month, the source said.