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Djibouti Invites Saudis to Invest in Africa’s Largest Free Trade Zone

Part of the meeting between the Djibouti delegation and members of the Saudi business community at the Federation of Saudi Chambers on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Part of the meeting between the Djibouti delegation and members of the Saudi business community at the Federation of Saudi Chambers on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Djibouti Invites Saudis to Invest in Africa’s Largest Free Trade Zone

Part of the meeting between the Djibouti delegation and members of the Saudi business community at the Federation of Saudi Chambers on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Part of the meeting between the Djibouti delegation and members of the Saudi business community at the Federation of Saudi Chambers on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

A delegation from Djibouti, led by Chairman of the Djibouti Ports and Free Zone Authority Aboubaker Omar Hadi, held talks with members of the Saudi business community at the Federation of Saudi Chambers in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Discussions tackled the economic and investment opportunities and means to double trade exchange between the two countries.

Hadi called on Saudi entrepreneurs to invest in Africa’s largest free trade zone, which covers 48 square kilometers on the Red Sea, affirming the availability of an appropriate infrastructure to receive Saudi investments in various sectors

He pointed to its unique geographic location, which makes it a key network for economic and commercial exchanges at the African and global levels.

Hadi further referred to the Authority’s goals in the field of ports, logistics and free zones, noting that his country is a large gateway to an almost 1.3 billion population in Africa.

He underlined the country’s strategic location between trade routes of the East and the West, with over $2 trillion worth of goods passing through every year.

Djibouti has also maintained its currency rate at a fixed parity with the US dollar for over 40 years and enjoys a free currency exchange policy.

Djibouti Ambassador to the Kingdom Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama told Asharq Al-Awsat that the future of bilateral cooperation will expand to include strategic partnerships.

This could be achieved by benefiting from the integration of development programs in his country with the Kingdom Vision 2030’s programs and objectives, in light of the available investment opportunities and enhanced bilateral ties.

FSC Secretary-General Hussein al-Abdulqader lauded the historical ties between the Kingdom and Djibouti.

He underscored the importance of taking advantage of the available investment capabilities and opportunities to develop more commercial and investment partnership projects and raise the volume of trade between the two countries, which has reached about SAR7 billion ($1.86 billion) with a growth rate of 103% in 2021 compared to 2020.

There is still a great chance to raise this figure in line with the efforts made and the available investment opportunities, Abdulqader added.

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Business

Saudi PIF Backs Multibillion-Dollar Projects to Boost Sustainability

A solar power project in Saudi Arabia (SPA)
A solar power project in Saudi Arabia (SPA)
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Saudi PIF Backs Multibillion-Dollar Projects to Boost Sustainability

A solar power project in Saudi Arabia (SPA)
A solar power project in Saudi Arabia (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has fully allocated the proceeds of its green bond issuance, directing $9 billion to eligible projects, in a move that highlights the sovereign wealth fund’s growing role in shaping a more sustainable future and delivering lasting positive impact worldwide.

According to a recent report issued by the Public Investment Fund, reviewed by Asharq Al-Awsat, the expected impact of the fund’s eligible green projects includes generating 427 megawatts of renewable energy, avoiding emissions equivalent to 5.1 million tons of carbon dioxide, and treating 4 million cubic meters of wastewater.

The Public Investment Fund aims to establish itself as an active participant in global debt markets, while also fostering the development of a dynamic domestic market. This would enable the fund to access short- or long-term liquidity through a diverse range of financing instruments.

Financing strategy

The fund’s capital markets program aims to further strengthen its financing strategy and execution capabilities, both at the level of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund and across its portfolio companies, while enabling deeper engagement with global and local debt markets.

The program will also support expanding the fund’s capacity to raise debt and deploy it as a source of investment financing, in line with its overall funding strategy. This approach is designed to instill greater discipline in cash flow management and enhance returns on equity for the fund and its portfolio companies.

The green bond issuance will provide the fund with access to a broader pool of investors who prioritize environmental, social, and governance considerations in their investment decisions. It will also allow investors to diversify their portfolios through green assets, a step expected to help accelerate the pace of green investment globally.

Climate change

The fund has taken concrete steps to advance governance and policy, focusing on sustainability, and is a founding member of the One Planet Sovereign Wealth Funds initiative. This international platform aims to accelerate the integration of climate change considerations into asset management decisions and investment opportunities.

As an investment vehicle, the Public Investment Fund operates through acquiring stakes in companies aligned with its mandate, including ACWA Power and Lucid.

It has also established the Saudi Investment Recycling Company, a leader in waste management and recycling, manages the National Energy Services Company, Tarshid, and supports the creation of a voluntary carbon market in the Middle East and North Africa.

These efforts aim to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as one of the world’s most energy-efficient countries.

The green bond issuance will finance tangible projects on the ground, helping to accelerate the green transition and advance the Kingdom’s core targets of achieving net zero emissions by 2060 and generating 50 percent of electricity consumption from renewable energy sources by 2030.

This forms a key pillar of the renewable energy program implemented by the fund, which involves developing 70 percent of renewable power generation capacity.

Business

Saudi E-Commerce Hits Record Monthly Sales over SAR30.7 Billion in October

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA file)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA file)
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Saudi E-Commerce Hits Record Monthly Sales over SAR30.7 Billion in October

A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA file)
A view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA file)

E-commerce sales in Saudi Arabia via "mada" cards soared to an all-time monthly high in October 2025, surpassing SAR30.7 billion.

The surge in sales represents a 68% year-on-year increase, totaling about SAR12.4 billion more than the SAR18.3 billion recorded in October 2024, according to the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) statistical bulletin on Wednesday.

E-commerce sales for the third quarter (Q3) of 2025 hit SAR88.3 billion, up 15.2% from the previous quarter, representing an increase of about SAR11.6 billion over the SAR76.6 billion recorded in Q2.

On a monthly basis, e-commerce sales in October rose 6%, gaining approximately SAR1.6 billion over September’s total of SAR29.1 billion.

From January to October, "mada" data showed e-commerce sales grew 47.3%, rising by around SAR9.9 billion over the SAR20.9 billion recorded in January.

These figures cover transactions made via "mada" cards on e-commerce websites, apps, and digital wallets, and do not include credit-card payments.

Business

Jeddah's King Abdulaziz Airport Launches First Direct Flight to Moscow

The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)
The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)
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Jeddah's King Abdulaziz Airport Launches First Direct Flight to Moscow

The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)
The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location. (SPA)

Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) celebrated the launch of its first direct flynas flight to Moscow, operating three weekly flights between Jeddah and Vnukovo International Airport.

This initiative, in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority and the Air Connectivity Program, boosts air links between Saudi Arabia and Russia.

It marks KAIA's third direct Russian destination, following Makhachkala and Mineralnye Vody, which were inaugurated earlier this month by Azimuth Airlines.

The expansion supports Jeddah Airports Company’s goal of broadening travel options and increasing air traffic revenue, leveraging the Kingdom's strategic location.