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Saudi Arabia Receives Largest Share of China's BRI Investments

Saudi Arabia is seeking to increase investments and trade exchange worldwide. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is seeking to increase investments and trade exchange worldwide. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Receives Largest Share of China's BRI Investments

Saudi Arabia is seeking to increase investments and trade exchange worldwide. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia is seeking to increase investments and trade exchange worldwide. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia is the largest recipient of Chinese investments within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) during the first half of 2022, according to a recent report.

China's Belt and Road Initiative aims to improve interconnection and cooperation across continents and move to jointly establish the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st century Maritime Silk Road.

The Chinese government has focused on the international community, especially the countries along the initiative's paths, to further its initiative.

A report by the Shanghai-based Green Finance and Development Center indicated that gas commitments were higher than in the past two years and accounted for 56 percent of China's energy contributions in 2021.

Saudi Arabia was the primary recipient of gas investments by about $4.6 billion, followed by Iraq.

Saudi Arabia was the primary recipient of Chinese investments, while various countries saw no Chinese engagement in H1 2022, including Russia, Sri Lanka, and Egypt.

According to the report, BRI finance and investments are steady at low levels in the first half of 2022 at $28.4 billion, compared to $29.6 billion in the first half of 2021.

Meanwhile, the Kingdom's merchandise exports reached $38.4 billion in May, compared to $21 billion during the same month last year, an 83.4 percent increase of $17.3 billion.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) revealed that oil exports increased in May to $30.9 billion, compared to $15.2 billion during the same month in 2021, a 105.5 percent rise.

The report showed the trade balance of exports and imports rose about threefold in May to $24 billion, compared to the same month last year, which reached $9 billion.

It indicated that last May's non-oil exports (including re-exports) amounted to $7.4 billion, compared to $5.8 billion in the same month the previous year, a $1.6 billion increase.

Data showed that the value of the Kingdom's merchandise imports during May amounted to $14.4 billion, compared to $11.7 billion in the same month of 2021, a 21.8 percent hike.

The report revealed that the Kingdom's exports to China last May reached $5.1 billion, 13.3 percent of the total exports, making it the leading destination for Saudi Arabia, followed by India and Japan, amounting to $3.9 billion.

GASTAT is the only official statistical reference for statistical data and information in Saudi Arabia.

It executes all the statistical work and technical oversight of the statistical sector, designs and implements field surveys, conducts statistical studies and research, and analyzes data and information.

The authority also documents and archives the information and statistical data covering all aspects of Saudi Arabia's life from multiple sources.

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Saudi Arabia Advances Climate Action at 2024 SGI Forum with $60 Million in New Funding

A night view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (SPA)
A night view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Advances Climate Action at 2024 SGI Forum with $60 Million in New Funding

A night view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (SPA)
A night view of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (SPA)

The fourth edition of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) Forum kicked off on Tuesday, coinciding with the 16th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) in Riyadh.

Held under the theme "Action is in our Nature," the first day of the 2024 SGI Forum witnessed the announcement of five new initiatives, valued at $60 million (SAR225 million), reinforcing Saudi Arabia's leading role in climate and environment efforts.

With total investment exceeding $188 billion (SAR705 billion), the 86 initiatives activated as part of SGI are delivering tangible progress towards the aims of all three Rio Conventions. The Saudi Green Initiative is a key vehicle to deliver Saudi Arabia's goal to create a greener future for all by reducing emissions, combating desertification and safeguarding natural ecosystems.

The Kingdom is advancing towards net zero by 2060, driven by the Circular Carbon Economy approach. Central to this effort is the Saudi Green Initiative's target to reduce emissions by 278 million tons annually and optimize the domestic energy mix to achieve nearly 50% of electricity generation capacity from renewable sources by 2030.

In line with these goals, Saudi Arabia plans to increase renewable energy capacity to 130 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. Of this capacity, 6.2 GW is already connected to the grid, and 20 GW of projects were launched this year. Currently, 44.2 GW are under development—enough to supply more than 7 million homes with clean electricity.

To achieve the goal of displacing over one million barrels of liquid fuel daily, highly efficient gas-fired power stations with carbon capture readiness will provide a total capacity of 42 GW of electricity generation capacity. Four stations with a capacity of 5.6 GW are already operational, and 9 GW are under construction across five stations. An additional 21 GW has been awarded for construction, and 6 GW is to be tendered in 2025.

Construction is underway on one of the world's largest carbon capture, transport, and storage centers in Jubail, targeting the capture of 9 million tons of carbon dioxide annually by 2027. Additionally, the Saudi Energy Efficiency Program continues to achieve substantial energy savings and contribute to sustainable economic development, reducing approximately 539,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily by the end of 2023—a 9.5% increase compared to 2022.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia has planted over 100 million trees and shrubs since the launch of SGI in 2021, alongside dispersing millions of seeds to expand green coverage further and combat sand encroachment.

The Kingdom has also rehabilitated over 118,000 hectares of degraded land—an area larger than 165,000 FIFA-regulation-sized football fields—advancing the interim goal of rehabilitating 8 million hectares by 2030.

Five new initiatives, led by Ma'aden, Morooj Foundation in partnership with the private sector, and the Tanmiah Food Company, represent a $60 million (SAR225 million) investment to accelerate afforestation efforts. These initiatives aim to plant millions of trees and mangroves, scatter 300 million seeds, rehabilitate degraded land, reduce air pollution, and enhance biodiversity across the Kingdom.

Through its afforestation efforts, Saudi Arabia aims to safeguard current and future generations by providing essential protection against extreme heat. These efforts mark a pivotal step toward the country's long-term goal of growing 10 billion trees, enhancing resilience to desertification and improving the quality of life across the Kingdom.

To date, 18.1% of Saudi Arabia's land and 6.49% of its marine environments—spanning nearly 400,000 km²—are under protection, advancing the Kingdom's target of safeguarding 30% of its land and marine areas by 2030.

Saudi Arabia's conservation efforts also reached a series of historic milestones. Since the launch of the Saudi Green Initiative in 2021, over 7,000 endangered species, including the Arabian oryx, Arabian and sand gazelles, and Nubian ibex, have been rewilded in the Kingdom's nature reserves.

In 2024, four cheetah cubs were born—the first in Saudi Arabia in over 40 years—marking a significant achievement under the National Cheetah Conservation Strategy. Additionally, over 110 endangered red-necked ostrich chicks hatched in wildlife breeding centers in 2024, signaling the success of the species' reintroduction, which went extinct in the wild 100 years ago.

The Ibex Reserve and King Salman Royal Nature Reserve were also added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List, further recognizing Saudi Arabia's progress in implementing effective management and conservation programs.