Saudi Industrial Sector Stimulates Women’s Investments

Saudi MODON is preparing units to encourage the access of entrepreneurs and women to the industrial sector. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi MODON is preparing units to encourage the access of entrepreneurs and women to the industrial sector. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Saudi Industrial Sector Stimulates Women’s Investments

Saudi MODON is preparing units to encourage the access of entrepreneurs and women to the industrial sector. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi MODON is preparing units to encourage the access of entrepreneurs and women to the industrial sector. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

In a move that aims to promote the inclusion of women and young businessmen in the industrial sector, Saudi Arabia has prepared nearly 78 ready-made factories in Sudair City for Industries and Business (north of Riyadh), to be used by SMEs and small entrepreneurs.

Eng. Osama Al-Zamil, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON), announced on Tuesday the inauguration of 58 new factories in support of small and medium enterprises, pioneers and entrepreneurs and to encourage women’s investments.

The move is part of the initiatives of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) to boost the contribution of the non-oil sector to the GDP and enrich the development base of the national economy.

The new factories cover an area of 700 square meters per unit.

Al-Zamil added that the project was the product of an effective partnership between the public and private sectors as part of MODON’s strategy to enable industry and contribute to increasing local content.

He added that Sudair City for Industry and Business recently witnessed many significant projects, including the inauguration of 20 ready-made factories with an area of 1,500 square meters, bringing the total to 78 ready-made units of various sizes, and the delivery of a fiber-optic network, in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

Al-Zamil also revealed the signing of an agreement with the Saline Water Conversion Corporation to supply the project with 5,000 cubic meters of desalinated water per day, to be linked with the Corporation’s water transmission facilities and networks.



Aramco Chief Expects Additional Oil Demand of 1.3 Million bpd this Year

Saudi Aramco's Chief Executive Amin Nasser speaking in Davos 2025
Saudi Aramco's Chief Executive Amin Nasser speaking in Davos 2025
TT

Aramco Chief Expects Additional Oil Demand of 1.3 Million bpd this Year

Saudi Aramco's Chief Executive Amin Nasser speaking in Davos 2025
Saudi Aramco's Chief Executive Amin Nasser speaking in Davos 2025

Saudi oil giant Aramco's Chief Executive Amin Nasser said on Tuesday he sees the oil market as healthy and expects an additional 1.3 million barrels per day of demand this year.
Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Nasser was responding to a question on the impact of US President Donald Trump's energy decisions, which could increase US hydrocarbon output.
Oil demand this year will approach 106 million barrels per day after averaging about 104.6 million barrels per day in 2024, he said.
“We still think the market is healthy ... last year we averaged around 104.6 million barrels (per day), this year, we're expecting an additional demand of about 1.3 million barrels ... so there is growth in the market,” he said.
Asked about US sanctions on Russian crude tankers, he said the situation was still at an early stage.
“If you look at the impacted barrels, you're talking about more than 2 million barrels,” he said. “We will wait and see how would that translate into tightness in the market, it is still in the early stage.”
Asked if China and India have sought additional oil volumes from Saudi Arabia on the back of the sanctions, Nasser said Aramco is bound by the levels the Kingdom's energy ministry allows it to pump.
“The Kingdom and the Ministry of Energy is always looking at balancing the market. They take that into account when they give us the target of how much we should put in the market,” he said.
In a Bloomberg television interview in Davos, Nasser said: “We still see good demand coming out of China.” The country, along with India, make up about 40% of the rise in global consumption and, “demand is increasing year on year.”
Nasser’s comments echo those he made back in October, saying he was bullish on China after a series of government stimulus measures aimed at reviving the economy.
Nasser also said that Aramco is working with MidOcean, an LNG firm in which it took a 51% stake, and “looking at expanding our position globally in LNG,” without giving details.