Saudi Arabia Signs $10.6 Bln Deal to Develop Local Infrastructure

Officials sign the agreement on Saturday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Officials sign the agreement on Saturday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Signs $10.6 Bln Deal to Develop Local Infrastructure

Officials sign the agreement on Saturday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Officials sign the agreement on Saturday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia will invest 40 billion riyals ($10.6 billion) in developing local infrastructure projects, announced the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing.

Under the new agreement, nearly 90 million square meters will be allocated for the local infrastructure projects to provide over 150,000 housing units across 11 cities in an effort to accommodate around 750,000 people.

In addition, nearly 54 million square meters will be allocated for public areas, facilities, parks, road networks and public transport.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of a housing exhibition organized by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing in Riyadh, under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The exhibition is set to run until September 28.

The deal was signed in the presence of Minister of Housing Majid al-Hogail, Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman al-Fadley, and Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser.

The housing ministry was represented by Undersecretary for Real Estate Development Abdul Rahman bin Abdullah Al-Taweel, while the National Housing Company was represented by CEO of NHC Eng Mohammad bin Saleh Al-Bati.

The company is the leading enabler of the real estate development sector and the largest major developer of suburbs and residential communities, and aims to increase the real estate supply in the Kingdom with various housing options.

This comes as part of the company’s efforts to achieve the objectives of the housing program as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, by raising the proportion of housing ownership for Saudi families to 70 percent.



Saudi Arabia Begins Marketing International Bonds Following 2025 Borrowing Plan Announcement

Riyadh (Reuters)
Riyadh (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Begins Marketing International Bonds Following 2025 Borrowing Plan Announcement

Riyadh (Reuters)
Riyadh (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia has entered global debt markets with a planned sale of bonds in three tranches, aiming to use the proceeds to cover budget deficits and repay outstanding debt, according to IFR (International Financing Review).

The indicative pricing for the three-year bonds is set at 120 basis points above US Treasury bonds, while the six- and ten-year bonds are priced at 130 and 140 basis points above US Treasuries, respectively, as reported by Reuters.

The bonds, expected to be of benchmark size (typically at least $500 million), come a day after Saudi Arabia unveiled its 2025 borrowing plan. The Kingdom’s financing needs for the year are estimated at SAR 139 billion ($37 billion), with SAR 101 billion ($26.8 billion) allocated to cover the budget deficit and the remainder to service existing debt.

The National Debt Management Center (NDMC) announced that Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan had approved the 2025 borrowing plan following its endorsement by the NDMC Board. The plan highlights public debt developments for 2024, domestic debt market initiatives, and the 2025 financing roadmap, including the Kingdom’s issuance calendar for local sukuk denominated in Saudi Riyals.

The NDMC emphasized that Saudi Arabia aims to enhance sustainable access to debt markets and broaden its investor base. For 2025, the Kingdom will continue diversifying its domestic and international financing channels to meet funding needs efficiently. Plans include issuing sovereign debt instruments at fair prices under risk management frameworks and pursuing specialized financing opportunities to support economic growth, such as export credit agency-backed funding, infrastructure development financing, and exploring new markets and currencies.

Recently, Saudi Arabia secured a $2.5 billion Sharia-compliant revolving credit facility for three years from three regional and international financial institutions to address budgetary needs.

In 2024, Saudi Arabia issued $17 billion in dollar-denominated bonds, including $12 billion in January and $5 billion in sukuk in May. Rating agencies have recognized the Kingdom’s financial stability. In November, Moody’s upgraded Saudi Arabia’s rating to “AA3,” while Fitch assigned an “A+” rating, both with stable outlooks. S&P Global rated the Kingdom at “A/A-1” with a positive outlook, reflecting its low credit risk and strong capacity to meet financial obligations.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated Saudi Arabia’s public debt-to-GDP ratio at 26.2% for 2024, describing it as low and sustainable. The IMF projects this ratio to reach 35% by 2029, with foreign borrowing playing a significant role in financing fiscal deficits.