Investor Business Services Transferred to the Saudi Business Center

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Investor Business Services Transferred to the Saudi Business Center

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi government has stopped referring investors to its unified national platform after transferring all the Kingdom’s services to the Saudi Business Center (SBC). The shift comes to ease procedures for starting and conducting business for enterprises that intend to enter the Saudi market.

In 2019, the Saudi Cabinet approved the transfer of all documents, property, financial credits, obligations, and rights of the unified national platform to the SBC.

Economic business sector services will be provided to the beneficiaries through the centers of the SBC and its unified e-platform.

The center is concerned with facilitating the procedures for starting, practicing, and concluding economic works and providing all services in accordance with international best practices. It has 12 branches in ten cities across the Kingdom.

The SBC aims to make the Kingdom one of the ten leading countries in the world in the quality, smoothness and efficiency of services directed to the business sector.

It also looks to create an attractive environment that enhances the Kingdom’s competitiveness and encourages investment and growth through government services under a unified institutional interface.

Raising productivity of companies operating in Saudi Arabia through reducing time and costs is also one of the SBC’s objectives.

The center seeks achieving this by improving the quality of policies, investing in big data, and issuing specialized studies and reports.

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) had announced the completion of connectivity to the SBC utilizing the “Tanfeeth” program.

The solution aims at optimizing system connectivity and integration between Saudi government entities and banks operating in the Kingdom with a view to promoting automation of processes and acceleration of workflows to realize Saudi Vision 2030 objectives.

SAMA highlighted that the “Tanfeeth” program seeks to promote operational efficiency by overcoming procedural hurdles in coordination with government entities.

It is also a step towards achieving the strategic objectives of SAMA by upgrading its IT infrastructure and optimizing administrative processes including speed, quality, and integration with the financial institutions operating in the Kingdom.



Moody's Upgrades Saudi Arabia's Credit Rating

Moody's indicated that the rating upgrade and stable outlook are results of the Kingdom's ongoing progress in economic diversification. Reuters
Moody's indicated that the rating upgrade and stable outlook are results of the Kingdom's ongoing progress in economic diversification. Reuters
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Moody's Upgrades Saudi Arabia's Credit Rating

Moody's indicated that the rating upgrade and stable outlook are results of the Kingdom's ongoing progress in economic diversification. Reuters
Moody's indicated that the rating upgrade and stable outlook are results of the Kingdom's ongoing progress in economic diversification. Reuters

The credit rating agency “Moody’s Ratings” upgraded Saudi Arabia’s credit rating to “Aa3” in local and foreign currency, with a “stable” outlook.
The agency indicated in its report that the rating upgrade and stable outlook are results of the Kingdom's ongoing progress in economic diversification and the robust growth of its non-oil sector. Over time, the advancements are expected to reduce Saudi Arabia’s exposure to oil market developments and long-term carbon transition on its economy and public finances.
The agency commended the Kingdom's financial planning within the fiscal space, emphasizing its commitment to prioritizing expenditure and enhancing the spending efficiency. Additionally, the government’s ongoing efforts to utilize available fiscal resources to diversify the economic base through transformative spending were highlighted as instrumental in supporting the sustainable development of the Kingdom's non-oil economy and maintaining a strong fiscal position.
In its report, the agency noted that the planning and commitment underpin its projection of a relatively stable fiscal deficit, which could range between 2%-3% of gross domestic product (GDP).
Moody's expected that the non-oil private-sector GDP of Saudi Arabia will expand by 4-5% in the coming years, positioning it among the highest in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, an indication of continued progress in the diversification efforts reducing the Kingdom’s exposure to oil market developments.
In recent years, the Kingdom achieved multiple credit rating upgrades from global rating agencies. These advancements reflect the Kingdom's ongoing efforts toward economic transformation, supported by structural reforms and the adoption of fiscal policies that promote financial sustainability, enhance financial planning efficiency, and reinforce the Kingdom's strong and resilient fiscal position.