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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)
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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.

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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.