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Green Spaces in Saudi Arabia Increase by 9%

The General Authority for Statistics revealed the increasing size of green areas in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The General Authority for Statistics revealed the increasing size of green areas in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Green Spaces in Saudi Arabia Increase by 9%

The General Authority for Statistics revealed the increasing size of green areas in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The General Authority for Statistics revealed the increasing size of green areas in Saudi Arabia. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

In line with the Green Saudi Arabia and Green Middle East initiatives launched by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, official statistics revealed on Thursday that the areas of green spaces, parks and gardens in the municipal sector have expanded by 9% during 2021 compared to the same period in 2020.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) said that land reserves expanded to reach 324,000 square kilometers in 2021, constituting 16% of the total area of Saudi Arabia.

This came after the Saudi government allocated 7 royal reserves in 2018 and 5 reserves in AlUla in 2019, while the area of marine reserves amounted to more than 12 square kilometers in 2021, GASTAT noted.

According to the statistics, the recycled industrial waste in Jubail and Yanbu amounted to 340,000 ton in 2021, recording an increase by 23% compared to 2020.

The Authority also noted that the recycled industrial waste constituted 62% of the amount of collected waste in Jubail and Yanbu in 2021.

The volume of the reused treated water amounted to 419 million cubic meters in 2021, GASTAT said, recording an increase by 24% compared to 2020. The percentage of the reused treated water in 2021 reached 22% of the total treated water.

The waste water treatment stations in 2021 have reached 133 stations, recording an increase by 15% compared to the same period in 2022.

Riyadh has the highest number of waste water treatment stations with 26 stations, followed by Asir with 20 stations, and the Eastern region (Al-Sharqiyah) with 19 stations, the report said.

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Business

Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc Scales Back Flights Due to Fuel Costs

People board a Royal Air Maroc flight on July 15, 2020 at Bordeaux airport. (AFP)
People board a Royal Air Maroc flight on July 15, 2020 at Bordeaux airport. (AFP)
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Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc Scales Back Flights Due to Fuel Costs

People board a Royal Air Maroc flight on July 15, 2020 at Bordeaux airport. (AFP)
People board a Royal Air Maroc flight on July 15, 2020 at Bordeaux airport. (AFP)

Morocco's state-owned carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) said on Saturday it would temporarily suspend several routes to African and European destinations due to ‌rising jet ‌fuel prices, ‌elevated ⁠operating costs and ⁠weak demand.

Tensions in the Middle East have driven a surge in global jet fuel ⁠prices, putting ‌pressure ‌on carriers and ‌prompting temporary route suspensions.

RAM ‌will pause flights linking Moroccan airports with several African cities ‌of Bangui, Brazzaville, Kinshasa, Douala, Yaounde and ⁠Libreville, ⁠the airline said in a statement.

It will also halt flights to the European destinations of Malaga, Barcelona, Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille and Brussels.

Business

Official: Iraq Has Not Yet Applied for an IMF Loan

A floating oil export platform in Basra port, Iraq (Reuters)
A floating oil export platform in Basra port, Iraq (Reuters)
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Official: Iraq Has Not Yet Applied for an IMF Loan

A floating oil export platform in Basra port, Iraq (Reuters)
A floating oil export platform in Basra port, Iraq (Reuters)

Financial Advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister Mazhar Mohammed Saleh revealed on Saturday that Iraq has not yet submitted a formal request for a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Iraqi News Agency quoted Saleh as saying that “Iraq enjoys close relations with the IMF, and since 2003, it has concluded more than five agreements, three of which were Stand-by Arrangements, while the other agreements related to emergency support.”

Iran's war has caused significant disruptions in supply chains, especially in the energy sector, which was severely affected by a near-complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of global oil supplies pass.

Saleh stated that “the Fund has played a significant role in supporting the Iraqi economy over the past 23 years, especially since Iraq is now considered one of the biggest victims of the ongoing war in the region, considering that 85 percent of its oil exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. This has caused significant harm and international concern, given that Iraq is an important and active member in the stability of the region and world markets.”

He pointed out that there is an Iraqi government team in contact with the IMF, meeting with Fund officials for consultations twice a year.

He clarified that “Iraq signed an agreement with the IMF on July 7, 2016, for a Stand-by Arrangement by providing a significant loan, which played a major role in supporting the general budget,” noting that “signing an agreement with the Fund is a matter decided by the Iraqi government, and this does not prevent consultations between the two parties, as Iraq is a member of this institution responsible for global stability.”

Saleh mentioned that “Iraq will borrow from the International Monetary Fund if the need arises, but there is no formal request from the government yet, and the current need is for the war in the region to stop, and for its geopolitical impacts on oil exports to cease.”

He added that “technical assistance from the IMF is available now, unlike the issue of financing, which requires the approval of a program by the Iraqi government.”

He explained that “the loan itself represents a reform program to support the budget or to achieve social goals, such as supporting the health and education sectors, because it is a human investment that must be subject to conditions defining expenditure directions and commitment to a reform program agreed upon by the Iraqi state and the IMF.”

Business

Mawani Adds CMA CGM’s Ocean Rise Express Service to Jeddah Port

Mawani Adds CMA CGM’s Ocean Rise Express Service to Jeddah Port
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Mawani Adds CMA CGM’s Ocean Rise Express Service to Jeddah Port

Mawani Adds CMA CGM’s Ocean Rise Express Service to Jeddah Port

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has added CMA CGM's Ocean Rise Express (OCR) shipping service to Jeddah Islamic Port, aiming to strengthen maritime connectivity between Saudi Arabia and global markets, support the smooth flow of supply chains, and increase the efficiency of port operations.

The OCR service will connect Jeddah to key international ports, including Kobe, Nagoya, and Yokohama in Japan; Xiamen, Yantian, and Nansha in China; Rotterdam in the Netherlands; Hamburg in Germany; and Southampton in the United Kingdom.

The route will utilize vessels with a capacity of up to 10,000 TEUs, according to SPA.

This addition aligns with Mawani’s efforts to enhance Jeddah Islamic Port’s global competitiveness and support international trade.

By enabling access to new markets, the initiative reinforces the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub in line with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030.