Business

Bahraini Transport Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Each Country to Finance Its Share of Gulf Railway Project

Business A conceptual rendering of the Gulf railway interconnection project. (X)

Bahraini Transport Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Each Country to Finance Its Share of Gulf Railway Project

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states took a new step toward completing the railway interconnection project by signing the project's general…

Merza al-Khuwaldi (Manama)
Business Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a press conference with Minister of Information Diaa Rashwan (not pictured) in Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2026. (Reuters)

Egypt Seeks Faster Progress on Libya Gas, Refining and Power Projects

Egypt aims to accelerate energy projects with Libya, including gas pipeline links, refining of Libyan crude in Egypt and an electricity interconnection,…

Business GCC transport ministers pose for a group photo following the 27th committee meeting in Kuwait. (GCC Railway Authority)

GCC: Railway Agreement Sets Joint Framework for Project Implementation and Operation

Jasem Albudaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), said on Sunday that the signing of the General Agreement on the GCC Railway Project…

Asharq Al Awsat (Manama)
Business A factory in Madinah’s industrial city. (SPA)

Mega Projects Drive Growth for Saudi Small and Medium Factories

Mega projects in Saudi Arabia are offering increasing opportunities for small and medium-sized factories to expand their businesses and integrate into local…

Sara bin Shamran (Riyadh)
Business Majnoon oil field near the Iraqi city of Basra (Reuters)

Iraq Oil Output Exceeds 5 million bpd

Iraq produces more than 5 million barrels of oil per day (bpd), Oil Minister Basim Mohammed told state news agency INA on Saturday. According to Reuters, Iraq…

Asharq Al Awsat

Business Boosting Saudi-Egyptian Cooperation in e-Bill

Boosting Saudi-Egyptian Cooperation in e-Bill

The governor of the Saudi General Authority of Zakat and Tax (GAZT), Suhail Abanmi, has called for boosting cooperation between the Egyptian and Saudi…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business Saudi Presidency of G20 Gives Rise to Global Initiatives

Saudi Presidency of G20 Gives Rise to Global Initiatives

The 2020 G20 Riyadh summit, held under the Saudi Presidency of the G20, has produced initiatives and created international pathways that contribute to…

Mohammed Al-Ayed (Riyadh)
Business Iraq Denies Asking OPEC for Exemption From Pact Aimed at Reducing Output

Iraq Denies Asking OPEC for Exemption From Pact Aimed at Reducing Output

Iraq's Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar said that Iraq didn't ask OPEC for exemption from a pact aimed at reducing output. His statements were made…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Business Saudi Arabia, UAE Agree on Issuing Digital Currency for Cross-Border Payments

Saudi Arabia, UAE Agree on Issuing Digital Currency for Cross-Border Payments

The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) announced the results of "Aber" Project. In light of the ongoing…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business Iraq Central Bank Launches E-Collection Platform for Housing Fund

Iraq Central Bank Launches E-Collection Platform for Housing Fund

The Central Bank of Iraq announced the launch of the electronic collection platform for the Housing Fund. The project will ensure that the fund completes…

Asharq Al Awsat (Baghdad)
Business Protection of Intellectual Property Helps Saudi Pharmaceutical Industry Attract More Investments

Protection of Intellectual Property Helps Saudi Pharmaceutical Industry Attract More Investments

Samir Khalil, executive director for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Middle East and Africa (MEA), confirmed that Saudi Arabia…

Mohammed al-Hamidi (Riyadh)
Business Egypt’s Fuel and Commodities Subsidy Bills Fall 77%

Egypt’s Fuel and Commodities Subsidy Bills Fall 77%

Egypt’s subsidy bill for petroleum products declined 77 percent to EGP18.6 billion ($1.19 billion) in the financial year (FY) 2019-20 that ended in June 30,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business Saudi G20 Presidency Draws up Map for Recovery of Global Tourism

Saudi G20 Presidency Draws up Map for Recovery of Global Tourism

Saudi Arabia hosted last week the G20 Leaders Summit as tourism throughout the world is enduring its worst ever crisis due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. …

Saleh al-Zaid (Riyadh)
Business UAE-Israeli Agreement on Financial Technology Cooperation

UAE-Israeli Agreement on Financial Technology Cooperation

DIFC FinTech Hive, part of Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), has signed a landmark agreement with Israel’s FinTech-Aviv, Emirates News Agency…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business Dubai Customs: 11.2 Billion Transactions in 9 Months

Dubai Customs: 11.2 Billion Transactions in 9 Months

Dubai said Saturday that customs transactions rose by 24.5% over the first nine months of 2020, reflecting the strength and resilience of the economy. The…

Asharq Al Awsat (Dubai)
Business Circular Carbon Economy: Global Saudi Initiative for Energy Sustainability, Environmental Protection

Circular Carbon Economy: Global Saudi Initiative for Energy Sustainability, Environmental Protection

Saudi Arabia’s concept of circular carbon economy strategy has found an international welcome during the Saudi G20 Summit. The proposal constitutes a…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business GCC: An Opportunity for Regional Gas Sector Integration

GCC: An Opportunity for Regional Gas Sector Integration

A recent survey has revealed an opportunity for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to move to a regionally integrated gas market, which enhances efficiency…

Mohammed al-Hamidi (Riyadh)
Business Morocco, Russia Sign New Fisheries Cooperation Agreement

Morocco, Russia Sign New Fisheries Cooperation Agreement

The Kingdom of Morocco and the Russia signed a new fisheries cooperation agreement after a former agreement, signed in 2016, expired in March this year. The…

Asharq Al Awsat (Rabat)
Business Virus Keeps Black Friday Crowds Thin, Shoppers Shift Online

Virus Keeps Black Friday Crowds Thin, Shoppers Shift Online

The raging coronavirus pandemic kept crowds thin at malls and stores across the United States on Black Friday, but a surge in online shopping offered a small…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business G20 Recommendations to Bridge Gaps in Trade, Investment, Infrastructure

G20 Recommendations to Bridge Gaps in Trade, Investment, Infrastructure

As the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has led to new realities in trade, business and infrastructure around the world, the G20 had to come up with…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Business Qiddiya Awards $533m Contracts to Saudi Firms

Qiddiya Awards $533m Contracts to Saudi Firms

Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) awarded construction contracts of $533m (2bn riyals) on the Qiddiya giga project, since construction kicked off almost one…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business UAE, Israel Sign Strategic Partnership in Water Security

UAE, Israel Sign Strategic Partnership in Water Security

Abu Dhabi-headquartered Al Dahra Agricultural Company and Israel’s Watergen have signed a strategic partnership in the field of water security. The…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business ADNOC Awards $519m Contract to Expand World’s Largest 3d Seismic Survey

ADNOC Awards $519m Contract to Expand World’s Largest 3d Seismic Survey

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced Friday the award of a contract worth up to $519 million (AED1.9 billion) to further expand the scope of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi Arabia Launches 5-Member Digital Cooperation Organization

Saudi Arabia Launches 5-Member Digital Cooperation Organization

Saudi Arabia and several countries have launched a new organization to accelerate the growth of the digital economy, a statement from the Saudi Communications…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Report: 32% of COMESA Projects Implemented in Egypt in 7 Months

Report: 32% of COMESA Projects Implemented in Egypt in 7 Months

Egypt has accounted for 32 percent of the projects implemented in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa between January and July 2020, according…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Business G20 Riyadh Summit Promotes Spirit of Eradicating Corruption

G20 Riyadh Summit Promotes Spirit of Eradicating Corruption

Saudi Arabia’s fight against corruption and its disastrous repercussions on human and economic development goes beyond guarding its internal environment to…

Mohammed Al-Ayed (Riyadh)
Business Saudi Aramco Completes Issuance of $8b-Worth Intl Bonds

Saudi Aramco Completes Issuance of $8b-Worth Intl Bonds

The Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Saudi Aramco, has completed the issuance of $8 billion worth of senior international bonds, it announced in a press release on…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Business G20 Proposals to Underpin Global Post-Pandemic Recovery

G20 Proposals to Underpin Global Post-Pandemic Recovery

Various reform proposals made at the G20 Riyadh summit will contribute to restoring confidence in the post-pandemic global economy, trade and investment, and…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Business Alvarez & Marsal Confirms Withdrawing From Lebanon Forensic Audit

Alvarez & Marsal Confirms Withdrawing From Lebanon Forensic Audit

Restructuring consultancy Alvarez and Marsal confirmed on Thursday that it had withdrawn from a forensic audit of Lebanon's central bank as it had not…

Asharq Al Awsat