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Bahrain Awaits Reception of 9 Million Saudi Tourists Post Coronavirus

The King Fahd Causeway | Asharq Al-Awsat
The King Fahd Causeway | Asharq Al-Awsat
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Bahrain Awaits Reception of 9 Million Saudi Tourists Post Coronavirus

The King Fahd Causeway | Asharq Al-Awsat
The King Fahd Causeway | Asharq Al-Awsat

Bahrain’s tourism and entertainment sector is preparing for the return of visitors, especially Saudi tourists, as Gulf Cooperation Council member states move towards easing COVID-19 preventative restrictions.

Tourists are patiently awaiting the reopening of the King Fahd Causeway which links Saudi Arabia to Bahrain. The bridge was closed on March 7 as part of the precautionary measures taken by Saudi Arabia to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

According to information received by Asharq Al-Awsat, the regular meeting of the Bahrain Coordination Committee pointed to the possibility of the reopening of the bridge on July 27, with the setting of strict protocols to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Concerned authorities took the interruption of the movement between the two countries as an opportunity to complete development projects, the King Fahad Causeway Authority announced the continuation of the implementation of a comprehensive development and improvement plan for both the Saudi and Bahraini sides.

In a tweet, the Authority said that work is ongoing to launch the first phase of an e-payment system for the King Fahd Causeway gates on both sides.

The daily average number of travelers across the King Fahd Causeway is 75,000 passengers, while the Economic Development Council in the Kingdom of Bahrain - a government agency - is working to attract investments and diversify the Bahraini economy.

In 2019, Bahrain welcomed 11 million visitors, the vast majority of them were from Saudi Arabia. Around nine million Saudi tourists made up 88% of the total visitors to Bahrain.

The tourism sector, according to the Economic Development Board, contributes 6.3% of Bahraini GDP, with annual revenues of about $ 13 billion.

"The precautionary closure of the bridge to private vehicles has acted as a catalyst for long-planned upgrade work, while commercial drivers are still able to pass through each day enabling critical continuity for the logistics sector," Abdul Hakim Al Shammari, Chairman of Commercial Market Committee and Board Member of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), 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.