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Saudi Arabia Develops a Global Integrated Logistics Park

Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce officials signing the agreement (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce officials signing the agreement (Asharq Al-Awsat)
    Jeddah – Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Arabia Develops a Global Integrated Logistics Park

Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce officials signing the agreement (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce officials signing the agreement (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia aims to develop a global integrated logistics park in the al-Khumrah region, west of the Kingdom.

The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce signed an agreement to set up a $267.6 million integrated logistics park at al-Khumrah, south of Jeddah, to boost economic development, national investments, and partnership with the private sector.

Two weeks ago, Mawani and Maersk began construction on Saudi Arabia's largest Integrated Logistics Park at Jeddah Islamic Port, with investments amounting to $346.6 million, providing more than 2,500 direct and indirect job opportunities.

The new region directly achieves Mawani's strategic objectives as the main link in the system, in line with the goals of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, by establishing the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub.

The park is also linked to the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), and al-Khumra is one of the pioneering areas targeted for development as a global logistics region.

It aims to increase the optimal utilization of Mawani's assets and achieve diversification by providing more than 10,000 new direct and indirect jobs in the logistics sector through business and investments.

The 3-km logistics park comprises three zones: shared warehouses, medium-sized storage yards and single warehouses, and large storage yards and on-demand warehouses.

The various zones will meet the requirements of importers and exporters of stocking multipurpose cargo, chilled and frozen goods, food commodities, and fragile goods.

The park offers move-in-ready warehouses, storage yards, re-export zones, custom storage, logistics amenities, commercial units, residential units, staff accommodation, state-of-the-art infrastructure like roads and green spaces, and other essential services.

Meanwhile, Cruise Saudi, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), welcomed nearly 9,000 tourists from five European countries to celebrate Saudi Founding Day.

The 8,800 tourists visited key Saudi destinations through three cruise ship calls in Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam.

Tourists were welcomed at the passengers' terminal with Founding Day traditional activities, including cultural gifts, Saudi coffee, dates, and folklore dances, in collaboration with all relevant authorities and local partners.

The tourists, representing different nationalities, namely English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Russian, witnessed and engaged in the vibrant Saudi Founding Day festivities in their various expeditions in both Jeddah and the Eastern Province through Dammam Port.

The activities included a flight to visit AlUla, Saudi's first UNESCO World Heritage site, an enjoyable walk at Jeddah's Waterfront, and a journey back in time through centuries of culture and traditions by visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jeddah Historical District, filled with vibrant artwork, exotic scents, traditional markets, and authentic Hijazi architecture unique to the region.

They could also tour al-Ahsa Oasis, Saudi's third UNESCO World Heritage site accessible via cruising, exploring the Qara Mountain, Princes' School, and al-Qaisariyah Souq.

The ongoing cruising season of Cruise Saudi, from November 2022 until May 2023, is set to welcome over 75 scheduled calls by ships from several global cruise lines sailing the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf.

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Business

IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
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IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference on Emerging Market Economies (EME) to enhance cooperation between the two institutions.

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki, SPA reported.

The agreement aims to strengthen coordination in economic and financial policy areas, including surveillance and lending activities, data and analytical exchange, capacity building, and the provision of technical assistance, in support of regional financial and economic stability.

Both sides affirmed that the MoU represents an important step toward deepening their strategic partnership and strengthening the regional financial safety net, serving member countries and enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.

Business

Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
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Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

The Federation of Saudi Chambers announced the formation of the first joint Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council for its inaugural term (1447–1451 AH) and the election of Salman bin Hassan Al-Oqayel as its chairman.

Al-Oqayel said the council’s formation marks a pivotal milestone in economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, reflecting a practical approach to enabling the business sectors in both countries to capitalize on promising investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade and investment partnerships, SPA reported.

He noted that trade between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reached approximately SAR9.5 billion by the end of November 2025, including SAR8 billion in Saudi exports and SAR1.5 billion in Kuwaiti imports.

Business

Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).

Harvard University economics professor Pol Antràs said Saudi Arabia represents an exceptional model in the shifting global trade landscape, differing fundamentally from traditional emerging-market frameworks. He also stressed that globalization has not ended but has instead re-formed into what he describes as fragmented integration.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, Antràs said Saudi Arabia’s Vision-driven structural reforms position the Kingdom to benefit from the ongoing phase of fragmented integration, adding that the country’s strategic focus on logistics transformation and artificial intelligence constitutes a key engine for sustainable growth that extends beyond the volatility of global crises.

Antràs, the Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is one of the leading contemporary theorists of international trade. His research, which reshaped understanding of global value chains, focuses on how firms organize cross-border production and how regulation and technological change influence global trade flows and corporate decision-making.

He said conventional classifications of economies often obscure important structural differences, noting that the term emerging markets groups together countries with widely divergent industrial bases. Economies that depend heavily on manufacturing exports rely critically on market access and trade integration and therefore face stronger competitive pressures from Chinese exports that are increasingly shifting toward alternative markets.

Saudi Arabia, by contrast, exports extensively while facing limited direct competition from China in its primary export commodity, a situation that creates a strategic opportunity. The current environment allows the Kingdom to obtain imports from China at lower cost and access a broader range of goods that previously flowed largely toward the United States market.

Addressing how emerging economies should respond to dumping pressures and rising competition, Antràs said countries should minimize protectionist tendencies and instead position themselves as committed participants in the multilateral trading system, allowing foreign producers to access domestic markets while encouraging domestic firms to expand internationally.

He noted that although Chinese dumping presents concerns for countries with manufacturing sectors that compete directly with Chinese production, the risk is lower for Saudi Arabia because it does not maintain a large manufacturing base that overlaps directly with Chinese exports. Lower-cost imports could benefit Saudi consumers, while targeted policy tools such as credit programs, subsidies, and support for firms seeking to redesign and upgrade business models represent more effective responses than broad protectionist measures.

Globalization has not ended

Antràs said globalization continues but through more complex structures, with trade agreements increasingly negotiated through diverse arrangements rather than relying primarily on multilateral negotiations. Trade deals will continue to be concluded, but they are likely to become more complex, with uncertainty remaining a defining feature of the global trading environment.

Interest rates and artificial intelligence

According to Antràs, high global interest rates, combined with the additional risk premiums faced by emerging markets, are constraining investment, particularly in sectors that require export financing, capital expenditure, and continuous quality upgrading.

However, he noted that elevated interest rates partly reflect expectations of stronger long-term growth driven by artificial intelligence and broader technological transformation.

He also said if those growth expectations materialize, productivity gains could enable small and medium-sized enterprises to forecast demand more accurately and identify previously untapped markets, partially offsetting the negative effects of higher borrowing costs.

Employment concerns and the role of government

The Harvard professor warned that labor markets face a dual challenge stemming from intensified Chinese export competition and accelerating job automation driven by artificial intelligence, developments that could lead to significant disruptions, particularly among younger workers. He said governments must adopt proactive strategies requiring substantial fiscal resources to mitigate near-term labor-market shocks.

According to Antràs, productivity growth remains the central condition for success: if new technologies deliver the anticipated productivity gains, governments will gain the fiscal space needed to compensate affected groups and retrain the workforce, achieving a balance between addressing short-term disruptions and investing in long-term strategic gains.