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Investment Worth SAR21 Bln to Rapidly Develop Workforce Residential Communities at NEOM

NEOM announced that it has finalized contracts with investors for the first phase of its residential communities’ expansion. (SPA)
NEOM announced that it has finalized contracts with investors for the first phase of its residential communities’ expansion. (SPA)
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Investment Worth SAR21 Bln to Rapidly Develop Workforce Residential Communities at NEOM

NEOM announced that it has finalized contracts with investors for the first phase of its residential communities’ expansion. (SPA)
NEOM announced that it has finalized contracts with investors for the first phase of its residential communities’ expansion. (SPA)

NEOM announced on Tuesday that it has finalized contracts with investors for the first phase of its residential communities’ expansion, a social infrastructure project that will house the region’s growing workforce. The agreement amounts to a total value of over SAR 21 billion, making it one of the largest international public-private partnerships for accommodation.

The preferred bidders for the first phase of the residential communities consist of leading Saudi Arabian companies, Alfanar Global Development, Almutlaq Real Estate Investment Company (AREIC), Nesma holding Co., and Tamasuk involved via two separate partners: Al Majal Al Arabi Group Company and the Saudi Arabian Trading and Construction Company (SATCO).

Chief Executive Officer at NEOM Nadhmi Al-Nasr said: “NEOM has selected some of the leading companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as partners in delivering and operating temporary communities with world-leading services and infrastructure. The newly formed partnerships mark an important milestone for the region and is a testament to the capabilities of our team and partners who rapidly achieved financial close on a record amount.”

The agreement paves the way for more private sector participation in the development of NEOM’s infrastructure. The second phase of the temporary residential project is expected to be issued to the market in the coming months. In addition to contract awards, NEOM is reviewing interest from investors with plans to shortlist pre-qualified participants from now.

One of the strategic ambitions for the giga-project has been to attract additional investors to be part of the vision and become an active steward of NEOM’s commercial assets. The multi-billion-riyal investment is further proof of the scale of the project for Saudi Arabia. It will also have a direct economic impact on the region, helping to develop local competency, advance the use of sustainable solutions in construction, and allow for local job creation.

Several of NEOM’s core developments are ramping up, including THE LINE, Trojena, Oxagon, and Sindalah, as infrastructure unfolds across the vast region. This latest public-private partnership is a vital step in bringing larger plans online to their agreed timescales. The scope for this agreement will cover elements of design, finance, build, operations, and maintenance of the housing communities.

Vice Chairman of Alfanar Sabah Al Mutlaq said: “We are elated to partner with NEOM on this multi-nodal infrastructure project, and to contribute to NEOM’s vision of disrupting the conventional approach to urban living. This is in line with our commitment to deliver high-quality solutions in a sustainable manner."

Chairman of Tamasuk Mohammed Al Balwi said: “We are immensely proud to be NEOM’s infrastructure partners. Together with Almajal and SATCO, we are committed to delivering the infrastructure that will facilitate the wider and rapid development of NEOM.”

President of Nesma Co. Faisal Al Turki said: “We look forward to working with the teams at all levels for the realization of this project and the wider NEOM vision.”

Chairman of AREIC Tariq al Mutlaq said: “We are delighted to witness the growth of the compelling region of NEOM. The rapid development of their initiatives that support the Saudi Vision 2030 are in line with our mission for the sustainable development of the Kingdom.”

The agreement will see an additional 10 communities established across NEOM, adding capacity for 95,000 more occupants once the first phase of the project is completed. The temporary accommodations, needed during the construction period of NEOM, are built sustainably as relocatable modular units which can be repurposed once the communities are no longer needed.

Additional to essential services, communities will also include a wide range of lifestyle facilities, such as multi-purpose sports fields, cricket ovals, tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts, swimming pools and entertainment venues.

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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.