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Saudi Healthcare System Awaits Vital Private Sector Role

Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel (SPA)
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Saudi Healthcare System Awaits Vital Private Sector Role

Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel (SPA)

The Saudi government is rigorously engaged in involving the private sector in the healthcare industry and increasing its contribution to 50% as part of a complete system restructuring.

Experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that they believe that the government’s steps to engage the private sector strengthen companies’ opportunities to play a significant role in realizing promising prospects and expanding their operations in line with Saudi aspirations.

They emphasize the transfer of all healthcare clusters to the Health Holding Company (HHC) and the establishment of three specialized companies to assist in restructuring the system.

On Sunday, Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel, at the ongoing Health Professionals Forum in Riyadh, announced the establishment of three specialized companies aimed at facilitating the restructuring of the healthcare sector.

Among them is the National Unified Procurement Co. (NUPCO).

Al-Jalajel had stated that the ministry is currently collaborating with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) to assess the initial public offering (IPO) for National Unified Procurement Co. (NUPCO).

Last year, the Saudi Cabinet approved the formation of the HHC with the goal of harnessing capabilities to enhance the quality and efficiency of healthcare services provided to citizens.

Al-Jalajel disclosed that by the year 2024, all healthcare clusters will transition from the Ministry of Health to the HHC, moving closer to the implementation of the national insurance system for citizens.

The minister further explained that citizens will have full coverage within the network of the HHC in the second phase, which is set to commence in mid-2024.

The second phase will take two years to complete the transfer of all healthcare clusters to the HHC, followed by the launch of the “National Insurance” program.

Economic analyst Abdulrahman Ahmed Al-Jabiri confirms that the healthcare sector is receiving strong support and attention from the government.

Government efforts reflect a concerted push to elevate the quality of healthcare services provided to both citizens and residents, thereby enhancing opportunities for private sector involvement in achieving promising prospects.

Al-Jabri emphasized to Asharq Al-Awsat the importance of transferring all clusters from the Ministry of Health to the HHC and noted that the average healthcare service coverage in the Kingdom has risen from 81% to 94%.

Additionally, the creation of three specialized companies will aid in the restructuring of the healthcare sector.

Salem Baajajah, an economics professor at Jeddah University, pointed out that the government’s direction is evident in the increase of healthcare service coverage to 94%.

He also stressed that the transfer of all healthcare clusters to the HHC and the establishment of three specialized companies will contribute to the restructuring of the sector.

Furthermore, Baajajah said the government’s move towards the flotation of NUPCO will likely enhance the quality of government healthcare services, improve supply and medical provisioning, and meet the healthcare sector’s needs effectively.

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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
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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.

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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).
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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.