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Riyadh Air Unveils Its Second Dual-Livery Design at Dubai Airshow 

Riyadh Air unveiled the second of its permanent dual-livery designs at the Dubai Airshow 2023. (SPA)
Riyadh Air unveiled the second of its permanent dual-livery designs at the Dubai Airshow 2023. (SPA)
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Riyadh Air Unveils Its Second Dual-Livery Design at Dubai Airshow 

Riyadh Air unveiled the second of its permanent dual-livery designs at the Dubai Airshow 2023. (SPA)
Riyadh Air unveiled the second of its permanent dual-livery designs at the Dubai Airshow 2023. (SPA)

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new airline wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), set to be operational in 2025, unveiled the second of its permanent dual-livery designs at the Dubai Airshow 2023, said a statement from the airline on Monday.

The latest livery continues Riyadh Air’s indigo theme with striking lines, inspired by the twisting canopies of traditional Bedouin tents and curves of Arabic calligraphy.

"The bold new look features a sweeping cockpit window design, with the indigo signature theme contrasted beautifully against a light unique iridescent fuselage, reflecting purity and the future-focused vision of Saudi Arabia," said the statement.

In June this year, Riyadh Air unveiled its first livery at the Paris Airshow, having previously received its IATA Airline Designator Code (RX), and having signed a major deal for 90 GEnx engines to power its fleet, following an order of up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, made in March.

According to the release, the second livery will see Riyadh Air aircraft adorned in a lavender and indigo paint, featuring a feather-like design near the rear of the fuselage, with "Riyadh Air" written in English and Arabic and the airline’s trademark logo on the tail, engines and underbelly of the aircraft.

The second livery reflects Saudi Arabia’s forward-thinking ambitions; "using iridescent color to add a modern twist" to the design and the intricate bold text makes Riyadh Air recognizable, whether on the ground or in the skies, said the release.

Riyadh Air is set to fly to more than 100 destinations, and "will contribute to Saudi Arabia’s non-oil GDP growth by $20 billion, directly and indirectly creating over 200,000 new jobs globally and locally", added the statement.

Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas said: "As the largest start-up in commercial aviation in decades, we are delighted to unveil to the world Riyadh Air’s second livery, which will be unmistakable when it takes to the skies in 2025, as we become one of the first international carriers to have permanent dual-liveries on an active fleet."

"Following our initial launch in March, we have had exceptional progress hitting a number of major milestones for the brand through an obsessive eye for detail, digital-native mindset and commitment to embracing the industry’s sustainability best practices. We revealed our first livery to global acclaim, announced fleet orders for our wide-body aircraft and signed several ground-breaking new partnerships. This iconic second livery is the latest milestone for Riyadh Air as we shape and disrupt the future of air travel and aviation, with many more things to come," he continued.

Alongside the unveiling of the latest livery design, Riyadh Air will be hosting guests, partners, stakeholders and VIPs at its pavilion at Dubai Airshow. The digital-first experience will showcase more about Riyadh Air’s ambitions and future plans "as it ushers in a new era for the travel and aviation industry, unlocking Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural attractions and positioning the Kingdom as a world-class logistics and travel hub."

Other highlights at Riyadh Air’s Dubai Airshow include the signing of a memorandum of understanding in a first partnership between luxury EV manufacturer Lucid Group and Riyadh Air that is "aligned to a shared vision for the future of sustainable transportation exploring the collaboration across co-marketing, commercial and operational streams for targeted guests and travelers."

At the Riyadh Air pavilion, two Lucid Air cars are wrapped in the Riyadh Air livery while three mobilized Lucid Air cars will transport visitors to and from the Dubai Airshow. Lucid Air is the longest range, fastest charging and most powerful luxury electric car in the world.

The Dubai Airshow 2023 is taking place from November 13 to 17 at Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). It features over 1,400 exhibitors from 48 countries, along with over 180 of the world’s most advanced commercial, private and military aircraft on display.

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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.