عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

Saudi Arabia: Contracting with Foreign Companies Now Tied to Regional Headquarters

Saudi Arabia intends to stop contracting any foreign company or commercial institution headquartered outside the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia intends to stop contracting any foreign company or commercial institution headquartered outside the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia: Contracting with Foreign Companies Now Tied to Regional Headquarters

Saudi Arabia intends to stop contracting any foreign company or commercial institution headquartered outside the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia intends to stop contracting any foreign company or commercial institution headquartered outside the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia is holding on to its decision that foreign companies will be required to base their regional headquarters in the Kingdom, which enters into effect on January 1, 2024.

The government issued more than 180 licenses to international companies to move their regional headquarters after it announced the decision to stop contracting with entities that do not adhere to the state's direction at the beginning of 2024.

Last week, the Saudi cabinet approved contracting regulations for firms that do not have regional headquarters in the Kingdom.

Experts believe the government granted foreign companies a long and sufficient period to prepare their regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia and not risk losing hundreds of billions of dollars in lucrative government contracts.

Specialists confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that companies that announced the transfer of their regional headquarters to Saudi Arabia will benefit from competition for business and government procurement.

Economics Professor at the University of Jeddah Salem Baajaja explained that the Kingdom's decision to stop contracting with foreign companies or institutions that do not have a regional headquarters in the country limits economic leakage and generates more jobs for citizens.

Baajaja stated that the government has given companies a sufficient period to move their regional headquarters, and now it is time to stop contracting with parties that do not adhere to this decision.

Economic expert Ahmed al-Jubeir told Asharq Al-Awsat that with the decision entering into force, dealing with entities that do not implement the Kingdom's directives will be prohibited.

Jubeir added that this approach confirms the government's intention to generate more jobs and ensure efficient spending.

Halting contracts

The decision came a few days before the government's deadline so that foreign companies and institutions could move their regional headquarters to the Kingdom and avoid the risk of losing contracts with public agencies in the future.

The controls aim to regulate the contracting of government agencies with companies that do not have a regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia or with any relevant party.

The following business and procurement controls are excluded, and the estimated cost shall not exceed $266,000. Under public interest requirements, the Minister can amend this amount, cancel this exception, or temporarily suspend it.

The Ministry of Investment, in coordination with the Ministry and the General Authority for Foreign Trade, has prepared a list of companies that have no regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia and periodically updates it or whenever needed. The list has been published on the e-portal.

The controls stated that government agencies should not invite companies with no regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia or any relevant party to participate in their limited competitions except in some instances.

Government agencies will only invite companies with regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia or any relevant party to participate in their limited competitions in one of the following cases:

- The conditions require up to one qualified competitor other than companies with no regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia or relevant parties to carry out the business or secure the required purchases.

- The existence of an emergency can only be dealt with by inviting companies that do not have a regional headquarters in the Kingdom or relevant parties.

According to the controls, government agencies that contract with any company and related parties not headquartered in the Kingdom must prepare a report that includes the reasons for the contract.

They must also provide the General Auditing Bureau and the Governmental Spending and Projects Efficiency Authority with a copy of the report within 30 working days of signing the contract.

Under the regulations, the Ministry of Investment will establish a committee for "the exception of government agencies' contracting controls with companies and related parties not headquartered in Saudi Arabia."

Most Viewed

 
 
Business

Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry, with some visitors beginning to avoid the busy late-summer months due to concerns about uncontrolled blazes, smoke-filled skies and road closures.

After a scorching start to July, nearly 600 wildfires are now ablaze across British Columbia and Alberta, including a huge fire that this week devastated the picturesque tourist town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.

Dozens of communities, including popular holiday spots in British Columbia's Kootenay region, are under evacuation orders and several highways are closed.

This year's surge in wildfire activity comes after Canada endured its worst-ever year for wildfires in 2023, when more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) burned, including parts of the city of West Kelowna in the heart of British Columbia's wine region.

Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, said the industry was seeing a lot more last-minute travel decisions instead of booking in advance.

"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," said Walker-Matthews, adding that while her region has been relatively unscathed by wildfires this summer, some visitors are choosing to avoid interior British Columbia altogether.

The members of the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association are reporting a 5-15% drop in bookings from a year ago, with the biggest declines coming from the hotter Okanagan and Cariboo regions, said Joss Penny, who heads the association.

"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," said Penny.

Although wildfires in Canada's forests are natural and common, scientists say drier, hotter conditions fueled by climate change are leading to more volatile and frequent blazes.

'SMOKEY SKIES'

Some events, like the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, usually held in August, have now been rescheduled to earlier in the summer to avoid what is now seen as peak smoke season. The festival, which was cancelled last year due to nearby wildfires, was this year moved to July to benefit from "less smokey skies."

Wildfires and extreme climatic events are prompting tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently," said Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, noting that seasonal workers in the sector are often the hardest hit as they have few protections during a bad season or amid a cataclysmic fire.

Tourism contributed C$7.2 billion to the British Columbia economy in 2022, and C$9.9 billion to Alberta in 2023, according to the latest government data.

Jasper National Park is one of Canada's premier tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors a year flocking to see its pristine mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose and elk.

Kelly Torrens, vice-president of product at international tour company Kensington Tours, described western Canada as a bucket-list destination. But the company now has 49 trips that were supposed to pass through Jasper this season in limbo. Six others were forced to evacuate the park when the fire hit.

Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations within Jasper National Park until Aug. 6 and with potentially 50% of the town's structures destroyed by fire, the cleanup and rebuild could take years.

Halpenny is among those hedging their bets.

"I've booked a campsite stay in the mountain parks but at the same time, I booked a campsite out on the prairie somewhere and that's my backup plan because I don't want to miss out on my vacation with my family."