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Iraq: OPEC+ Is Working to Limit Challenges Affecting Oil Market Stability

Oil rigs in an American field. (AFP)
Oil rigs in an American field. (AFP)
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Iraq: OPEC+ Is Working to Limit Challenges Affecting Oil Market Stability

Oil rigs in an American field. (AFP)
Oil rigs in an American field. (AFP)

The OPEC+ group of oil producers is working to limit the challenges affecting the stability of the global oil market, Iraq's oil minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani said on Saturday.

Voluntary output cuts by OPEC+ since November have allowed member states like Iraq to achieve the highest rates of balance between supply and demand, helping them achieve stability in the global oil market, its oil ministry has said.

"Iraq's oil ministry is keen to achieve an increase in revenues derived from its oil export revenues despite the challenges facing global markets," Abdel-Ghani added.

During the Libya Energy and Economic Summit 2024 in Tripoli, Libya’s Oil Minister Mohamed Oun underscored that the demand for fossil fuels is anticipated to surge in the coming decades.

Oun highlighted that a significant portion, approximately 30%, of Libya's territory remains unexplored, emphasizing the nation's considerable reserves of shale oil and gas.

The minister stressed that any transformation in the energy sector should align with the specific conditions of African countries and agree with global standards.

He stated, "We are not opposed to fostering a clean environment."

Oun hoped that efforts to mitigate the environmental impact of fossil fuels would run concurrently with the development of alternative energies, deeming it the "ideal solution."

Head of Libya's Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah announced that his government had formulated plans aimed at doubling both oil and gas production while focusing on the enhancement of oil field infrastructure.

“The Government of National Unity has sought to create mission programs to revitalize the national economy in general and address difficulties in the fields of development, oil, gas, and particularly in electrical energy,” al-Dbeibah said.

Oil rose 1% on Friday as an increasing number of oil tankers diverted course from the Red Sea following overnight air and sea strikes by the US and Britain on Houthi targets in Yemen after attacks on shipping by the Iran-backed Houthis.

Brent crude futures settled 88 cents, or 1.1%, higher at $78.29 a barrel. The session high was up over $3 to more than $80, its highest this year.

US West Texas Intermediate crude futures climbed 66 cents, or 0.9%, to $72.68, paring gains after touching a 2024 high of $75.25.

While the diversions were expected to push up the cost and time it takes to transport oil, supplies have not yet been impacted, analysts and industry experts noted, easing some of the earlier gains in prices.

For the week, Brent was down 0.5% and WTI 1.1% lower.

Tanker companies Stena Bulk, Hafnia, and Torm said they had decided to halt all ships heading towards the Red Sea.

However, Suez Canal Authority head Osama Rabie said traffic is regular in both directions, and there is no truth to reports that navigation has been suspended due to developments in the Red Sea.

The US and UK strikes come in retaliation for Houthi attacks since October on commercial vessels in the Red Sea in a show of support for Hamas in its fight against Israel in Gaza.

The escalation has fed worries the Israel-Hamas war could widen into a broader conflict in the Middle East, disrupting oil supplies. Iran seized a tanker on Thursday carrying Iraqi crude south of the strait destined for Türkiye.

Houthi militants also mistakenly targeted a tanker carrying Russian oil in a missile attack on Friday off Yemen, British maritime security firm Ambrey said.

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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.