Saudi National Center for Privatization Awarded Over 60 Contracts in 8 Targeted Sectors 

Saudi Minister of Finance and chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for Privatization (NCP) Mohammed Al-Jadaan. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Finance and chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for Privatization (NCP) Mohammed Al-Jadaan. (SPA)
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Saudi National Center for Privatization Awarded Over 60 Contracts in 8 Targeted Sectors 

Saudi Minister of Finance and chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for Privatization (NCP) Mohammed Al-Jadaan. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Finance and chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for Privatization (NCP) Mohammed Al-Jadaan. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Finance and chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for Privatization (NCP) Mohammed Al-Jadaan took part in Beijing on Tuesday in a roundtable meeting organized by NCP in cooperation with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

Senior officials of Chinese companies interested in private-sector projects and public-private partnerships (PPPs) were also present.

Al-Jadaan noted the depth of the historical relationship between Saudi Arabia and China that are based on trust and continuous cooperation in various fields, said a Finance Ministry statement.

He added that NCP has since its inception awarded over 60 privatization and partnership contracts in eight targeted sectors, with a capital cost of over $10 billion.

It has also sought to strengthen its work by adopting the privatization law and complementary statutory tools that contribute to accelerating the implementation of PPP projects, he went on to say.

He praised the role played by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in supporting NCP efforts to present privatization and partnership opportunities and initiatives to Chinese investors and companies.

Participants at the meeting presented privatization and PPP opportunities in the infrastructure sector and how companies and investors can participate in privatization and partnership projects in several areas, most notably in construction, roads, water, and airports.



Biden Admin Delays Enforcement of Order Blocking Nippon Steel, US Steel Deal

FILE PHOTO: The logos of Nippon Steel Corp. are displayed at the company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan March 18, 2019. REUTERS/Yuka Obayashi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logos of Nippon Steel Corp. are displayed at the company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan March 18, 2019. REUTERS/Yuka Obayashi/File Photo
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Biden Admin Delays Enforcement of Order Blocking Nippon Steel, US Steel Deal

FILE PHOTO: The logos of Nippon Steel Corp. are displayed at the company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan March 18, 2019. REUTERS/Yuka Obayashi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logos of Nippon Steel Corp. are displayed at the company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan March 18, 2019. REUTERS/Yuka Obayashi/File Photo

The Biden administration will hold off enforcing a requirement laid out in an executive order this month that Nippon Steel abandon its $14.9 billion bid for US Steel, the companies said on Saturday.

US President Joe Biden blocked Nippon Steel's planned acquisition of US Steel on national security grounds on Jan. 3, and his Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said this week that the proposed deal had received a "thorough analysis" by interagency review body, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

The delay will give the courts time to review a legal challenge brought by the parties earlier this month against Biden's order. The parties previously had 30 days to unwind their transaction, Reuters reported.
"We are pleased that CFIUS has granted an extension to June 18, 2025 of the requirement in President Biden's Executive Order that the parties permanently abandon the transaction," the companies said in a joint statement.
"We look forward to completing the transaction, which secures the best future for the American steel industry and all our stakeholders," they said.
US Steel and Nippon Steel alleged in a lawsuit on Monday that the CFIUS review was prejudiced by Biden's longstanding opposition to the deal, denying them of a right to a fair review. They asked a federal appeals court to overturn Biden's decision to allow them a fresh review to secure another shot at closing the merger.
The US Treasury secretary chairs the CFIUS panel, which screens foreign acquisitions of US companies and other investment deals for national security concerns. CFIUS normally decides directly on cases or submits recommendations to the president, but in the US Steel-Nippon Steel case, the panel failed to reach consensus on whether Biden should to approve or reject it, leaving the decision to him.
Both Biden and his successor, Republican Donald Trump, had voiced opposition to the Japanese company acquiring the American steelmaker as the candidates courted union votes in the November election won by Trump.
CFIUS has rarely rejected deals involving the Group of Seven closely allied countries, which include Japan.