Saudi is one of 80 countries closing in on landmark global e-commerce pact

1

WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Saudi Olympic team represents at opening ceremonies in traditional dress

Good morning, wonderful people. It’s a trade-heavy issue this morning as we prepare to slide into August.

BUT FIRST- Saudi athletes eye first medal at Paris Olympics: Ten athletes representing the Kingdom in Paris will be competing in four sports: athletics, swimming, taekwondo, and show jumping (equestrian). Seventeen-year-old swimmer Mashael Al Ayed will be the first athlete to compete, taking to the pool for the 200-meter freestyle today. Al Ayed is the first female swimmer to represent the Kingdom at the Olympics.

The bisht and nashal made it to the Seine, with the delegation embracing their heritage by wearing traditional dress at the (very rainy) opening ceremony on Friday (see photo above):

AND- The Public Investment Fund is one step closer to building the region’s largest telecom infrastructure operator after shareholders of telecom giant stc approved PIF’s acquisition of a controlling stake in stc-owned telecom tower and infrastructure operator Tawal, stc said a disclosure to Tadawul (pdf) on Thursday. The fund aims to acquire a 51% stake in Tawal at a cost of SAR 8.7 bn.

The goal: PIF is building what will become the region’s largest telecom infrastructure company. The PIF and stc will put Tawal and tower operator Golden Lattice Investment (Glic) under a new entity that will own and manage a portfolio of c. 30k towers across five countries. The new entity will have annual revenues in the USD 1.3 bn range, according to PIF. The transaction still requires regulatory approval.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Al Khorayef pitched senior execs from Brazil’s top miner, Vale, on doing business in Saudi Arabia, the ministry’s spokesman said in a post on X. Al Khorayef also met with Brazilian manufacturers interested in setting up shop here, without providing further details. Al Khorayef spoke separately about investment in petrochemicals with senior execs from Brazil's state-run oil company, Petrobras.

BACKGROUND- Manara Minerals, a JV between Saudi Arabian Mining (Ma’aden) and the PIF, completed in May the acquisition of a minority stake in Brazilian miner Vale Base Metals for USD 2.6 bn.

IN CONTEXT- Al Khorayef led delegation to Brazil and will head to Chile to look at potential investments in mining and manufacturing. They met with government officials as well as execs from top mining, aviation and food companies.The delegation’s trip to South America wraps up on Tuesday, 30 July.

#2- Sukuk sales by regional issuers are set to fall in the summer months before picking up in 4Q 2024 as governments continue to pursue diversified funding for projects and look to plug budget deficits, Fitch Ratings said in a report. An expectation that interest rates could start to decline toward the end of the year and lower oil prices could also boost issuances in the final quarter.

REMEMBER- Sukuk and bond issuances by GCC countries grew 38% y-o-y to USD 75.5 bn in 1H 2024, with Saudi accounting for almost half of all sukuk and bond issuances out of the Gulf during the period, according to data from Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz). Saudi debt sales led the market, raising USD 37 bn in 44 transactions to account for 49% of the total amount raised in the GCC, according to Markaz.

#3- Shareholders of Tadawul-listed Riyadh Development Co. will vote on establishing a joint venture with Riyadh Holding Co. to develop the Deira district in central Riyadh on Thursday, 15 August, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. Riyadh Development will own a 46.3% share in the new company via the in-kind contribution of its AlTameer Wholesale Center, whose value is estimated at SAR 675 mn.

#4- Sudanese paramilitary leader Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo plans to attend ceasefire talks in Switzerland mediated by Saudi and the US next month, he said in a post on X. “We are ready to engage in these talks constructively and look forward to them being a significant step towards peace, stability, and the establishment of a new Sudanese state based on justice, equality, and federal governance,” he said. The talks are set to begin on Wednesday, 14 August, with Egypt, the UAE, the African Union, and the UN as observers. The war in Sudan has displaced nearly 10 mn people since April 2023.

HAPPENING TODAY-

Bookbuilding for ASGPlastic Factory’s IPO on Nomu starts today as the plastics manufacturer looks to take a 10.6% stake to Tadawul's parallel market at a price range of SAR 40-44. The subscription period, which is open only to qualified investors, runs until Monday, 5 August. The final allocation of shares will take place on Sunday, 11 August.

WEATHER- Riyadh will see a daytime high of 44°C and an overnight low of 31°C. It’s almost as hot in Makkah, where the mercury will peak at 43°C during the day before dropping to 32°C at night. Meanwhile, Jeddah will see a high of 41°C and a low of 32°C.

PSAs-

#1- Nearly 13k Toyota and Land Cruisers and Lexus LX600 and LX500 SUVs are being recalled over manufacturing defects that could lead to engine failure, the Commerce Ministry said in a post on X. The vehicles are from the 2022 and 2023 model years. You can tell if your vehicle is affected by going to recalls.sa and typing in your VIN number. Toyota distributor Abdul Latif Jameel will set things right without charge.

#2- Riyadh Municipality is once again reminding firms of a Tuesday, 30 July deadline for prequalification documents for tenders related to its parks and recreation projects, state news agency SPA reported. The tenders are part of a forestation project that aims to aims to plant 7.5 mn trees across the capital and raise vegetation cover to 9% of total area.

#3- The next round of invoicing: Companies that had more than SAR 5 mn in revenues subject to VAT in 2022 or 2023 will have to integrate their e-invoicing solutions with Zatca’s Fatoora platform from 1 February, 2025, Zatca said in a statement. It’s the latest phase of a e-invoicing rollout that began in late 2021.

#4- Expats can ask for copies of employment and experience certificates without charge through the Human Resources Ministry’s Qiwa platform, the Saudi Gazette writes. The service allows foreign residents to request certificates detailing their current job or past posts they’ve held in the Kingdom.

DATA POINTS-

#1- More people are using the railway system: The number of travelers using passenger trains grew 13% y-o-y to 9.3 mn across the Kingdom in 2Q 2024, the Transport General Authority said in a post on X. Meanwhile, cargo transported on freight trains rose 9% over the same period to 6.9 mn tons.

#2- King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam saw 28.8% y-o-y growth in cargo throughput in June, hitting 24.9 mn tons, compared to 19.4 mn tons in the same month last year, according to a statement from the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani). Exported containers increased 39.1% to 624.7k TEUs, while imported containers rose 34.7% to 872.4 TEUs. Meanwhile, transshipment containers volume increased 87.9% y-o-y to 37.8k TEUs.

OIL WATCH-

The Kingdom purchased fuel oil from Kuwait in July for the first time since May 2022 to cope a summertime surge in demand for electricity, Reuters reports, citing shipping analytics firms Kpler and Vortexa.

By the numbers: Saudi imported c. 37k barrels per day of fuel oil from Kuwait and is on track to buy more in August Aramco Trading was awarded a tender to purchase 130k tons of very low sulfur fuel oil from Kuwait’s Al Zour refinery, trade sources said.

IN CONTEXT- Russia is Saudi’s preferred supplier of fuel oil, but has been supplying more and more to Chinese and Indian buyers, prompting Saudi to buy from Kuwait.

SPORTS-

French winger Moussa Diaby has finalized his move to Al Ittihad, joining in from English Premier League side Aston Villa, according to a statement from the club. Diaby joined the Jeddah side under a five-year contract for a reported fee of EUR 60 mn. He joins fellow compatriots Karim Benzema and new signing Houssem Aouar, with Al Ittihad reportedly keeping tabs on Man City’s Ederson as they look for a new goalkeeper, according to sports journalist Fabrizio Romano.

***
DID YOU KNOW that we also cover Egypt and the UAE?

Want to subscribe? Tap or click here to get your own copy of EnterpriseAM Saudi delivered every weekday before 7am Riyadh time — without charge, thanks to our friends at Cenomi.
***

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

It’s a mixed bag on global front pages this morning with no single story capturing the attention of the business press.

#1- Harris wants the votes of crypto bros: US Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’s campaign advisers have contacted a number of crypto firms to attempt to “reset” relations between the party and the crypto sector at large, as the Harris campaign looks to mend relations with the industry following its criticism of the Biden administration, Financial Times reports, citing four people familiar with the matter. Harris’s embrace of the industry comes as prominent crypto groups are largely expected to be an important source for funding in the upcoming US presidential elections.

The sector already has a favorite candidate: Republican nominee Donald Trump enjoys a high level of support from the crypto industry — he was the keynote speaker at the BTC 2024 gathering, where he promised to fire the head of the US Securities and Exchange Commission if he returns to the White House.

Silicon Valley grandees including Andreessen Horowitz’s namesake partners have also lined up behind Trump, the Verge notes.

#2- An odd remark from Trump raises eyebrows: The Republican candidate told attendees during a conservative Christian event that they “don't have to vote again” if they vote for him in November. He promised to “fix” all Christian-related concerns if he secures a second term so that Chritians will not need to be politically engaged again.

#3- New UK Finance Minister Racher Reeves is promising the most “pro-growth, pro-business” treasury that the country has seen to date.

#4- The 2024 Paris Olympics are in full swing: China secured the first gold medals of the 2024 Paris Olympics in mixed air rifle shooting and women synchronized diving. Australia currently leads the medal table with three gold and two silver medals. Stay up to date with who secured what with Bloomberg’s tracker.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The International Chemistry Olympiad — a competition for the world’s brightest chemistry students — will wrap up on Tuesday, 30 July. The annual event is held in King Saud University in Riyadh with teams of four students and two mentors from institutions around the world undergoing practical and theoretical assessments in chemistry.

The Crawford vs Madrimov boxing showdown will take place on Saturday, 3 August at the Los Angeles BMO Stadium. The event is the highlight of the Los Angeles Riyadh Season Card which features five other bouts. You can check them out here.

Aramco is set to release its 1H 2024 results on Tuesday, 6 August, according to its website. You can tune into the audio webcast of its earnings call here. The oil giant’s net income dipped a bit more than 14% in 1Q 2024 to SAR 102.3 bn.

Small and medium enterprises regulator Monsha’at will hold a franchise tour of five cities on 12-13 August (Monday and Tuesday). The tour, which starts in Khobar and includes stops in Abha, Qassim, Hail and Jeddah, will showcase success stories in the sector. The tour then picks up with seven stops scheduled for an installment next year.

Cybersecurity training event SANS Riyadh Cyber Leaders August 2024 will run from Sunday, 18 August to Thursday, 22 August at the Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya.

The eight-week Esports World Cup runs until Sunday, 25 August Riyadh’s Boulevard City. The world’s top esports clubs are competing for a pool of USD 60 mn — the largest purse in esports.

The two-day Middle East LPG Expo - Saudi Arabia 2024 will open on Tuesday, 10 September, bringing together upwards of 4k liquified petroleum gas (LPG) experts to discuss the future of the fuel gas in clean energy. Saudi accounts for 50% of demand for LPF in the Middle East and Africa.

The TotalEnergies CAF Super Cup Final 2024 between Egyptian rivals Al Ahly and Zamalek will be held in Riyadh on Friday, 27 September. The venue and kick-off time of the match will be announced at a later date.

This year’s edition of security-focused expo Intersec Saudi Arabia will run from Tuesday, 1 October to Thursday, 3 October at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

International food and beverage expo InFlavour is returning to Riyadh on Tuesday, 1 October. The three-day event — which will be organized in collaboration with the Environment, Water and Agriculture Minister, Tahaluf, Pepsico, Al Rabie, Arasco and Nadec — will take place in Riyadh’s Front Exhibition and Conference Center.

Saudi is one of 80 countries set to ink a global pact on e-commerce

Some 80 nations including Saudi Arabia reached on Friday an agreement on rules regulating global e-commerce, including the recognition of e-signatures and protection against online fraud, Arab News reports. A statement by the World Trade Organization said participants agreed on a preliminary “stabilized text” after five years of talks about what could become the first global digital trade agreement.

The goal: To make e-commerce faster, more affordable, and more secure on a global scale while reducing barriers, according to a statement by the UK Department for Business and Trade.

(** Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background and outside sources.)

The provisions include the recognition of e-signatures and e-documents, protection against online fraud and misleading claims, digitalization of customs documents and processes, limitations on spam, protections for personal data, and support for least-developed countries, a the text of the agreement (pdf) shows.

BACKGROUND- Australia, Japan, and Singapore led the talks, which both the European Union and China have hailed as “historic” and “groundbreaking.”

No US backing just yet: The US said while the text was a positive step, more is needed to be done, including wording about exceptions for security interests, according to Reuters. “We look forward to working with interested members in finding solutions to all remaining issues and moving the negotiation to a timely conclusion,” US WTO ambassador Maria Pagan said. Others including Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey also had minor reservations over the text, a trade source told Reuters.

BUT, but, but… The agreement among the 80 members won’t become a full WTO pact unless all members of the UN trade body sign on.

Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports rose 2.1% y-o-y in May, imports advanced 2.6%

The Kingdom’s non-oil exports rose 2.1% y-o-y in May 2024, according to the latest data from the General Authority for Statistics (pdf). Total non-oil exports, including re-exports increased 8.2% in May compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, import volumes increased 2.6%.

SOUND SMART- Re-exports are products that one country imports and re-sells to another country as-is, without providing added value or labor input in the process. This can happen for various reasons, including taking advantage of price differences between markets, fulfilling orders, or redistributing goods to markets where there is demand.

Monthly snapshot: Merchandise exports were up by 3.3% m-o-m in May. Non-oil exports, including re-exports, rose 26.9% and the value of imports increased 10.6%. Meanwhile, the surplus of the merchandise trade balance declined 8.8%

Merchandise exports + imports: Merchandise exports were up 5.8% y-o-y in May on the back of a 4.9% increase in oil exports, according to figures by Gastat. Oil sales accounted for 72.4% of all exports in May, down from 73.0% in the same month last year. Meanwhile, imports rose 2.6% in May, and the surplus of the merchandise trade balance increased by 12.8% on an annual basis.

China remains our largest trade partner: Exports to China accounted for 15.2% of total exports in May, followed by South Korea at 9.8%, and India at 7.7%. Chinese products and services also accounted for the largest share of Saudi’s imports during the month (25%), followed by the US (9.3%) and UAE (6.5%).

Chemical products topped the list of our non-oil exports: Chemical products accounted for 24% of total non-oil exports in May despite shrinking by 6% y-o-y. Plastics, rubber, and their derivatives came in second to account for 22% of total exports during the period, down from 26.2% in April when it led non-oil exports. Annually, plastics saw a 3.4% y-o-y decline in volume.

Heavy machinery remained the largest component of Saudi-bound shipments: Machines and electrical equipment made up 27% of our total imports after reporting a 22% y-o-y growth in May. Transportation goods accounted for 13% of total imports despite a 16% y-o-y decline in volume.

China’s Baosteel, Aramco, the PIF will double their investments in Saudi steel plate maker

Saudi, Chinese partners to kick USD 1 bn more into planned steel plate producer: China’s Baosteel, Aramco, and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) have committed to more than double their investments in a joint venture focused on steel plate production in Saudi Arabia, Reuters and Bloomberg picked the story.

Background: Baosteel, a unit of the world's largest steelmaker, China Baowu Steel Group, signed a shareholders’ agreement with Aramco and the PIF in May 2023 to set up a JV in Ras Al-Khair City, with Baosteel owning a 50% stake, and Saudi Aramco and PIF taking 25% each. The plant is expected to go online at the end of 2026.

The details: Baosteel will increase its investment to USD 1 bn, up from USD 437.5 mn, while Aramco and the PIF will raise theirs to USD 500 mn each from USD 218.8 mn. The shareholding structure will remain unchanged.

By the numbers: The project is set to have an annual capacity of 2.5 mn tons of direct reduced iron and 1.5 mn tons of steel plate. The plant will target the MENA oil and gas, shipbuilding, and construction industries.

Stc reappoints chairman, vice chairman

The board of Saudi Telecom Group (stc) reappointed Prince Mohammed bin Khaled bin Abdullah Al Faisal (bio, pdf) as chairman of the board alongside Yazeen Al Humied as vice chairman (bio, pdf), according to a disclosure to Tadawul. Al Faisal has served as chairman since 2018. He is also the chairman of Al Faisaliah Holding. Yazeed Al Humied is the PIF’s deputy governor and head of Mena investments. He has been stc’s vice chairman since 2021 and also serves as deputy chairman of Tadawul and SNB, among others.

The board of Tadawul-listed Arabian International Healthcare Holding (Tibbiyah) has appointed Yasir Khattab as its CEO effective Sunday, 1 September 2024, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. The appointment follows the resignation of CEO Alaa Ameen (Linkedin) due to “personal reasons,” ending a four-year run. Yasir brings over 32 years of experience in healthcare, including Boston Scientific, Schering-Plough (now MSD), Sandoz, Novartis, and GSK. He was most recently CEO of Saudi-based Tamer Healthcare.

Will Saudi join advanced fighter jet program with Japan, Italy?

No single story is dominating coverage of Saudi in the foreign press, but Financial Times is out with a story outlining defense industry executives’ openness to Saudi joining the next generation combat air programme with Japan and Italy if the UK pulls back. Italian defense group Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani said he would be “personally very open” to Saudi joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) if the UK cuts support after it completes its defense review. “Having a fourth partner could be very convenient for the consortium [and] in that case it could of course be Saudi Arabia,” Cingolani told FT at London’s Farnborough air show.

One door closes, another door opens: The GCAP was initiated in 2023 by the UK, Italy, and Japan to develop an advanced fighter jet by 2035 in response to threats from China and Russia. Saudi has been showing interest in joining the project at the same time as some worry that the program’s 2035 target could be at risk if the United Kingdom pulls out. Some industry analysts believe Saudi could join the program even if the UK stays on, allowing for more countries in the region as potential export markets.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg is out with a piece suggesting that Saudi was looking to avoid a renewed direct conflict with Houthis in Yemen after fresh threats by the group against the Kingdom following its drone attack on Israel.

Flynas places “landmark” order with Airbus for 160 aircraft

AVIATION-

Flynas has placed a “landmark” order with Airbus for 30 wide-body A330neo and 130 narrow-body A320 aircraft, doubling the low-cost airline’s total Airbus orders to 280, it said in a statement on Thursday. A breakdown of the agreement, which was signed during London’s Farnborough Airshow, sees Flynas purchasing 75 A320neo family aircraft and 15 A330-900, according to a statement by Airbus. Flynas will have options for 55 A320neo aircraft and 15 A330s. Deliveries for the A330neos are scheduled to start in 2027, flynas said. No financial value was provided but independent aviation consultancy estimates the value of the order at USD 5.7 bn, according to Reuters.

Remember: Flynas placed a top-up order with Airbus last year for 30 A320neos, bringing its 2016 purchase with the company to a total of 120 aircraft.

Following in the footsteps of Saudia? National carrier Saudia is set to receive the first deliveries from its landmark USD 19 bn Airbus order in 2026, when it will receive 15-16 aircraft out of the 105 it ordered, Saudia Director General Ibrahim Al Omar said.

INFRASTRUCTURE-

It’s a wrap for Neom’s underground parking and light rail systems: Neom has completed the construction of its underground parking and light rail systems two weeks ahead of schedule, according to a statement from the Chinese construction machinery company involved in the project XCMG Machinery.

REFRESHER- Neom embarked on a drive earlier this year to assure contractors and bankers that the buildout of the city was proceeding on schedule in the wake of reports that the government was scaling back the project. Neom also recently came off the road in China with officials looking to rally interest from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai as it seeks to diversify its funding sources away from PIF, which has poured most of the funding into the project in the form of equity.

STARTUP WATCH-

Gov’t kicks off second phase of Sedrah accelerator in the US: Deputy Environment Minister Mansour Al Mushaiti inaugurated the second phase of the ministry’s Sedrah Business Acceleration Program in California’s Silicon Valley, state news agency SPA reported. The accelerator, launched earlier this year, provides mentoring for startups operating in the environmental sector in Riyadh, London, and Silicon Valley.

ICT-

MIS lands a data center services contract: IT solutions firm Al Moammar Information Systems (MIS) has signed a ten-year contract with Microsoft Arabia and Saudi Data Center Fund 1 to provide colocation and data center services for one of the fund’s centers, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. The contract can be extended for up to another 10 years, and Microsoft can opt to increase the reserved capacity by up to 300%. The contract is valued at over 50% of MIS’s 2023 revenue, which amounts to SAR 729.9 mn, according to our math.

Remember: MIS is the exclusive leasing agent and manager for the six data centers owned by the Saudi Data Center Fund 1.

Vanguard worries US regulators could put caps on the stakes passive funds take in banks and utilities

The world’s second-largest asset manager has warned investors that US regulators might start limiting the size of the stakes it takes in target companies, saying the cap could push up costs and risks, the Financial Times reports. Vanguard has AUM of c. USD 9.3 tn.

What ownership limits? The US has “long-standing but rarely enforced [10%] caps on individual bank and utility stock ownership … that normally trigger additional responsibilities,” the salmon-colored paper notes, “as long as they do not seek a management role.”

Vanguard apparently doesn’t want those extra responsibilities — if the regulator will even give it a waiver. Vanguard doesn’t want the extra expense and mental overhead, and regulators are under pressure from the left and the right to curb the influence of large passive investors such as Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street Global Advisors, the paper warns.

What Vanguard is saying: “It is not always possible to secure relief, and there is an increasing amount of uncertainty around how much ownership limitations relief regulators will grant to asset managers like Vanguard,” it said. The fresh risks “make clear the potential negative consequences a loss of regulatory relief could have on fund expenses and performance as well as the potential tax consequences for investors,” it said. Vanguard said it was working with policymakers “to answer questions, address concerns and minimize these risks.”

MEANWHILE- Major US and European benchmarks had good days on Friday, just 24 hours after Wall Street posted one of its worst days since 2022 amid a big sell-down of tech stocks as investors worry the hype over AI might be overblown.

TASI	12,026	-0.6% (YTD: +0.5%)
MSCI Tadawul 30	1,502	-0.7% (YTD: -3.1%)
NomuC	26,420	+0.3% (YTD: +7.7%)
USD : SAR (SAMA)	USD 3.75	USD 3.75
Interest rates	6.0% repo	5.5% reverse repo
EGX30	29,091	-0.4% (YTD: +16.9%)
ADX	9,318	+0.2% (YTD: -2.7%)
DFM	4,280	+1.0% (YTD: +5.4%)
S&P 500	5,459	+1.1% (YTD: +14.5%)
FTSE 100	8,286	+1.2% (YTD: +7.1%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,863	+1.1% (YTD: +7.5%)
Brent crude	USD 81.12	-1.5%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 2.01	-1.7%
Gold	USD USD 2,428	+1.2%
BTC	USD 67,743	+0.6% (YTD: +58.3%)

THE CLOSING BELL: TADAWUL-

The TASI fell 0.6% at Thursday’s close on turnover of SAR 6.4 bn. The index is up 0.5% YTD.

In the green: Retal (+7.1%), Al Akaria (+4.9%) and EIC (+4.5%).

In the red: Miahona (-9.6%), Al Sagr Ins. (-5.9%) and Smasco (-5.5%).

THE CLOSING BELL: NOMU-

The NomuC rose 0.3% at Thursday’s close on turnover of SAR 38.1 mn. The index is up 7.7% YTD.

In the green: Armah (+9.8%), Lana (+9.4%) and Al Ashghal Al Moysra (+7.3%).

In the red: Tibbiyah (-4.5%), Munawla (-4.2%) and Neft Al Sharq (-3.4%)

CALENDAR

JULY

4 July-25 August: (Thursday-Sunday): Esports World Cup, Boulevard Riyadh City, Riyadh.

21 July-30 July (Sunday-Tuesday): The 56th International Chemistry Olympiad, Riyadh.

24 July (Wednesday): Stc shareholders to vote on PIF acquisition of Tawal.

21-30 July (Sunday-Tuesday): International Chemistry Olympiad, King Saud University, Riyadh.

AUGUST

3 August (Saturday): Riyadh Season Card featuring Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov, Los Angeles BMO Stadium.

4 August (Sunday): Last day to apply to the Digital Government Authority (DGA) awards.

12-13 August (Monday-Tuesday): Monshaat Franchise Tour, Al-Khobar.

12-15 August (Monday-Thursday): The Saudi Food Expo, Riyadh.

18 August (Sunday): New academic year begins.

18-22 August (Sunday-Thursday): SANS Riyadh Cyber Leaders August 2024, Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya.

27-29 August (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi Fashiontex Expo, Riyadh.

SEPTEMBER

2-4 September (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Warehousing & Logistics Expo, Riyadh.

2-4 September (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Wood Expo, Riyadh.

3-5 September (Tuesday-Thursday): 24 Fintech, Front Exhibition & Conference Center, Riyadh.

9-11 September (Monday-Wednesday): International Manufacturing Congress, Riyadh.

10 September (Tuesday): Saudi Arabia Investors Forum, Riyadh.

10-11 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): SkyMove MENA, Riyadh.

10-11 September (Tuesday-Wednesday): Middle East LPG Expo – Saudi Arabia 2024, Intercontinental Hotel, Riyadh.

10-12 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi Sports Show, Riyadh.

10-12 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Global AI Summit, Riyadh.

11-12 September (Wednesday-Thursday): The Saudi Event Show, Riyadh.

16-19 September (Monday-Thursday): Foodex Saudi, Riyadh.

17-19 September (Tuesday-Thursday): EV Auto Show, Riyadh.

17-19 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Hotel & Hospitality Expo, Front Exhibition & Conference Center, Riyadh.

18-19 September (Wednesday-Thursday): Saudi Maritime & Logistics Congress, Dammam.

18-19 September (Wednesday-Thursday): IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2024, Riyadh.

24-26 September (Tuesday-Thursday) Saudi Infrastructure Expo, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, Riyadh.

23 September (Monday): National Day (national holiday).

27 September (Friday): CAF Super Cup Final 2024, Riyadh.

29 September (Sunday) - 1 October (Tuesday): Jeddah Construct Expo, Jeddah.

OCTOBER

1-3 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Intersec Saudi Arabia 2024, Riyadh.

5-7 October (Saturday-Monday): Middle East Education & Training Exhibition 2024, Jeddah.

15-16 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Solar & Storage Live KSA, Riyadh.

16-17 October (Monday-Tuesday): Global Airport & Aviation Forum, Jeddah.

21-22 October (Monday-Tuesday): Smart Ports & Logistics Transformation Summit, Riyadh.

21-22 October (Monday-Tuesday): Aussie Expo, King Abdullah Financial District Conference Center, Riyadh.

29-31 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Investment Initiative Conference, Riyadh.

31 October (Thursday): No-visa travel for Saudis to Montenegro on charter flights expires.

NOVEMBER

2-9 November (Saturday- Saturday): WTA Finals, Riyadh.

4-7 November (Monday-Thursday): Saudi Build, Riyadh.

26-28 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi Electricity Expo, Riyadh.

11-12 November (Monday-Tuesday): World Advanced Manufacturing Logistics Summit & Expo, Riyadh.

11-12 November (Monday-Tuesday): Saudi Airport Exhibition, Riyadh.

11-14 November (Monday-Thursday): Cityscape Global, Riyadh.

18-20 November (Monday-Wednesday): The Heavy Equipment and Truck Show, Dammam.

19-21 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Saudi International Maritime Forum, Dammam.

25-27 November (Monday-Wednesday): World Investment Conference, Riyadh.

26-28 November (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Power Expo, Riyadh.

DECEMBER

1 December (Sunday): Opec+ to meet.

2-3 December (Monday-Tuesday) Wings of Change Middle East, Riyadh.

2-13 December (Monday-Friday): Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Riyadh.

11 December (Wednesday): FIFA Congress, which will decide the hosting countries for the FIFA World Cup 2030 and 2034

23-26 December (Monday-Thursday): Aqarat Expo, Riyadh.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2024:

The AFC Champions League Elite

2025

JANUARY 2025

28-29 January (Tuesday-Wednesday): Sustainability Forum Middle East, Riyadh.

FEBRUARY 2025

10-13 February (Monday-Thursday): Leap 2025, the Kingdom’s premier tech investment conference.

14-15 February (Friday-Saturday): Formula E, Diriyah.

JUNE 2025

26 June (Thursday): 2024-2025 academic year ends.

2026

UN Trade and Development Global Supply Chain Forum to take place in Saudi Arabia.

2027

The World Water Forum takes place in Riyadh.

Sections

About

Privacy & Support

Get EnterpriseAM daily