Good morning, ladies and gents. It’s another calm day in the Kingdom as we welcome the new workweek.
The big story today: It seems that Diriyah’s ambitions to butt heads with Paris are taking shape, as a new JV for constructing Saudi’s royal opera house in the boulevard modeled after Paris’ Champs-Élysées. Details of the project are in the news well, below.
BUT FIRST- Would you like to have lunch with us on Monday, 5 May? If so, hit reply to this email to let us know you’re like to be considered and tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do as a professional.
Wait, lunch? Yes, lunch. We’re inviting a small group of readers to join us to talk over where the economy and business climate stand now and where they’re heading through 2030. Expect good food, good company, and frank talk about what we are convinced is the most exciting business opportunity in the world.
Seating is strictly limited and the gathering is invitation-only. The gathering will take place under Chatham House rules. We’ll be in touch over the course of the next week with the folks we’re inviting to drop them the details.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-
The IMF and World Bank’s spring meetup will get the ball rolling tomorrow amid the global economy grappling with mounting trade tensions and tariff escalations. The six-day 2025 Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank Group will bring together policymakers, central bankers, economists, private sector leaders, and others to discuss what the year ahead holds.
The mood of the meetup is already starting to become clear, with World Bank President Ajay Banga telling reporters last week that “uncertainty and volatility are undoubtedly contributing to a more cautious economic and business environment," according to AFP.
Tensions between the Trump administration and the World Bank are expected to come into focus over the week, with the White House yet to commit to the USD 4 bn pledged to the international financial institution by his predecessor in the last months of his presidency. Brushing off suggestions of bad blood, Banga described ongoing negotiations with its largest financial backer as “constructive” and told reports that “they’re asking the right questions, and we're trying to give them the right answers.”
We’re yet to hear who will be representing Saudi at the meetup. Last year saw Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan, Sama Governor Ayman Al Sayari, and Saudi Fund for Development CEO Sultan Al Marshad, among others, attend the meetings.
You can check out the full schedule on the event’s official website.
HAPPENING TODAY-
MENA’s first Instagram Creators Summit goes live in AlUla today, bringing together leading global content creators — who have amassed over 231 mn followers — for interactive sessions, keynote speeches, and discussions on the future of content creation. The two-day event — organized by Meta in partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla — will feature discussions about topics like social media, AI, Instagram tools, and the creator economy and provide the chance for networking with Meta product managers.
ALSO- The main event of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix revs up at 8:00 PM today at the 6.2 km Jeddah Corniche Circuit. Schools will be off today and tomorrow in Jeddah, Makkah, and Taif as the race takes over the streets. You can grab your tickets here.
Off track, expect performances by Usher, Major Lazer Soundsystem, and Marwan Pablo.
AND- The Saudi Film Festival in Dhahran runs until 23 April. The festival will showcase 68 films, including feature films, shorts, and documentaries from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, and beyond. We have the details here.
⚠️ WEATHER- Expect moderate to heavy thunderstorms across Makkah, Madinah, and Riyadh.
- Riyadh: 34°C daytime / 24°C overnight
- Makkah: 41°C daytime / 27°C overnight
- Madinah: 38°C daytime / 24°C overnight
HAPPENING THIS WEEK-
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, 22 April on a two-day visit, according to a statement by India’s External Affairs Ministry. This marks Modi’s third visit to the Kingdom — after previous trips in 2016 and 2019 — and follows Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to New Delhi in September 2023. The leaders are expected to discuss means for deepening bilateral relations and cooperation across key sectors like trade, investment, energy, defense, technology, and culture.
WATCH THIS SPACE-
The Human Resources and Social Development Ministry (HRSD) began implementing the first phase of the increased Saudization quotas in the healthcare industry on Thursday, targeting four professions in the private sector, it said in a statement. The directive applies to large establishments throughout the Kingdom, as well as those in key cities, including Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Dammam, and Khobar.
The new quotas: Healthcare facilities must raise the share of Saudi representation in therapeutic nutrition and physiotherapy to 80%, medical laboratories to 70%, and radiology to 65%, paying a minimum of SAR 7k for specialists and SAR 5k for technicians.
The second phase will kick off on Friday, 17 October, extending to all the remaining establishments nationwide. Non-compliant establishments will be subject to statutory penalties, the ministry statement read.
BACKGROUND- The ministry launched the Nitaqat program in 2011 to raise the representation of Saudis within the Kingdom’s private sector, under the purview of the Saudization Agency at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD). Saudization has been gaining momentum across various sectors, as the gov’t hopes Saudization would boost local employment to 70% by 2030.
Rakhaa eyes EGX IPO: Pesticide and fertilizer importer Rakhaa, a subsidiary of Riyadh-based Alkhorayef Commercial Company, plans to offer a 30% stake on the Egyptian stock exchange (EGX) in 2H 2025, Alkhorayef’s Managing Director Abdullah Alkhorayef told Asharq Business.
The company has been active in Egypt for two decades and operates 24k feddans in EastOwainat under a long-term usufruct agreement, currently producing wheat, potatoes, and beets on 10k feddans.
Raya Holding eyes Gulf expansion with a focus on Saudi: Egyptian investment firm RayaHolding plans to launch a consumer finance company in the Kingdom through its Aman Holding arm, likely via acquisition rather than establishing a new entity, Financial Investments CFO Hossam Hussein told Al Arabiya. Raya — which already operates call centers in Saudi Arabia and Dubai — also set out a Gulf expansion strategy that involves launching new fintech companies and data centers, with a focus on Saudi Arabia, Hussein added.
Riyadh dismissed a report from the Wall Street Journal alleging ongoing discussions with the US and the UAE to support a ground operation by Houthi-opposition militias, Reuters reports, citing an unnamed Saudi official and the UAE’s Assistant Minister for Political Affairs Lana Nusseibeh.
REMEMBER- The former Biden administration lifted a three-year ban on the sale of offensive weapons to the Kingdom last year, saying that Riyadh upheld its end of an agreement with Washington on drawing back its conflict with the Houthis in Yemen. Saudi Arabia moved to de-escalate its role in Yemen through peace negotiations and a truce in 2022.
BACKGROUND- The US launched large-scale military strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, following an order from US President Donald Trump. The attacks come in retaliation for the Iran-backed militant group’s attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, Trump said last month.
DATA POINTS-
Saudi Arabia issued 3.3k tour guide licenses in 2024, recording a 168% y-o-y increase, the Ministry of Tourism said in a Facebook post. The city of Makkah took the lead with 986 licenses, followed by Riyadh (665), Madinah (477), Tabuk (337), the Eastern Region (319), and Aseer (252), state news agency SPA reports.
REFRESHER- Saudi Arabia welcomed 30 mn foreign tourists in 2024, up from 27.5 mn in 2023, according to figures published last January. While growth slowed compared to the 60% surge the year before, the Kingdom remains focused on reaching 70 mn annual visitors by 2030, targeting middle-class travelers from China and India.
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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-
Russia declared yesterday a unilateral ceasefire for “humanitarian reasons,” set to end at midnight following Easter Sunday (but Kyiv is not buying it). The short truce comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Donald both hinted that the US could abandon peacemaking efforts “within days” if no progress is made.
MEANWHILE- The US and Iran agreedto task a team of experts with drafting a framework for a potential nuclear agreement, set to begin work on Wednesday. The talked held yesterday focused on scaling back Iran’s uranium enrichment activities in return for a limited sanctions relief.
OVER IN THE BUSINESS WORLD- Tesla is reportedly delaying its planned launch of an affordable version of the Model Y SUV, ahead of announcing its earnings on Tuesday.

