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Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has said US President Donald Trump’s recent visit to the Gulf represents a strategic opportunity for the region. He stressed on Tuesday that the relationship between Doha and Washington remains both “fundamental and strong.” “The gift of a plane to President Trump reflects the depth of our bilateral ties,” he added. His comments were made during the opening session of the fourth edition of the Qatar Economic Forum, held in collaboration with Bloomberg. The high-profile event, which runs from May 20 to 22, brought together world…

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has said US President Donald Trump’s recent visit to the Gulf represents a strategic opportunity for the region. He stressed on Tuesday that the relationship between Doha and Washington remains both “fundamental and strong.” “The gift of a plane to President Trump reflects the depth of our bilateral ties,” he added. His comments were made during the opening session of the fourth edition of the Qatar Economic Forum, held in collaboration with Bloomberg. The high-profile event, which runs from May 20 to 22, brought together world…

Diversifying non-oil revenue Prohibitive 1995 law abolished Cabinet approval now needed Kuwait’s strategy to diversify its non-oil revenue by hiking government services fees is reportedly forecast to generate nearly KD500 million ($1.6 billion) a year for the Gulf state. Government offices have a tendency to “re-price” services they offer to the public, following an Emiri decree in early 2025 allowing them to revise such fees, local Kuwait media reported on Wednesday. The Finance Ministry has prepared estimates on the revenues expected to be generated from the planned increase in public services fees. “The estimates expect the new services fees to…

In a rapidly changing retail environment, building strong relationships with customers, and improving customer loyalty, is more important than ever. To explore what’s next, Loyalinks hosted its third event titled “Loyalty & Retail Evolution 2025: Creating Customer Love in Retail” at White Spaces – Randa Tower in Jeddah. The event gathered experts and professionals from across the retail sector to discuss new strategies, tools, and ideas shaping the future of customer loyalty. Organized by Resal, the event is part of a broader initiative to create open conversations among loyalty specialists and retail decision-makers. The gathering made it clear that customer loyalty is no longer just about rewards, it’s…

President Trump’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE highlighted an important point: the US remains the indispensable external power in the Gulf.   That does not mean it is the easiest to work with, or necessarily the most satisfying relationship. But the US offers support to Gulf countries across a deeper and broader set of political, economic, technological and security considerations than any other country, China included.   Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Saudi Arabia in December 2022 to great fanfare. A lot of the commentary around the visit focused on the differences between his reception and President Biden’s…

The Saudi Shura Council has called on the Public Transport Authority to coordinate with relevant agencies to study the establishment of metro systems in the Kingdom’s major cities and urban centers. The recommendation came during the Council’s regular session, held on Tuesday and chaired by Deputy Speaker Dr. Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Sulami. In a formal resolution, the Council urged the Public Transport Authority to expand and diversify the number of logistics training programs offered by the Saudi Logistics Academy to better meet sector needs. It also called for the Authority, in coordination with concerned entities, to review and improve the…

Britain’s annual inflation rate surged more than expected in April as energy and water bills rose sharply, official data showed on Wednesday. The Consumer Prices Index soared to 3.5 percent last month, up from 2.6 percent in March, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. Analysts’ consensus forecast had been for a jump to 3.3 percent, AFP reported. At 3.5 percent, the headline rate was the highest since the beginning of 2024, the ONS noted. “I am disappointed with these figures because I know cost of living pressures are still weighing down on working people,” finance minister Rachel…

AWJ Investment, a subsidiary of AWJ Holding, announced the acquisition of a 40% stake in Oud Real Estate. This strategic partnership is set to drive the development of branded residential, commercial, and hospitality projects, with projected investments exceeding SR8 billion over the next five years.This collaboration combines AWJ’s financial expertise with Oud’s innovative approach to creating lifestyle destinations that celebrate Saudi heritage. Since its establishment in 2016, Oud Real Estate has earned acclaim for its culturally infused, design-forward developments that reflect the evolving urban landscape of Saudi Arabia.Abdulaziz Al-Mousa, CEO of AWJ Holding, remarked on the significance of this partnership…

The European Union (EU) has got clearance to disburse €4 billion ($4.2 billion) in financial aid to Egypt to support its economic growth. “The representatives from parliament and the Polish presidency of the council have secured a provisional agreement on providing Egypt with macro-financial assistance,” the EU said in a statement. Egypt will have 35 years to repay the loans. A short-term loan of up to €1 billion was disbursed at the end of 2024. The release of the funds will be subject to Egypt’s implementation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and other policy measures to be agreed…

QIA pledges $500bn over decade Stakes in 90 US companies Fund to buy ‘more than double’ Qatar’s $526 billion sovereign wealth fund intends to more than double the value of its investments in the US, CEO Mohammed Al-Sowaidi said this week. At a conference in the Qatari capital, Doha, Al Sowaidi said the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) will be “probably buying more than double what we’ve been doing for the past five to six years,” Bloomberg and Reuters reported. The investments are expected to happen over several years. Al-Sowaidi was speaking the week after President Donald Trump concluded a four-day…