Saudi Arabia - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Saudi Arabia cover image

Saudi Arabia

June 21, 2026

Riyadh 4:28 am

30°C

French Trade & Invest Commissioner for United Arab Emirates and Middle East and Business France's regional director for the Middle East Axel Baroux. — Business France

Interview

Franco-Gulf investment holds firm despite Iran war, French official says

French investors are reallocating capital toward strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence and technology rather than pulling out of the region altogether.

Axel Baroux

France’s trade and investment commissioner for the UAE and Middle East

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Aramco's VC arm sees boom in emerging technologies, retail

Anas Alqahtani, CEO of Wa'ed Ventures, expects strong growth in Saudi Arabia’s emerging technology and retail sectors over the coming years.

Latest News

Who is Fahd Al-Dosari, Saudi Arabia’s new ambassador to Lebanon?

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji meets with Fahd bin Abdulrahman bin Hathloul Al-Dosari, the new Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, in Beirut on June 17, 2026.

Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air wins US flight approval: What to know

A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft of Saudi airline Riyadh Air is pictured on the tarmac at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on June 7, 2026.

Gulf cautiously welcomes US-Iran deal as Hezbollah congratulates Tehran

Veiled women in black Chadors wave Iran and Hezbollah flags during commemoration at the Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 22, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Saudi central bank

Analysis

Saudi Central Bank extends guaranteed financing program for small businesses

The program encourages Saudi banks to loan to small businesses by guaranteeing a portion of the funds, and was launched in response to the coronavirus-related economic downturn in Saudi Arabia.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

OPEC

UAE sticks to OPEC+ production limits

The Biden administration is asking Gulf partners to increase production in response to rising oil prices, but so far the cartel is holding to its earlier agreement.

United Arab Emirates

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Oil prices, Saudi Aramco shares soar as Ukraine fighting continues

Saudi Arabia, Russia and other major oil producers have so far declined to increase production despite pleas from the United States.

electric car

Electric SUV race coming to Saudi Arabia’s NEOM

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has prioritized investing in new types of sports as part of his Vision 2030 initiative.

Saudi tourism

Emirates airline to boost Saudi tourism

The Dubai-based carrier has signed an agreement with the Saudi Tourism Authority to bring international travelers to Saudi Arabia.

AFP via Getty Images

Gulf foreign ministers, GCC chief visit China for talks

GCC Secretary General Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf said the five days of meetings will "contribute to enhancing GCC-Chinese relations."

Volunteers check IDs in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Nov. 17, 2021. There are fears emergency measures are leading to the profiling of ethnic Tigrayans.

Ethiopia detaining Tigrayans deported from Saudi Arabia, rights group says

Human Rights Watch urged Ethiopia to release the arbitrarily detained Tigrayans and called on Saudi Arabia to stop its deportations.

ALEJANDRO PAGNI/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey's Erdogan says he'll visit Saudi Arabia in February

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's planned visit to Saudi Arabia comes as Ankara seeks to mend ties with several Gulf countries.

Airport workers inspect the damage at Sanaa International Airport on Dec. 21, 2021, following a reported airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition.

Yemen’s Houthis say Sanaa airport reopen to flights after bombing

The UN envoy for Yemen said the recent escalation was "among the worst" seen in the conflict in years.

Saudi-backed government troops repel a Huthi rebel offensive on oil-rich Marib, some 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa, on Feb. 14, 2021.

Saudi-led coalition renews airstrikes against Yemen's Houthis

Riyadh-led airstrikes came after Yemen's Houthis launched a projectile into the southern Saudi province of Jizan, killing two people late last week.

Justin Lane/Getty Images

Saudi diplomat says Iran 'playing games' in regional talks

Abdallah Al-Mouallimi's comments came as Jordanian state news outlets reported on a "security dialogue" between the two countries in Amman.

An employee at the Saudi Aramco oil facility walks near a damaged silo at the plant in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea city of Jeddah on Nov. 24, 2020.

Senate fails to block missile sale to Saudi Arabia

The Biden administration has said the AIM-120C missiles are to help Saudi Arabia defend itself against hostile drone attacks from Yemen.