Global Scans · Saudi Arabia · Weekly Summary

DRIVER: Saudi Arabia could see some tumultuous economic policy changes provoked by the lower oil price era and the emerging challenge from renewable energies. It also faces threats from Middle East turmoil.

• [New] Upon completion, Al Maktoum Airport is expected to be five times the size of DXB, with capacity for up to 260 million passengers annually. / Saudi Arabia Khaleej Times
• [New] By 2030 AI is expected to account for 12.4% of Saudi Arabia's GDP and 14% of the UAE's GDP. JD Supra
• [New] Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issued 138 new mining licenses in Nov (taking the total to 2719 as of Nov), reflecting its structural diversification strategy and building on a record increase in exploration activity during 2025. Nasser Saidi & Associates
• [New] The strategic core of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to achieve economic, social, and cultural diversification, involves massive, multi-billion-dollar infrastructure and technology investments. Blacklane
• [New] For intra-regional investment, Middle East CEOs see the strongest potential in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. PwC
• [New] The Arabian Peninsula is forecast to improve overall, with moderate surpluses potentially emerging in southwestern Saudi Arabia and Yemen by mid-2026, however, widespread exceptional deficits are forecast in Oman south of Muscat. ISCIENCES
• [New] Saudi Arabia is transferring some Vision 2030 project scopes to the private sector to avoid economic overheating and manage timelines. Economic Times
• [New] Saudi Arabia's JEC Tower is racing towards 100 floors, making it a step closer to achieving its projected 2028 completion date. New Atlas
• [New] Saudi Arabia represents the primary alternative supply source, maintaining maximum sustainable production capacity that could partially offset Iranian losses. Discovery Alert
• [New] In Saudi Arabia, where more than a quarter of adults are obese, especially women, the Ministry of Health and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority are making obesity prevention a priority under the National Health Transformation Program and Vision 2030. https://fastcompanyme.com
• [New] In 2026, work is expected to begin on the railway between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, which is supposed to start operating in 2028. INSS
• [New] Saudi Arabia's domestic house ownership rate has climbed to approximately 63.7%, moving towards a government objective of 70% by 2030. Luxuo
• [New] The establishment of a PGE smelter and BMR in Saudi Arabia would align with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiative to develop the Saudi mining and minerals industry to become the third pillar of Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product. MarketScreener
• [New] Dubai has announced plans for multi-gigawatt renewable additions by 2030, and Saudi Arabia recently unveiled major solar and hydrogen capacity goals under Vision 2030. tradearabia
• [New] Despite the global energy transition, the region - led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia - is expected to maintain leadership in hydrocarbon supply while rapidly scaling wind, solar, battery storage and digital transformation initiatives. tradearabia
• [New] Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a global hub for future mobility through its Vision 2030 initiative. Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence (KSI)
• [New] Saudi Arabia continues to project stable GDP growth of 4% although slightly increasing inflation levels are projected, from 2.2% in 2025 to 2.7% in 2026. WTW
• [New] Saudi Arabia is doubling down on height with a planned Trump Tower in Jeddah and the $5 billion Rise Tower in Riyadh, expected to be the first to reach 2 kilometers, or 6,562 feet in height. Newsweek
• [New] Intelligence indicated the Houthis even considered a ground operation - a wild card notion of sending fighters towards Israel's southern border, perhaps via a smuggling route or by infiltrating Jordan from Saudi Arabia. Israel Brief
• [New] Saudi Arabia now views regional fragmentation not as an abstract risk but as an unfolding reality with direct national security implications. The Soufan Center
• [New] Recent escalation between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in southern Yemen reflects a more profound rupture rooted in diverging threat perceptions, regional ambitions, and competing visions for the Red Sea and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The Soufan Center
• [New] Cybersecurity spending across the GCC is rising at double-digit rates, with board-level oversight now standard practice to ensure organizations remain secure in an era of escalating threats. / Saudi Arabia Sapience

Last updated: 26 January 2026