Renewable Energy Turkey aims to invest $100bn in renewable energy by 2035 Turkey is committing to a $100 billion investment in renewable energy by 2035, in a bid to become a carbon-neutral economy within the next three decades, energy minister Alparslan Bayraktar said. The country has a roadmap to expand wind and solar energy capacity from 31,000 megawatts (MW) to 120,000MW by 2035, Hürriyet Daily newspaper reported, citing […] December 2, 2024
Agriculture UAE’s ADQ to explore building land-based fish farm ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, has signed an agreement with a Finnish aquaculture technology company to explore the feasibility of developing a land-based fish farming facility. Finnforel will collaborate with ADQ on the fish farm that could have a capacity of producing three thousand tonnes per year. The farm will cultivate rainbow trout, […] December 2, 2024
Telecoms STC allowed to raise holding in Spain’s Telefonica Saudi Arabia’s STC Group has received the green light from the Spanish government to increase its stake in telecoms group Telefonica. The approval allows the Saudi telecom to raise its holding from 4.97 percent to 9.97 percent and appoint a board member, the company said in a statement to the Saudi bourse on Thursday. The […] November 29, 2024
Renewable Energy Masdar takes majority stake in Greek clean energy player Abu Dhabi’s Masdar has acquired a majority stake in Greek clean energy company Terna Energy to propel its European expansion. The UAE renewables major purchased a 70 percent stake in the Greek company from Gek Terna and other shareholders at €20 per share, valuing Terna Energy at €3.2 billion ($3.4 billion). Following the transaction’s closing, Masdar will […] November 29, 2024
Manufacturing PIF-backed Aston Martin to raise $266m, warns on profits Aston Martin, the British luxury carmaker part-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is looking to raise £211 million ($266 million) by issuing new shares and taking on more debt. At the same time it warned that annual profits could be down as much as 11 percent because of delays in delivering cars. The company […] November 29, 2024
Energy Turkey asks US to allow payments to sanctioned Russian bank Turkey is seeking an exemption to new sanctions imposed against Moscow by the Biden administration that would mean payments for imports of Russian natural gas are blocked, potentially cutting energy supplies and undermining the Turkish economy. Washington announced sanctions against Gazprombank, which is part-owned by Russian state gas producer Gazprom, on November 21 this year. […] November 27, 2024
Renewable Energy Adnoc’s Abu Dhabi CO2 storage site gets go-ahead The UAE has certified the feasibility of Abu Dhabi National Oil Corporation’s (Adnoc) West Aquifier CO2 storage site in Ruwais industrial site. The issuance of the Certificate of Feasibility for the West Aquifer project was issued by Det Norske Veritas (DNV), a global accredited registrar and classification organisation. The DNV said it is the first […] November 27, 2024
Opinion Aviation BA drops Kuwait after 60 years… but why? A simple hard-headed business decision is the most likely explanation November 27, 2024
Economy Morocco gets $200m loan from EU for quake recovery The European Union (EU) will provide a €190 million ($200 million) loan for reconstructing and rehabilitating earthquake-hit areas in Morocco. The funding will prioritise rebuilding homes, restoring essential public services such as healthcare and education, and reviving local economies, Morocco World News reported. The earthquake, which struck in September 2023, was the strongest in Morocco’s […] November 26, 2024
Opinion Sustainability Baku’s Cop29 makes the best of a bad hand The 'finance Cop' has delivered the biggest ever financial commitment of any UN climate summit November 25, 2024
Banking & Finance HSBC appoints former Turkey chief as Middle East CEO British banking giant HSBC has appointed a new head of its Middle East operations following an internal restructuring. The company has appointed Selim Kervanci, the current CEO of HSBC Turkey, as CEO of the Middle East region. His appointment is subject to regulatory approval. Kervanci, who joined HSBC in Istanbul in 1996, replaces Stephen Moss […] November 25, 2024
Banking & Finance UK regulator fines Barclays $51m over Qatar deals Britain’s financial regulator has fined Barclays Bank £40 million ($50.9 million) in total for its failure to disclose certain arrangements with Qatari entities in 2008. The fine by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) dates back to the height of the 2008-2009 financial crisis, when Barclays scrambled to raise funds from overseas investors including Qatar in […] November 25, 2024
Manufacturing Turkey’s Beko to cut jobs in Italy over underperformance Beko, a Turkish white goods and electronic brand owned by manufacturer Arcelik, is to reduce its workforce in Italy by nearly half amid mounting industry challenges and financial underperformance. The company will lay off 1,935 of 4,440 employees, Reuters reported, citing a statement issued by Italy’s industry ministry, the FIM, FIOM, UILM and UGLM trade […] November 22, 2024
Aviation British Airways reverses decision to scrap Bahrain flights British Airways has reversed its decision to scrap flights to Bahrain but is still reviewing plans to end direct flights to Kuwait. The UK’s flag carrier announced two weeks ago that it would end its direct flights to Bahrain and Kuwait in the first quarter next year due to delays to the delivery of Rolls […] November 21, 2024
EDITOR'S INSIGHT Oil & Gas Nobody likes methane seepage. Especially Europe Liquefied natural gas has always had a heroic reputation in the energy world. Heroic engineering, heroic logistics and heroic expense, yes – but a heroic outcome: clean (or not-so-dirty) energy and a seat with the good guys at the high table of energy transition. Qatar of course, Egypt, Oman, Israel and the UAE – these are the lucky producers and […] November 21, 2024
Tourism Abu Dhabi’s Adtic invests with Accor in Egyptian hotel The Abu Dhabi Tourism Investment Company (Adtic) has signed an agreement with the French hospitality company Accor to open a Sofitel hotel near the Giza Necropolis outside Cairo. Adtic, which is 84 percent owned by the Abu Dhabi Development Fund and 10 percent by the Abu Dhabi National Hotels Company, has allocated $100 million for […] November 21, 2024
Economy UK PM Starmer to visit Saudi Arabia and UAE UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is to visit Saudi Arabia and the UAE next month, according to media reports. The trip in December will seek to secure new investment for the UK and strengthen its diplomatic relations in the region, the Financial Times reports, citing people familiar with his plans. It said Saudi Crown […] November 20, 2024
Agriculture Saffron adds spice to Turkey’s agriculture offering Turkey is hoping an age-old product, saffron spice, will boost the value of its agriculture sector. A new project aims to double the area of saffron under cultivation to meet domestic demand and form the basis for exports in the rare and valuable spice. Saffon-A Tarim AŞ, a private sector company, has begun harvesting 100 […] November 20, 2024
Opinion Development Trump must focus on rebuilding a war-torn Middle East It is imperative that the US addresses reconstruction in the region November 20, 2024
Aviation Bahrain seeks reversal of BA route cut Talks are underway between Bahrain and UK officials in a bid to reverse a decision by British Airways to cease flights to the Gulf state. The UK’s flag carrier announced earlier this month that it would be stopping direct flights to Bahrain and Kuwait as a result of supply chain pressures, which it is said […] November 15, 2024
Analysis Construction Leaders of The Line share vision of a brave new world Its managers and designers say it is the human society of the future, but others might see in it a dystopian vision of life shielded in a glass box from an uninhabitable world. Leading figures behind the Neom city The Line – the boldest of Saudi Arabia’s $1.25 trillion giga-projects – made a coordinated pitch […] November 15, 2024
Banking & Finance Development bank targets female employment in Turkey Turkish women are to be one of the main beneficiaries of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) latest investment strategy, through a series of initiatives to fund training, skills growth and business development in the country. In its 2024-29 strategy, released on November 12, the European lender identified four key areas that it […] November 14, 2024