HOUSTON: Saudi Arabia will remain the “most important oil exporting country for many years to come,” but its strategy and that of the rest of the OPEC countries will have to be reconsidered in light of the revolution in the energy world as a result of the boom in US shale production.
That was the message from Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) at the CERAWeek by IHS Markit meeting in Houston, Texas.
Birol, who unveiled the IEA’s global oil report at the event, said Saudi Arabia and other “established producers” had limited scope to affect global energy trends over the next five years, and would have to rethink their strategy to take account of the new energy environment.
“In the shale-revolution world, no country is an island. The established producers’ strategy in terms of cuts and limits will have to be reconsidered in light of the huge growth in shale,” he said.
Birol was asked if Saudi Arabia should try to coordinate strategy with shale producers in light of the US boom, with speculation in Houston that OPEC producers were in talks with their American rivals.
“Saudi Arabia will remain the largest and most important exporter, but is not the biggest producer, and there is an important difference. The market has its own dynamics and companies always will look to increase their financial returns. From that angle, the shale producers will continue to grow regardless of any agreement Saudi Arabia might reach with shale producers. That cannot ignore the growth coming from shale,” he said.
The IEA oil report forecast growing demand for crude over the next five years, but also predicted that US shale was on the brink of a “major second wave” that would see American producers supplying more than half of the increased global demand expected to come mainly from China and India. “America will put the stamp on global oil market developments over the next five years,” he said.
The IEA said that its bullish forecasts for shale output were conservative. “We will revise upward if the oil price goes much above $60,” Birol said.
However, Neil Atkinson, head of the IHS oil market team, said it was unlikely prices would head upward significantly in the near future. “It’s difficult to see how prices can move upward much, apart from geopolitical reasons,” he said.
Saudi Arabia will remain top oil exporter, but ‘cannot ignore’ shale revolution, says IEA
Saudi Arabia will remain top oil exporter, but ‘cannot ignore’ shale revolution, says IEA
Saudi Arabia ranks 2nd globally in digital government, World Bank 2025 index shows
WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia has achieved a historic milestone by securing second place worldwide in the 2025 GovTech Maturity Index released by the World Bank.
The announcement was made on Thursday during a press conference in Washington, DC, which evaluated 197 countries.
The Kingdom excelled across all sub-indicators, earning a 99.64 percent overall score and placing it in the “Very Advanced” category.
It achieved a score of 99.92 percent in the Core Government Systems Index, 99.90 percent in the Public Service Delivery Index, 99.30 percent in the Digital Citizen Engagement Index, and 99.50 percent in the Government Digital Transformation Enablers Index, reflecting some of the highest global scores.
This includes outstanding performance in digital infrastructure, core government systems, digital service delivery, and citizen engagement, among the highest globally.
Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Suwaiyan, governor of the Digital Government Authority, attributed this achievement to the unwavering support of the Saudi leadership, strong intergovernmental collaboration, and effective public-private partnerships.
He highlighted national efforts over recent years to re-engineer government services and build an advanced digital infrastructure, which enabled Saudi Arabia to reach this global standing.
Al-Suwaiyan emphasized that the Digital Government Authority continues to drive innovation and enhance the quality of digital services, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, supporting the national economy and consolidating the Kingdom’s transformation goals.
The 2025 GTMI data reflects Saudi Arabia’s excellence across key areas, including near-perfect scores in core government systems, public service delivery, digital citizen engagement, and government digital transformation enablers. This balanced performance places the Kingdom firmly in the “Grade A” classification for very advanced countries, demonstrating the maturity of its digital government ecosystem.
Saudi Arabia’s progress in the index has been remarkable: from 49th place in the 2020 edition, to third in 2022, and now second in 2025, confirming its status as a global leader in digital transformation and innovation.
The achievement also reflects the Kingdom’s focus on putting people at the center of digital transformation, enhancing user experience, improving government efficiency, and integrating artificial intelligence and emerging technologies across public services.
