SR12 billion program launched to support Saudi economy

A man in a car withdraws money from an ATM outside the Saudi National Commercial Bank (NCB), after an outbreak of coronavirus, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 18, 2020. (REUTERS)
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Updated 22 March 2020
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SR12 billion program launched to support Saudi economy

  • The bank has extended the deadline for all projects that were financed in 2019 and 2020 by six months

RIYADH: The Saudi Social Development Bank, with the support of the National Development Fund, has launched a program to support owners of small and emerging enterprises in promising and priority sectors, as well as low-income families, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It is doing so by allocating an additional budget of SR12 billion ($3.19 billion) to help mitigate the expected financial and economic impacts of the fight against coronavirus.
The program includes five tracks. In the first, SR4 billion was added to the budget allocated to support low-income families in 2020.
In the second track, SR2 billion was added to the budget allocated to support micro and small enterprises, in which 6,000 entrepreneurs will be funded and enabled to launch their development projects.
In the third, SR2 billion was allocated to support 1,000 small and medium health facilities. In the fourth track, SR2 billion was provided to help finance 50,000 small local facilities throughout the Kingdom.
The bank has also extended the deadline for all projects that were financed in 2019 and 2020 by six months, as it believes in the important role of entrepreneurs who have not been able to launch their projects yet, and thus has allocated SR2 billion for all deferred payments.  

 


Rare exhibits on display at King Abdulaziz Palace

Updated 30 January 2026
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Rare exhibits on display at King Abdulaziz Palace

  • The piece reflects the precision of traditional craftsmanship and its social symbolism tied to strength and horsemanship

RIYADH: Exhibits on display at the King Abdulaziz Palace in the historic village of Laynah highlight rich aspects of human history and environmental change in the Arabian Peninsula as part of a series of palace activation events organized by the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority during the Darb Zubaida Winter Season.

The exhibits feature rare historical artifacts carrying cultural and scientific significance that document different lifestyles and environmental shifts in the region over the centuries.

Among the most notable pieces is a traditional rifle crafted from natural wood and fitted with a handwoven leather strap, historically used for hunting and protection.

The piece reflects the precision of traditional craftsmanship and its social symbolism tied to strength and horsemanship.

The authority stated that the palace welcomes visitors daily until Feb. 15, from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., as part of unified tourism programs aimed at organizing visitor flow and providing opportunities to explore historical sites in a safe and engaging environment.