Saudi Arabia, Singapore strengthen economic ties with 7 MoUs 

The joint committee was led by Saudi Transport and Logistic Services Minister Saleh Al-Jasser and Singaporean Manpower Minister Tan See Leng. SPA
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Updated 18 October 2023
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Saudi Arabia, Singapore strengthen economic ties with 7 MoUs 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Singapore have signed seven memorandums of understanding  to facilitate investment opportunities across various sectors, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The MoUs were inked during the third session of the Saudi-Singapore Joint Committee held in Riyadh on Tuesday. 

The joint committee was led by Saudi Transport and Logistic Services Minister Saleh Al-Jasser and Singaporean Manpower Minister Tan See Leng. 

Al-Jasser said that both countries have enjoyed strong ties for nearly six decades, and the joint committee will bolster it further. 

Highlighting strong cooperation across all fields, he said that the volume of trade exchange between the nations reached SR45.2 billion ($12.05 billion) in 2022, representing an increase of about 50 percent compared to 2021. 

The Saudi minister added that the Kingdom is keen to cooperate with Singapore across infrastructure, transport and logistics sectors. 

The other sectors under consideration were financial services, energy, digital economy and tourism. 

The joint committee meeting also highlighted the opportunities available to Singaporean companies in the Saudi market as the Kingdom steadily diversifies its economy away from oil, aligned with the goals outlined in Vision 2030. 

One of the noted deals inked during the event was between the Federation of Saudi Chambers and the Singapore Business Forum. 

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment also inked an MoU with its Singaporean counterpart to foster investment opportunities between the nations. 

Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization also partnered with its Singaporean counterpart, focusing on standardization and coordination. 

Among other MoUs, two were signed in the fields of ports, transportation and logistics services, while another one focused on investment in Riyadh’s industrial sector and promoting growth in the health and fitness sectors. 

Last month, a Saudi trade delegation led by Commerce Minister Majid Al-Qasabi conducted a three-day visit to Singapore to enhance trade exchange and economic partnership between the two countries. 

During the visit, the delegation participated in the Saudi-Singapore Business Forum, co-organized by the Federation of Saudi Chambers and the Singapore Business Federation. 


Saudi Arabia opens January ‘Sah’ sukuk sale with 4.73% return 

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Saudi Arabia opens January ‘Sah’ sukuk sale with 4.73% return 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has opened subscriptions for its January issuance of the government-backed “Sah” savings sukuk, offering an annual return of 4.73 percent, up from 4.68 percent in the previous month. 

In a post on X, the Kingdom’s National Debt Management Center said the subscription window opened at 10 a.m. Saudi time on Jan. 4 and will close at 3 p.m. on Jan. 6. 

The latest offering forms part of the NDMC-managed 2026 issuance calendar and reflects Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to promote financial inclusion and encourage personal savings. 

Launched under the Financial Sector Development Program, a key pillar of the Vision 2030 agenda, “Sah” aims to raise the national savings rate to 10 percent by 2030, up from about 6 percent currently. 

The NDMC said the minimum subscription amount for the January offering is SR1,000 ($266.56), while the maximum is capped at SR200,000 per investor. 

The sukuk carries a one-year maturity and offers fixed returns paid at redemption. 

Sukuk are Shariah-compliant financial instruments that grant investors partial ownership in an issuer’s underlying assets, serving as a popular alternative to conventional bonds. 

Subscriptions are available exclusively to Saudi nationals aged 18 and above through approved investment platforms, including SNB Capital, Aljazira Capital and Alinma Investment, as well as SAB Invest and Al-Rajhi Capital. 

Unlike conventional bonds, the sukuk’s returns are structured to comply with Shariah principles. Designed as a secure, low-risk savings instrument, it carries no fees and offers easy redemption, with returns aligned to prevailing market benchmarks. 

Earlier this month, the NDMC announced the successful arrangement of a seven-year syndicated loan amounting to $13 billion, aimed at supporting power, water and public utilities projects. 

Last month, the center revealed it raised SR7.01 billion through its December sukuk issuance. 

The December issuance was divided into five tranches. The first, valued at SR1.23 billion, is set to mature in 2027. The second tranche amounted to SR335 million and will mature in 2029. 

The third tranche was valued at SR1.18 billion and will mature in 2032, while the fourth tranche, worth SR1.69 billion, is set to expire in 2036. 

The fifth tranche was valued at SR2.57 billion and will mature in 2039.