Saudi-Egyptian alliance to execute real estate projects worth $1bn in the Kingdom 

A signing ceremony was held in Cairo. Shutterstock
Short Url
Updated 21 February 2024
Follow

Saudi-Egyptian alliance to execute real estate projects worth $1bn in the Kingdom 

RIYADH: Real estate projects worth $1 billion will be developed in Saudi Arabia after the Kingdom signed an agreement with the Egyptian government.    

The memorandum of understanding, inked between Cairo and the Saudi-Egyptian alliance, seeks to facilitate logistical supply and support for property-related projects in the Kingdom.  

This initiative will be executed by the alliance, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.   

At the signing ceremony in Cairo, the Arab Organization for Industrialization represented the Egyptian government, while the Saudi-Egyptian alliance was represented by the firms Alupco Olayan Group, Okta International, and City Edge Developments, respectively.   

This aligns with the collaborative efforts of the two countries to streamline the exchange of investment and trade opportunities between them, the SPA report added.   

Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Osama bin Ahmed Nugali conveyed the Kingdom’s warm welcome and robust support for initiatives aimed at strengthening the ongoing cooperation between the two countries.   

He emphasized the significance of expanding investment opportunities for Egyptian companies and promoting the exchange of experiences, fostering integration between both sides. This collaborative effort seeks to benefit both nations in the process.

AOI President Abdel Rahman Abdel Azim expressed his eagerness to enhance this cooperation through various investment projects. 

He highlighted that these initiatives will create significant job opportunities and attract investments.  

In November, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly received a Saudi delegation led by Commerce Minister Majid Al-Qasabi.  

The objective of the meeting at the time was to raise the levels of bilateral trade exchange in light of the economic reforms implemented by the two nations.  

This gathering also aligned with the broader plans to transform the region into a global logistics center.   

The forum at the time also intended to develop trade between the two countries and other nations within the African continent, fostering increased economic integration.   

During the meeting at the time, Al-Qasabi discussed opportunities in vital sectors considering the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, thereby encouraging the building of joint projects and removing obstacles that may impede progress.


No Saudi acquisition offers: FC Barcelona tells Al-Eqtisadiah

Updated 16 December 2025
Follow

No Saudi acquisition offers: FC Barcelona tells Al-Eqtisadiah

CAIRO: FC Barcelona has not received any offers, whether from Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, to acquire the club, according to an official source who spoke to Al-Eqtisadiah.

According to the source, the circulating news regarding the possibility of finalizing a deal to acquire the club in the coming period is a mere rumor.

Recent Spanish reports had indicated the possibility of a Saudi acquisition of Barcelona shares for around €10 billion ($11.7 billion), a move considered capable of saving the club from its financial crises if it were to happen, especially as it suffers from debts estimated at around €2.5 billion.

Sale not in management’s hands

Joan Gaspart, the former president of the club, confirmed that the current board of directors, chaired by Joan Laporta, does not have the right to dispose of the club’s ownership.

He added: “FC Barcelona is owned by about 150,000 members, and selling the club is something the owners will not accept. FC Barcelona possesses something no other club in the world has; money is very important, and so is passion, but the sentiment of the members today is to continue what the club has been for 125 years.”

High market value

Despite the financial crisis the club has been going through in recent years, FC Barcelona ranks sixth on the list of the world’s highest market value clubs, with an estimated value of €1.12 billion, according to Transfermarkt. Meanwhile, its rival Real Madrid tops the list with a market value of €1.38 billion.