Photo: iStock
Eurasia
17/01/2024 14:00
In November 2022, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, announced the launch of Ceer. The company will design, manufacture, and sell a range of electric cars including Aedans and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV’s) for the Gulf region.
Ceer is expected to attract direct foreign investments worth SAR 562 million (about $150 million) to support the national economy, while its direct contribution to the gross domestic product will amount to SAR 30 billion ($8 billion). The company will also provide 30,000 jobs by 2034.
In September 2023, Lucid, the electric car manufacturing company, inaugurated its first and advanced international factory, “AMP-2”, in King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh Governorate (western Saudi Arabia).
The factory will begin producing approximately 5,000 vehicles to gradually reach around 150,000. It is expected to play a fundamental role in accelerating the achievement of the strategic goal of diversifying the Kingdom’s economy.
In October, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the Saudi Electricity Company announced the launch of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Company (EVIQ).
CEO of EVIQ Mohammed Qazzaz told Asharq Al-Awsat that the company was working to build a wide national network of fast charging stations around the Kingdom, with the goal of reaching more than 5,000 chargers across more than 1,000 stations by 2030.
Qazzaz stated that the role of EVIQ was to empower the sector by starting the process of developing infrastructure and accelerating the pace of demand for electric cars.
He added that the company was established with the aim of supporting and accelerating the growth of the electric vehicle sector by working on developing the infrastructure and establishing a wide network of fast chargers throughout Saudi Arabia.
Automobile expert Majid Al-Sheikhi confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the government was working to prepare the infrastructure to increase the number of electric vehicles on Saudi roads in line with the Kingdom’s goals to reduce carbon emissions.
He added that EVIQ’s goals focused on increasing sales of electric vehicles and contributing to developing and enabling the necessary infrastructure.
China's Ministry of Commerce said Friday that dialogue and cooperation are the right path forward, in response to the U.S. lifting of a series of economic and trade restrictions on China, according to Xinhua.
Mongolia has reached a critical juncture and is undergoing a process of foreign policy modernization. The burgeoning relations between Ulaanbaatar and Central Asian states signifies a strategic initiative aimed at balancing its partnerships with Russia and China. Since 2020, Mongolia has augmented its diplomatic activities with Central Asian countries, as evidenced by the Mongolian President's visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in 2024. Notwithstanding the prevailing positive development dynamics, economic relations between Mongolia and Central Asia remain modest but growing, particularly in trade with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, where exports have increased significantly.
Sri Lanka is the only country in the Asia region currently engaged in discussions with US officials to renegotiate tariffs imposed under US President Donald Trump’s administration, according to deputy economic minister.