Saudi-US Relations Information Service

< SUSRIS Interview >
< Dr. Rachel Bronson - Senior Fellow and Director for Middle East Studies, Council on Foreign Relations - Author: "Thicker than Oil" (April 2006) >
< Talks about her recent visit to the Kingdom and the Jeddah Economic Forum >


Keeping Track - Recently on SUSRIS


Rollover image for info		Rollover image for info

	Rollover image for info		Rollover image for info

Saudi Students: In Their Own Words
What's it like to be a Saudi student on a U.S. campus in a post-9/11 world?

"..After 9/11, and the discovery that 15 of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, the flow of students from the desert kingdom to the United States largely dried up. Now the U.S. and Saudi governments are cooperating on a program to encourage more Saudi students to come to the U.S. for college. TIME's Jeff Chu went to Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, where the Saudi contingent now numbers more than 30. Here are some of their thoughts about life on a U.S. campus, and Americans' view of their homeland.." [Time.com]

"..A number of Middle Eastern central banks said on Tuesday they would seek to switch reserves from the US greenback to euros. The United Arab Emirates said it was considering moving one-tenth of its dollar reserves to the euro, while the governor of the Saudi Arabian central bank condemned the decision by the United States to force Dubai Ports World to transfer its ownership to a ‘US entity,’ the UK Independent reported. “Is it protectionism or discrimination? Is it okay for US companies to buy everywhere but it is not okay for other companies to buy the US?” said Hamad Saud Al Sayyari, the governor of the Saudi Arabian monetary authority.." [Khaleej Times]

"For over two years, as the Saudi stock market continually broke all records way beyond any market fundamentals, the fear of a correction has haunted everyone. So, although it should not have been a surprise when it came on Feb. 26, no one is sure what lit the match and why there is so much fluctuation. Some think it was the Saudi Capital Market Authority's (CMA's) decision to cut the maximum daily fluctuation limit from 10 percent to 5 percent the day before; others have more sinister explanations.." [Arab News]

Slain al-Qaida Leader Vowed to Overthrow Saudi Royal Family [Mar 18]
"The leader of al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia, who was killed in a raid last month, vowed in his final testament that his group will overthrow the royal family and threatened more attacks against the kingdom and Americans in the region.. ..Addressing the Saudi royal family, al-Juwair said, "If you know what the youth are preparing for you, you will be busy to escape this peninsula," he said in the video, sent in an e-mail to The Associated Press.." [more]

Saudi Women in Rome Talks [Mar 18]
"The first forum of Saudi and Italian businesswomen held in Rome had about 40 Saudi businesswomen academics participating. The forum was instrumental in changing the stereotype about Saudi women and promoting Saudi-Italian relations. It was held under the patronage of Princess Fadwa bint Khaled ibn Abdullah, honorary president of the Arab-Italian Women's Association (AIWA).." [more]

Saudi Prince's Gift to US Centers Draws Mixed Reaction [Mar 18]
"Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, one of the world's richest men, has embarked on a marketing campaign to promote his combined $40m donation to bolster the Islamic studies programmes at Harvard University and Georgetown University.. ..The adverts coincide with a rise in anti-Islamic sentiment in the US. A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll found that more than half of Americans believed there were more violent extremists within Islam than in any other religion and that the faith encouraged violence against non-Muslims.." [more]

Move to Open Stock Market to Expats Gets Positive Response [Mar 17]
"The possibility of Saudi Arabia allowing expatriates to invest in the Kingdom’s fledgling stock market was met with an overwhelmingly positive response among both Saudis and expatriates. But there were others who advised caution and a few who expressed skepticism regarding the timing of the move. Previously, non-Saudis were restricted to dealing in investment funds.." [more]

State Department Report on Saudi Arabia Criticized by Bipartisan Religious Liberty Panel [Mar 16]
"A bipartisan federal panel on religious liberty overseas has criticized a recent State Department report on Saudi Arabia, expressing concern it is an exoneration of that Islamic-dominated country’s human rights abuses.. ..The USCIRF’s criticism is the latest in a series of disagreements between the panel and the State Department over Saudi Arabia. The USCIF, which was established by Congress in 1998, repeatedly urged the State Department to designate Saudi Arabia as one of its “countries of particular concern” before its advice was finally followed in 2004.." [more]

Tense Debates in Saudi as Islamists Fear Reforms [Mar 16]
"When Saudi intellectuals got together this month to discuss reforming the education system, they needed armed security officers to protect them.. ..The Islamists were on the lookout for liberals who they fear are advancing in a plan to compromise the integrity of what they consider to be Saudi Arabia's Islamic Utopia -- a country which lives by uncompromising rules of public morality. Mobilising their troops through the Internet to attend Ghodami's speech, they had promised to 'teach him a lesson'.." [more]

Following King Instructions Saudi Stock Market Recovers [Mar 15]
"Saudi Arabia may soon allow foreigners to invest directly in the kingdom’s stock market as King Abdullah Wednesday instructed authorities to study measures for its implementation.. ..King Abdullah advised Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf to study the possibility of cutting the nominal value of shares to boost the market and create further liquidity.." [more]

Billionaire Boosts Saudi Stocks [Mar 15]
"Saudi stocks have rebounded after Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal announced he would invest significantly in the Saudi bourse. Kingdom Holding, the Prince's business, could invest up to 10bn Riyals ($2.7bn)(£1.54bn) in the near future.." [more]

Honeywell Signs USD12 Million Agreement with Saudi Petrochemical Company [Mar 14]
"Honeywell (NYSE: HON) signed a $12 million agreement with Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), a leading petrochemical company, to provide advanced process control and implementation services to SABIC sites throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.. ..SABIC is the largest publicly traded company in the Middle East, and the seventh largest petrochemical company in the world (in annual revenues).." [more]

Saudi Finance Ministry Called on to Avoid Market Crash [Mar 14]
"Saudi Shoura Council members Monday demanded that the Kingdom's Finance Ministry and governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) take immediate steps to prevent a stock market crash as stocks plunged to new lows, sending shockwaves among investors.. ..said Muhammad Al Qunaibet, a Shoura member and deputy chairman of the Committee for Economic and Energy Affairs.. ..'What is happening now at the stock market is not a correction but a crash'.." [more]

Saudi Delegation Heads for Brazil to Attend Biodiversity Conference [Mar 14]
"A 15-member delegation headed by Prince Turki ibn Nasser, chairman of the Presidency of Meteorological and Environmental Protection, left for Brazil to attend the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Curitiba.. ..Signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the Convention on Biological Diversity is dedicated to promoting sustainable development.." [more]

Saudi King Voices Confidence in Firms [Mar 14]
"Saudi Arabia's Supreme Economic Council, headed by King Abdullah, has voiced confidence in the economy and local companies after discussing a bourse plunge.. ..Some Saudi analysts and members of the Shura Council have urged officials to publicly voice support for the bourse, which has been hit by a two-week correction after record gains in recent years.." [more]

BMG to Launch Saudi Index [Mar 14]
"BMG Financial Advisors (BMG) has announced the creation of BMG Saudi Index, which will be officially launched in Riyadh on April 1. The main features of the index include investability, total return index and liquidity. BMG has decided to invest time and money to develop such an index to benefit Saudi investors by adopting a consistent, globally accepted methodology to calculate such an index.." [more]

Saudi Arabia's WTO Accession Is Due to Its Economic Policy [Mar 14]
"Saudi Arabia's recent accession to the World Trade Organization is due to the economic policy that it has all along pursued.. ..'The Kingdom's economic strategy has directed it to its accession to the WTO. It is its economic policy that has made it a leading country in the Middle East and paved the way for Saudi businessmen to invest in overseas locations aside from within the Kingdom,' Deputy Minister of Transport Mufreh Al-Zahrani said at the launch of Chinese luxury coaches at Jeddah Hilton.." [more]

SAMA Chief: Robust Growth Justifies Global Tightening [Mar 14]
"The global economy is roaring this year at a pace close to last year s, and accelerating growth justifies tightening monetary policies worldwide, Saudi Arabia s central bank governor said on Sunday.. ..Predictions are being adjusted upwards for global economic growth. That is encouraging for the global economy, Hamad Saud Al-Sayyari, governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, told Reuters.." [more]

War on Dengue Fever Declared [Mar 14]
"The Council of Ministers yesterday adopted a series of measures to contain dengue fever in Jeddah where nearly 400 people, including a number of expatriates, have been affected by the ailment. It allocated more than SR1.42 billion for projects aimed at combating the mosquito-borne disease.. ..Statistics published by the Health Ministry said at least 402 people in Jeddah, mostly in the southern part of the city, have been affected by dengue fever.." [more]

Aspiring Special-Ed Teachers Offered US Scholarships [Mar 14]
"With the new drive to integrate mentally disabled people into regular schools and jobs in the Kingdom, the Ministry of Higher Education is accepting applications for scholarships for aspiring special-education teachers.. ..Turki Al-Ali, a representative from the foundation, told Arab News yesterday that full-time students planning to begin their college studies in the fall semester are eligible for the scholarships.." [more]

Saudi Students: In Their Own Words [Mar 13]
"After 9/11, and the discovery that 15 of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, the flow of students from the desert kingdom to the United States largely dried up. Now the U.S. and Saudi governments are cooperating on a program to encourage more Saudi students to come to the U.S. for college. TIME's Jeff Chu went to Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, where the Saudi contingent now numbers more than 30. Here are some of their thoughts about life on a U.S. campus, and Americans' view of their homeland.." [more]

Saudi Detains Islamist After Internet Article [Mar 13]
"Saudi Arabia has detained a prominent Saudi preacher who wrote an Internet article criticising the ruling family's advisers, colleagues said on Monday. They said Mohsen al-Awajy has been in police custody since Friday after writing an article which suggested that a liberal clique of ministers and officials were the real power behind the scenes with a direct line to King Abdullah.." [more]

What We Know and Don't Know About the Saudi Stock Market [Mar 13]
"For over two years, as the Saudi stock market continually broke all records way beyond any market fundamentals, the fear of a correction has haunted everyone. So, although it should not have been a surprise when it came on Feb. 26, no one is sure what lit the match and why there is so much fluctuation. Some think it was the Saudi Capital Market Authority's (CMA's) decision to cut the maximum daily fluctuation limit from 10 percent to 5 percent the day before; others have more sinister
explanations.." [more]

Ports Row Disappoints Investors, says Saudi Official [Mar 13]
"The Dubai Ports furore is disappointing investors in the Middle East but it is unlikely to adversely affect their investment decisions, Saudi Arabia's central bank governor said.. ..'I don't think it's helpful. Many people are disappointed that it is being politicised,' Hamad Saud Al Sayyari, governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, said.." [more]

Rise in Demand for Gold in Saudi Arabia More than Double Worldwide Levels [Mar 13]
"While demand for gold in 2005 rose worldwide by some five percent, in Saudi Arabia demand increased by 12 percent, and 13 percent in terms of retail investment along with gold jewelry. Saudi Arabia's strong economy, according to the annual report of the Dubai-based World Gold Council (WGC), was the main factor behind the discrepancy.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, Ukraine to Set Up $1bn Investment Firm [Mar 13]
"Saudi-Ukrainian relations are on course for a big leap with the decision of the two governments to establish a $1 billion joint investment company to set up joint ventures in the Kingdom and promote exports in third countries.. ..They signed two protocols for investment protection and investment promotion between the two countries. It was also decided to set up a joint shipping company as part of the move to beef up the bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2007.." [more]

Maaden to Go Public Next Year: Naimi [Mar 13]
"Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Al-Naimi said here yesterday that Maaden — one of the four companies in the oil, petroleum, energy, and mineral sector that is supervised by his ministry — will offer shares for sale to the public next year. The minister made the announcement at the first “Saudi Oil and Power 2006” exhibition in Riyadh.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: Stock Market Crash on Consultative Council's Agenda [Mar 13]
"Saudi government officials sought to reassure anxious investors after the stock market continued to lose value for the third week. Members of Majlis al Shura (consultative council) requested a meeting with Ibrahim al Assaf, Minister of Finance and the National Economy as well as Jamaaz al Suhaimi, the President of the capitals market board, to discuss the stock market crash. The Tadawul All-Shares Index started its nosedive last month and ended the week on Thursday at 17,924 points, down
from a peak of around 20,700 points in February.." [more]

SR50m Sought to Fight Dengue [Mar 13]
"THE ministerial committee formed by King Abdullah to work out a plan to combat dengue fever in Jeddah has recommended an allocation of SR50 million for fighting the viral disease.. ..The committee chaired by Prince Meshal Bin Majed, Governor of Jeddah, also recommended a two-year program to eliminate the major causes of the disease like stagnant swamps, overflowing septic tanks and the rising watertable level in some areas of the city.." [more]

Tough Laws Against Domestic Abuse Sought [Mar 13]
"The recent media explosion about domestic and child abuse has led many to begin calling for a consistent approach by Saudi law to those who commit these horrendous crimes. Speaking to Al-Hayat Arabic daily, Dr. Omar Al-Khuli, a Saudi lawyer said that the Kingdom s legal system does not have any specific laws protecting women and children who are victims of domestic abuse. He explained that the outcome of each case depends on the judge s personal opinion of the harm caused.." [more]

Saudi Stocks Drop 4.7% [Mar 12]
"The Saudi main stock index plunged by 4.7% on Sunday, leaving the market 24% off its February peak. But shares in Doha bounced upwards 3.6% while Dubai was up 0.5% and Abu Dhabi shed 0.3%. Shares on the Kuwait Stock Exchange closed down 0.6% as the GCC stock correction continued.." [more]

Saudi FM Meets Senior CPC Official Wang Jiarui [Mar 12]
"Saudi Arabia is willing to strengthen cooperation with China, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud binal-Faisal said on Sunday when meeting with a delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Faisal, who gave a warm welcome to the delegation led by Head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Wang Jiarui, spoke highly of the traditional friendship between the two countries, noting that Saudi-China relations were developing steadily and constantly.." [more]

Saudi Opens Export Gates to SA [Mar 12]
"South Africa will increase petrochemical imports as well as non-oil products from Saudi Arabia, the two countries said on Sunday following a bilateral meeting in Riyadh.. ..The South African delegation said the country would "substantially" increase its exports of products including those related to mining and capital equipment, financial services, agricultural products and automotive components.." [more]

Egyptian-Saudi Talks on Providing Safe Ferries [Mar 12]
"Egypt is holding talks with Saudi investors on providing safe and fast ferries to transfer pilgrims following the tragic incident of the sunken Al-Salam 98 ferry in which some 1000 people died.. ..The negotiations aim to provide new ferries to carry people between Saudi port of Duba and Egyptian Safaga in no more than three hours.." [more]

US Body Claims Software Piracy Rampant in Saudi [Mar 12]
"..Saudi Arabia was admitted to the World Trade Organisation in December last year — and has agreed to abide by international standards on intellectual property rights agreements — but piracy remains rampant in the Kingdom, according to US organisation the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA). The problem applies both to consumer and business software, with piracy rates running at 90% and above for entertainment software products.." [more]

Empty Quarter Expedition a Solid Success [Mar 12]
" The two-week international interdisciplinary expedition in the Al-Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter), organized by the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) has yielded some concrete facts as well as a great number of possibilities. At a presentation of the results of the trip at a press seminar in Jeddah yesterday, the consensus among the expedition members and organizers was that it had laid solid foundations for a great deal of future research into an area which has not been very much scientifically described.." [more]

Bmi to Start Jeddah Service From May 9 [Mar 12]
"The United Kingdom’s second largest carrier, bmi, will commence a three-times-per-week service to and from Jeddah starting May 19, said Adrian Parkes, bmi’s commercial director. 'The introduction of a direct link from Heathrow Airport to Jeddah follows the successful launch in September of a three times weekly service to the Saudi capital'.." [more]

Brazil Delegation to Attract Saudi Investors [Mar 12]
"A high-level financial delegation comprising representatives from the Brazilian public and private sector arrived here Friday to attract Saudi investors to its capital market. The seven-member team headed by Eduardo Manhمes, superintendent of foreign relations of the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission, the organization that regulates the capital market in Brazil, had discussions with Hamad Al-Sayari, governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) yesterday.." [more]

OPEC Exports to Fall 2% [Mar 12]
"OPEC s shipments of crude oil are set to fall 2 percent in the four weeks to March 25 compared with the previous four weeks, led by a decline in westbound exports from the Mideast, the consulting company Oil Movements said. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is scheduled to load 24.8 million bpd onto tankers in the period, down from 25.3 million bpd in the four weeks ended February 25.." [more]

The SUSRIS project -- an independent, private-sector information resource – offers objective, comprehensive news and information on the history, breadth and depth of the US-Saudi Arabia relationship.
< Read More About SUSRIS >