Saudi Arabia's wealth fund aims to nearly double size by 2020

Agencies
October 26, 2017

Riyadh, Oct 26: Saudi Arabia’s main sovereign wealth fund wants to increase its financial clout to SR 1.5 trillion ($400 billion) by 2020 as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to boost private-sector growth and wean itself off oil export dependence.

The assets-under-management goal, laid out by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Wednesday, came on the second day of an international conference in Riyadh. It was accompanied by publication of PIF’s first comprehensive business program, outlining targets for investments and returns for 2018-2020.

PIF, which is expected to receive proceeds from the planned sale of 5 percent of state oil company Saudi Aramco’s shares, has currently around $230 billion worth of assets under management. It plans to create 20,000 direct domestic jobs, and 256,000 construction jobs by 2020. This will increase PIF’s contribution to Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product from 4.4 percent to 6.3 percent, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

Investments will be in sectors such as real estate and infrastructure as well as in new areas of activity in the Saudi economy through the establishment of companies such as the Saudi Arabian Military Industries company and the Saudi Real Estate Refinancing Company.

One of the biggest tasks facing PIF will be the delivery of a $500 billion plan to build a business and industrial zone extending into Jordan and Egypt, announced at the start of the conference on Tuesday.

PIF also set a new target to increase total shareholder return to 4 to 5 percent between now and 2020 from 3 percent, it said on Wednesday.

“The PIF Program represents a vital milestone as we work toward realizing Vision 2030,” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the economic reform plan’s architect, said in a statement.

The 96-page program said PIF will structure its investments in six areas: Saudi equity holdings, sector development, real estate and infrastructure, mega projects, international strategic investments and a “diversified pool” across global asset classes. It said “long-term” average annual return from these areas would be between 6.5 and 9 percent.

Outside of Saudi Arabia, PIF’s investments will be in a number of assets such as fixed-income, public equity, private equity and debt, real estate, infrastructure and alternative investments such as hedge funds, the fund said.

PIF Managing Director Yasir Al-Rumayyan said the fund was open to investing in more big ticket items such as US ride services company Uber.

It also outlined its four major sources of funding to include capital injections from the government, government asset transfers, loans and debt instruments as well as retained earnings from investments.

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News Network
October 1,2024

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The Israeli regime has conducted a series of deadly airstrikes on the Syrian capital of Damascus, with Syrian media reporting three rounds of strikes in the capital area in one night.

An Israeli aircraft launched several missiles from the occupied Golan Heights on Tuesday, targeting locations southwest of Damascus.

Syrian air defenses successfully intercepted many of these missiles, according to the Syrian state media.

According to the Syrian military, the Israeli aggression led to the martyrdom of three civilians, the injury of nine others, and significant damage to private property.

The Al Mayadeen news outlet reports that local journalist Safaa Ahmad was among those killed in the attack, which hit the Mezzeh neighborhood in the Syrian capital. Rescue crews are dealing with fires on the ground.

Syrian television said one of its anchors was killed in the Israeli strike on Damascus on Tuesday.

State television said in a statement that it "mourns anchor Safaa Ahmad who was martyred in the Israeli aggression on the capital Damascus."

The official SANA news agency earlier said "air defense systems are intercepting hostile targets for the third time tonight in the Damascus area," using a phrase that usually refers to Israeli aggression.

Subsequently, another wave of attacks was aimed at the suburbs of Damascus which was intercepted by air defenses.

Syria has consistently called on the UN Security Council to take action against these assaults, which it views as clear violations of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Israel frequently targets military positions inside Syria, especially those of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah which has played a key role in helping the Syrian army in its fight against foreign-backed terrorists.

The Tel Aviv regime rarely comments on its attacks on Syrian territories, which many see as a knee-jerk reaction to the Syrian government’s phenomenal success in confronting and decimating terrorism.

Damascus has time and again called on the UN Security Council to put an end to the regime’s attacks that violate Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Israeli attacks on Syria come amid the regime’s ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip which has killed more than 41,600 people, mostly women and children, over the past year.

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News Network
October 4,2024

airstrike.jpg

Powerful blasts rocked Beirut overnight in some of the heaviest Israeli strikes on the capital of Lebanon so far as the Lebanese Health Ministry reports dozens killed and over 150 wounded in bombing attacks across the country in the past 24 hours.

Israel launched several waves of airstrikes on Beirut’s southern neighborhood of Dahiyeh on Thursday.

The regime used powerful bunker-buster bombs in its latest attacks, whose number was more than a dozen.

Several civilian buildings were the main goals of the regime’s latest strikes.

Reports indicate that more bombs were used in the latest attacks compared to the strike that killed the leader of the Hezbollah resistance movement, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, last Friday.

The attacks also hit the vicinity of Beirut International Airport.

Israel’s strikes also targeted several other locations, including Hezbollah’s media relations office and a warehouse near the Beirut airport.

A source close to Hezbollah said Israel had conducted 11 consecutive strikes in south Beirut on Thursday night.

AFP correspondents in the Lebanese capital heard loud bangs that made car alarms go off and buildings shake.

"Israel struck the southern suburbs 11 consecutive times," the source said on the condition of anonymity.

Giant balls of flame rose from the targeted site with thick smoke billowing and flares shooting out.

Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said that "more than 10 consecutive strikes have been recorded so far, in one of the strongest raids on the southern suburbs of Beirut since the start of the Israeli war on Lebanon."

The strikes echoed to mountain regions outside Beirut, the NNA said.

Earlier Thursday, the Israeli army issued an “urgent warning” to the residents of the south Beirut area of Burj al-Barajneh to evacuate along with maps of the area.

“You are located near Hezbollah facilities and interests, against which the [Israeli army] will operate in the near future,” its official Arabic language spokesperson posted on X.

The death toll from Israeli aerial assaults across Lebanon since early October 2023 has passed the 1,700 mark with nearly 8,770 injured, according to Lebanese government data.

In response, Hezbollah has fired barrages of rockets and drones towards Israeli targets.

Hezbollah has been responding to the aggression with numerous retaliatory operations, including with hypersonic ballistic missiles, targeting the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up its operations against Israel as long as the Israeli regime continues its Gaza war, which has so far killed more than 41,780 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The qualitative strikes of Hezbollah have so far thwarted any hostile "Israeli" advance into Lebanese territory.

Hezbollah said in a statement that at least 17 Israeli troops have been killed since the regime launched its incursion into southern Lebanon.

Since dawn on Thursday, the Lebanese resistance fighters have been repelling every attempt by the Israeli elite forces to advance on multiple fronts in southern Lebanon, inflicting heavy losses in equipment and personnel.

A Lebanese political analyst recently praised Hezbollah’s operational capabilities, warning that Israeli forces will become "sitting ducks" for the Lebanese resistance group should they attempt a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

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News Network
October 2,2024

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a travel advisory for Indian citizens in light of the escalating tensions in the Middle East, specifically advising against non-essential travel to Iran.

"We are closely monitoring the recent escalation in the security situation in the region. Indian nationals are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran. Those currently residing in Iran are requested to remain vigilant and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

For those already residing in the country, the MEA advised vigilance and recommended staying in close contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran for any assistance. The situation continues to be under observation as tensions in the region unfold.

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