GCC passports departments chiefs hold meeting
During the meeting, he reviewed the latest developments, including the Gulf visa project.
The passport departments of the interior ministries of GCC countries, through a series of joint meetings, are making efforts to launch a unified tourist visa project in the near future, the General Secretariat said in a report.
'Everyone is working as one team to keep pace with technological developments and security requirements in a world characterised by rapid change,' Albudaiwi said.
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Saudi PMI rises to 57.2 in June as non-oil sector hits 3-month high
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector expanded at its fastest pace in three months in June, supported by rising domestic demand, accelerated hiring, and a pickup in purchasing activity, a survey showed. According to Riyad Bank's Purchasing Managers' Index compiled by S&P Global, the headline PMI rose to 57.2, up from the 55.8 figure recorded in May, signaling a strong improvement in business conditions and surpassing the long-run average of 56.9. The index remains well above the neutral 50 mark, indicating sustained expansion across the Kingdom's non-oil economy. The robust growth in Saudi Arabia's non-oil business activity aligns with the broader goals of the Vision 2030 program, which seeks to diversify the Kingdom's economy and reduce its reliance on oil revenues. Saudi Arabia's PMI for June outpaced that of its regional peers, with the UAE and Kuwait recording readings of 53.5 and 53.1, respectively. Naif Al-Ghaith, chief economist at Riyad Bank, said: 'The latest reading reflects a strong improvement in overall business conditions, supported by higher output levels, rising demand, and an active labor market.' He added: 'Firms largely linked the pickup in activity to improving sales, new project starts, and better demand conditions, although the pace of output growth was softer compared to previous highs.' In May, a report released by Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics revealed that the Kingdom's gross domestic product grew 2.7 percent year on year in the first quarter, driven by strong non-oil activity. Commenting on the GDP figures at the time, Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Al-Ibrahim, who also chairs GASTAT's board, noted that the contribution of non-oil activities to the Kingdom's economic output reached 53.2 percent — an increase of 5.7 percent from previous estimates. The minister also added that the Kingdom's economic outlook remains positive, supported by structural reforms and high-quality, state-led projects across various sectors. In its latest PMI report, S&P Global stated that non-oil firms in the Kingdom reported a further rise in new orders in June, with the rate of growth continuing to accelerate from its recent low in April. Companies that participated in the survey noted that the acquisition of new clients and the benefits of enhanced marketing had improved demand growth across non-oil sectors. 'New orders continued to lead the expansion, registering the fastest growth in four months and surpassing the long-run trend. Businesses credited this increase to stronger demand, effective marketing strategies, and improved client acquisition,' added Al-Ghaith. According to the report, non-oil private companies in Saudi Arabia hired staff at the fastest rate since May 2011, as firms expanded teams to manage increased workloads. This historically strong increase continued a robust period of job creation seen since the start of 2025, with companies citing high demand for skilled staff as a driving force behind intensified recruitment efforts and increased salary offers. Consequently, overall staff costs rose at the fastest pace since the survey began in 2009. Purchasing activity accelerated to a two-year high as firms responded to rising input needs, with nearly 40 percent of respondents increasing their purchases. Input prices also rose sharply, aligning with the trend observed in the second quarter of the year. This compelled companies to pass on higher costs to customers, although some businesses opted to reduce prices as part of competitive pricing strategies. Despite price pressures, non-oil firms in Saudi Arabia remained confident of an uplift in activity over the next 12 months, with sentiment ticking up to a two-year high. S&P Global stated that this optimism for future growth was largely driven by resilient domestic economic conditions, robust demand, and improving sales pipelines. 'On the future outlook, sentiment among non-oil businesses remains highly positive. Confidence about future activity climbed to a two-year peak, supported by healthy order pipelines and stronger domestic economic conditions. However, cost pressures became more pronounced in June,' said Al-Ghaith. He noted that staff costs had risen at a record pace as firms sought to retain talent, while purchase prices recorded their fastest increase since February, partly due to stronger demand and rising geopolitical risks. 'Despite these cost challenges, firms broadly raised their selling prices, reversing the declines seen in May and signalling an improved ability to pass on higher costs to customers,' said Al-Ghaith. The PMI survey data were collected from around 400 private sector companies across the manufacturing, construction, and wholesale sectors, as well as retail and services.
