A newly licensed Saudi woman prepares to go for a drive. AFP
A newly licensed Saudi woman prepares to go for a drive. AFP

2018 - The day Saudi women could drive

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Updated 19 April 2025
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2018 - The day Saudi women could drive

2018 - The day Saudi women could drive
  • The lifting of the ban was one of several reforms that improved gender equality

JEDDAH: This story could be called a tale of two countries. When I arrived in Jeddah from the Arab News Dubai office for my first visit to Saudi Arabia, on June 20, 2018, I was not allowed to drive.

And then, four days later, along with every other woman in the Kingdom, all of a sudden we could. Much like Cinderella in the fairy tale, our pumpkins turned into carriages at the stroke of midnight on June 24.

So much has changed since then that it seems like ancient history. At the time, we thought other changes might happen, inshallah, in baby steps, but the driving law proved to be only the first of many that drove Saudi women’s independence forward into the 21st century.

In the words of my Saudi colleague Noor Nugali, now deputy editor-in-chief of Arab News, it was a “mind-blowing” signal that Saudi Arabia was headed “100 miles in the right direction.”

In August 2019, the guardianship law, which required Saudi women to get a male guardian’s permission to travel, was rescinded. In December that year, gender segregation in public places came to an end. In June 2021, single, divorced or widowed women were allowed to live independently without needing the permission of their male guardians. In January 2023, Saudi women married to foreign men gained the right to pass on Saudi citizenship to their children. And in 2024, the World Bank reported that women made up 34.5 percent of the Kingdom’s workforce, surpassing the Vision 2030 target (which was subsequently raised from 30 to 40 percent).

How we wrote it




Arab News published a 3-page special report in an award-winning souvenir edition designed by artist Malika Favre.

This was all unthinkable at the time the driving ban was lifted. So let us reverse, if you will, to a time when the Kingdom was the last country in the world in which women could not drive. Arriving on a humid morning at Jeddah’s airport, I stepped off the plane in my abaya, with a sense of excitement tempered by fear at what I might encounter as a solo foreign woman. After a decade living in the UAE, I had heard stories from other women about their encounters with the Saudi religious police, so I wrapped my headscarf tightly and prepared for the worst.

Mistakenly joining the line for Umrah arrivals, I was approached by a customs officer who, after looking at my visa, asked me to have a seat while he sorted an issue by calling an Arabic speaker in our Jeddah newsroom. “This is it,” I thought. “I’m going to jail.”

What happened next was a total surprise. He returned, offering me Arabic coffee and a chocolate heart before helping me through the gates. The driver sent to pick me up told me I did not have to wear a headscarf, so I let it go around my shoulders, already feeling more relaxed.

For the next few days, I made my trips to the Jeddah newsroom with Bakhsh, our ever-smiling company driver who insisted on carrying my bags, whenever he was available. To those who suggest the lifting of the driving ban was just a token gesture, I can tell you this: it was anything but. Imagine getting through your day by relying on someone to pick you up at every point, and then remember the sense of freedom you felt when you got your driving license and the keys to your first car.

Key Dates

  • 1

    Royal decree issued ordering lifting of ban on women driving in the Kingdom.

    Timeline Image Sept. 26, 2017

  • 2

    First driving licenses issued to 10 Saudi women in the Kingdom.

  • 3

    Women officially allowed to drive on the Kingdom’s roads for the first time; Aseel Al-Hamad becomes the first Saudi woman to drive a Formula One car, completing a symbolic lap around the French Grand Prix circuit at Le Castellet.

    Timeline Image June 24, 2018

  • 4

    Saudi racing driver Reema Juffali makes her Formula 4 British Championship debut at Brands Hatch in the UK.

    Timeline Image Apr. 6, 2019

  • 5

    Juffali becomes the first female driver to claim pole position in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup.

    Timeline Image Sept. 3, 2023

  • 6

    Formula E announces that Saudi female racing driver Reem Al-Aboud has set a new FIA single-seater acceleration benchmark in a GenBeta electric racing car, besting the F1 benchmark.

    Timeline Image March 5, 2024

So when the clocks on our iPhones turned to 12:01 a.m. on June 24 it was not only a sign to start our engines, it was time for Saudi Arabia to leave this old way behind.

At this time I was already in the driver’s seat of our company car, wearing Saudi designer Moe Khoja’s driving jacket, embroidered with the date of this momentous occasion. My boss, Faisal J. Abbas, sitting beside me in the passenger’s seat, had designated me to take him and two female colleagues on this drive, because a Saudi woman in our newsroom had yet to obtain a license. It was not only a historic occasion for me; for them, it was the first time they had been driven by a woman in the Kingdom.

Off we drove that night in a big black SUV, rolling down our windows at stoplights and waving to surprised Saudis, who smiled and gave us the thumbs up. The real test was when we pulled up next to a police car at the next light. We waited in nervous silence until the light turned green and then we let go of our breaths, driving off without incident.

The next morning, as more Saudi women took to the roads, I approached the rental-car desk in my hotel lobby to ask about hiring a vehicle. The man told me it was not possible. “Oh yes it is,” I told him. “Haven’t you read the news?” 




Former Arab News editor Mo Gannon takes to the road on the day the ban on women driving was lifted. AN Photo

I showed him the special edition of Arab News that day, wrapped in Malika Favre’s illustration of a Saudi woman driving, which went on to become an iconic image of that day. Sadly, it did not help my appeal. The assistant called his supervisor, who told me I needed a Saudi license.

Remarkably, after I wrote in Arab News about this experience, the chief operating officer of Budget Saudi Arabia contacted me to rectify the confusion. He invited me to visit the company’s office on the Corniche, where I produced my international driver’s license and became the first foreign woman to rent a car in Saudi Arabia.

As I climbed into the white Land Cruiser, people on the street stopped to take photos. That night, when I took the Arab News ladies on a drive to Old Jeddah, we got the same reception from the crowded streets: smiles and waves. I am glad we soaked up the celebrity attention while we had it, because as more Saudi women obtained their licenses, it became commonplace to see women driving in the Kingdom. And not only driving: living their own lives, running companies, working in senior government roles, traveling into space and representing Saudi Arabia on the world stage, whether it is in Washington or on a sports field. I have watched them do so with unmatched grace, determination and courage.

Back at home in Canada, when I’m asked about Saudi Arabia, I’m proud to tell the story of how I got to be part of that day. But my story takes a back seat to Saudi women, who are in the driver’s seat now. I can’t wait to see where they go on the road ahead.

  • Mo Gannon became the first foreign woman to rent a car in Saudi Arabia when she was a senior editor in the Dubai bureau of Arab News.


Saudi Arabia raises $628m in June sukuk offering

Saudi Arabia raises $628m in June sukuk offering
Updated 5 min 10 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia raises $628m in June sukuk offering

Saudi Arabia raises $628m in June sukuk offering

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s National Debt Management Center has completed its June issuance under the government’s riyal-denominated sukuk program, raising SR2.355 billion ($628 million).

The figure marks a decline of 42 percent from May’s SR4.08 billion, which was the highest monthly total recorded this year. The drop reflects typical fluctuations in the government’s monthly funding activity.

The June offering was divided into five tranches. The first amounted to SR25 million and will mature in 2027. The second, totaling SR1.175 billion, will mature in 2029. The third tranche stood at SR500 million and is set to mature in 2032. The fourth was SR5 million, maturing in 2036, while the fifth and final tranche reached SR650 million, due in 2039.

Sukuk, which are structured to comply with Islamic finance principles, offer investors returns generated from tangible assets or projects, rather than traditional interest payments. These instruments continue to attract strong demand from investors seeking stable, Shariah-compliant returns.

Despite the month-on-month decline, the latest issuance underscores Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its funding base and develop the domestic debt market.

The NDMC has maintained a steady pace of monthly issuances this year, including SR3.72 billion in January, SR3.07 billion in February, SR2.64 billion in March, and SR4.08 billion in May.

Saudi Arabia continues to lead the Gulf Cooperation Council in sukuk and bond activity. In the first quarter of 2025, the Kingdom accounted for more than 60 percent of all primary debt issuances in the region, raising $31.01 billion from 41 offerings, according to the Kuwait Financial Center, known as Markaz.

In a broader outlook, S&P Global has highlighted Saudi Arabia’s expanding non-oil economy and strong sukuk activity as key drivers for growth in global Islamic finance.

The agency forecasts total sukuk issuance could reach between $190 billion and $200 billion in 2025, with up to $80 billion in foreign-currency issuances, assuming stable market conditions.

Looking ahead, Kamco Invest projects that Saudi Arabia will lead the GCC in bond maturities over the next five years. Between 2025 and 2029, about $168 billion in Saudi bonds are expected to mature, underscoring the Kingdom’s prominent role in the region’s debt landscape.


Qatari emir holds calls with Iranian and US presidents, condemns targeting Al-Udeid

Qatari emir holds calls with Iranian and US presidents, condemns targeting Al-Udeid
Updated 19 min 1 sec ago
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Qatari emir holds calls with Iranian and US presidents, condemns targeting Al-Udeid

Qatari emir holds calls with Iranian and US presidents, condemns targeting Al-Udeid
  • Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said Iran’s action contradicted the principles of good neighborliness
  • Masoud Pezeshkian expressed regret to Sheikh Tamim for the damages caused by Monday’s attack
  • Donald Trump rejected ‘any aggression that threatens the security and safety of the State of Qatar’

LONDON: The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, received separate phone calls from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump on Tuesday following the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ missile attack on Al-Udeid Air Base.

Sheikh Tamim strongly condemned the Iranian attack at the outset of his call with Pezeshkian. He said the act was “a blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace, as well as a breach of international law and the United Nations Charter.”

The IRGC on Monday night fired missiles at Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest US military base in the Middle East, accommodating about 10,000 service members, located 30 kilometers southwest of Doha. The attack was a retaliatory action after the US hit three of Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend.

Sheikh Tamim said that Iran’s action contradicted the principles of good neighborliness and highlighted Doha’s ongoing commitment to dialogue with Iran.

He urged an immediate halt to military operations and a return to negotiations to resolve the crisis and ensure regional security and safety, the Qatar News Agency reported.

Pezeshkian expressed regret to Sheikh Tamim for the damage caused by Monday’s attack. He said that Qatar and its people were not the intended targets of the military operation and that “the attack does not constitute a threat” to Qatar.

Sheikh Tamim also spoke with Trump, who affirmed Washington’s solidarity with Doha after the Iranian attack and rejected “any aggression that threatens the security and safety of the State of Qatar and undermines the security and stability of the region.”

During the call with Sheikh Tamim, Trump urged restraint and seeking diplomatic solutions.

Sheikh Tamim thanked Trump for the supportive stance of the United States. He also mentioned that the readiness of the Qatari armed forces and the precautionary measures authorities took resulted in no fatalities or injuries.


Lebanon’s prime minister hails success in staying out of Iran-Israel conflict

Lebanon’s prime minister hails success in staying out of Iran-Israel conflict
Updated 52 min 6 sec ago
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Lebanon’s prime minister hails success in staying out of Iran-Israel conflict

Lebanon’s prime minister hails success in staying out of Iran-Israel conflict
  • War prevented in Lebanon but true stability demands departure of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, Nawaf Salam says during visit to Doha
  • ‘We are striving to use all available political and diplomatic forces to pressure Israel’ into withdrawing, he adds

BEIRUT: During an official visit to Qatar on Tuesday, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the fact that his country had managed to avoid being pulled into the conflict between Iran and Israel that began on June 13.

When he met the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Salam hailed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran announced on Monday, and thanked Doha for its efforts to help end the hostilities. Both leaders agreed that the end of the conflict would help foster stability in Lebanon, Palestine and the wider Gulf region, the prime minister’s media office said.

During a joint press conference with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Qatar’s prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Salam said: “We in Lebanon, all of us, have succeeded in preventing the country from being drawn into a new war amid the ongoing regional conflict over the past two weeks.

“Now, with military operations having ceased, we look forward to turning a new page focused on diplomatic efforts.”

Israel has been accused of ramping up strikes on targets in southern Lebanon amid its conflict with Iran, and near-daily violations of a November ceasefire agreement that ended its 14-month war with Hezbollah.

Salam arrived in Doha on Tuesday morning, the day after Iran’s attack on a US military base in Qatar caused his flight to be diverted to Bahrain. He resumed his journey when airspace reopened and was the first passenger to land at the city’s airport following the previous day’s incident.

He condemned the attack on Qatar and expressed his full solidarity with the leadership of the country and its people. He also described the Israeli aggression against Iran as a violation of Iranian sovereignty and a breach of international law.

Addressing the possibility of renewed Hezbollah involvement in conflicts, Salam said: “The Lebanese state will extend its authority, through its own forces, over all Lebanese territory, as stipulated in the Taif Agreement.”

He added that “true stability cannot be achieved unless Israel fully withdraws from the Lebanese territories it continues to occupy, known as the Five Points.”

During talks with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed, Salam thanked Qatar for its “continued support for the Lebanese army.” They addressed the need for intensified international and regional efforts to halt repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon, and reiterated calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied Lebanese territories, reconstruction efforts, and the full restoration of Lebanese sovereignty over all of its territory.

Regarding the possibility that Lebanon could ask Qatar and Turkiye to put diplomatic pressure on Israel to withdraw from its positions in Lebanese territory, Salam said: “We are striving to use all available political and diplomatic forces to pressure Israel, beginning with our Arab brothers and extending to the permanent members of the UN Security Council and the United States.”

He highlighted reported Israeli violations of the November ceasefire deal and called for international pressure on the state “to respect and implement that agreement.”

Qatari officials offered their support for efforts to address the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon, and are considering “practical plans that would allow for a safe and dignified return to their homes,” Salam’s media office said.

The prime minister led a delegation during his trip to Qatar that included Minister of Culture Ghassan Salameh, Minister of Energy and Water Joe Saddi, Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamni, and Minister of State for Administrative Reform Fadi Makki.


Abdulaziz bin Moammar promises ‘to fight with the spirit of every young Saudi’ at PFL MENA Showdown

Abdulaziz bin Moammar promises ‘to fight with the spirit of every young Saudi’ at PFL MENA Showdown
Updated 24 June 2025
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Abdulaziz bin Moammar promises ‘to fight with the spirit of every young Saudi’ at PFL MENA Showdown

Abdulaziz bin Moammar promises ‘to fight with the spirit of every young Saudi’ at PFL MENA Showdown
  • Fighting in Riyadh is a pivotal moment in Bin Moammar’s career
  • Saudi fighter says his connection to combat sports began long before joining PFL

RIAYDH: Saudi fighter Abdulaziz bin Moammar continues his preparations for his second bout in the Professional Fighters League – Middle East and North Africa, scheduled for July 4 in Riyadh.

The event is part of a major promotion organized by the PFL, featuring a strong lineup of top regional fighters — a large crowd is expected.

Bin Moammar said returning to fight in Riyadh is a pivotal moment in his career: “Fighting in Riyadh isn’t just another match — it’s a responsibility. This is my city, where I grew up. My real fans are here. Fighting in front of them gives me a different kind of energy. There’s no room for complacency or backing down.”

He said that his connection to combat sports began long before joining the PFL, but his debut with the organization significantly expanded his visibility and fan base.

“I had a decent following before joining, but after my first fight in Jeddah, I felt a real surge in engagement. People started to recognize me more, follow me, and anticipate my next fights,” the Saudi fighter said.

The fight in Jeddah was an important first step for Bon Moammar who said: “It gave me confidence, and winning lit a fire inside me to keep going. But now in Riyadh, the challenge is bigger, and expectations are higher.”

Discussing his current training, the fighter revealed that he is in the middle of an intense local training camp in Riyadh, dedicating nearly all his time to preparation.

“Full focus on training has kept me away from my family, but I believe every moment of sacrifice now will pay off later. The camp is physically and mentally exhausting, but I’m determined to bring the best version of myself into the cage,” he said.

He further promised his fans “to fight with the spirit of every young Saudi who dreams of excelling in this sport.”

Bin Moammar knows the road is long and that professionalism is not easy but said: “I’m ready to walk it to the end. Your support is my greatest weapon.”


San Francisco 49ers host first community event in UAE

San Francisco 49ers host first community event in UAE
Updated 24 June 2025
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San Francisco 49ers host first community event in UAE

San Francisco 49ers host first community event in UAE
  • Event features flag football coaching session in Dubai
  • 49ers announced in March that they had been granted activation rights in the UAE

DUBAI: The San Francisco 49ers have made history by becoming the first NFL franchise to host an event in the UAE. It followed the announcement that the league had granted the 49ers marketing, fan engagement, and commercial rights in the market.

The event — which featured a flag football coaching session and youth flag football clinic in Dubai — highlights the club’s continued investment in youth athletics and the growth of flag football worldwide in the lead-up to the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics.

The 49ers announced in March that they had been granted activation rights in the UAE as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program.

The initiative builds on the team’s success in other global markets, including the UK and Mexico in which the 49ers’ local fan base has grown by at least 50 percent. The 49ers have hosted more than 50 community events in the UK and Mexico since 2021, leaving a lasting impact on local youngsters.

Tuesday’s event was held at GEMS World Academy Senior School, which is part of the largest network of schools in the UAE, serving 125,000 students.

The day began with staff from the 49ers training more than two dozen physical education teachers in the fundamentals of coaching flag football. Then around 30 students, aged 10-11, participated in a flag football clinic, enjoying different NFL-themed practice drills and an introduction to flag tag. Sourdough Sam, the mascot of the 49ers, also made a special appearance to engage with students and interact with fans.

Stephanie Rogers, executive vice president of marketing for the 49ers, said the occasion marked “an exciting milestone in the 49ers’ global fandom journey.”

She added: “We’re thrilled to see so much local enthusiasm for the San Francisco 49ers and flag football. We have been warmly welcomed by the community and we look forward to building long-lasting relationships with future fans and partners here.

“Our commitment is not just about flag participation but about creating a journey for youth development. Across a combination of in-person events, digital activations and community initiatives, we aspire to share the storied history of the 49ers with the UAE.”

Elevate recently announced its role as the 49ers’ agency of record for global marketing efforts, after acquiring Rise Group, the Middle East’s sports and entertainment agency. The partnership will strengthen the team’s ability to make a meaningful impact in the UAE.

Dave McCann, partner at Rise Group, said: “The 49ers are synonymous with innovation and community engagement, and we look forward to unlocking more opportunities for both the team and MENA (Middle East and North Africa region) partners as we continue to grow in the region.

“We’re excited to help shape the future for both the 49ers and flag football in the UAE.”

The 49ers are also announcing the launch of their Arabic social media channels —  on Instagram, X, TikTok, and Facebook — during their visit to further engage with local communities.