JEDDAH, 21 May 2006 — Adel Fakieh, the mayor of Jeddah, said yesterday that the city would in the very near future undergo major infrastructural changes that would astonish both residents and visitors.
“We are facing a great challenge in developing the city, but with the recent reduction of gasoline prices, we have no excuse for not working even harder,” the mayor said. Fakieh was addressing a group of 15 British journalists who arrived last Thursday on board bmi’s first flight to Jeddah.
The mayor noted that major projects, worth billions of dollars are planned for Jeddah, including the expansion of Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdul Aziz Airport, in addition to a railway linking Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam with Makkah and Madianh.
The mayor said that the city had a master plan for development. It includes sub-plans which concentrate on issues that require immediate solutions such as water systems, roads, development of the historical area and other critical projects.
There are many government plans for major projects in the city that will be offered to the private sector within the coming months, he said adding that some of these projects include recreational projects along the 50-km-long Al-Khomrah beach, south of Jeddah.
Concerning foreign ownership of real estate in the Kingdom, Fakieh said that Amr Al-Dabbagh, governor of Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), would announce next month a number of regulations that would contribute to facilitating foreign ownership of real estate in the country.
Nigel Turner, chief executive officer of bmi, said that the reason for bringing journalists on the bmi’s first flight was to develop awareness about the Kingdom.
Speaking on behalf of the journalists, Turner said that they have all been stunned by the beauty and colorful heritage of Jeddah. “We were all overwhelmed when we heard the call to prayer while walking through the historical part of Jeddah. It was an amazing feeling,” he said.
The visitors, who will leave today, are on a tight schedule to see the city’s main landmarks. They have visited beach resorts, restaurants, the historical area and have even held meetings with officials at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
