JEDDAH, 25 April 2007 — The Jeddah Mayoralty has prepared a list of 100 projects in the city’s 20-year development program.
“This vision, which we call Jeddah 1450, is guided by certain principles,” Dr. Abudlgader Amir, vice mayor for planning and urban development at the Jeddah Municipality, told a Saudi-French seminar on architecture and urban development at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday.
The two-day event involves visits of the French business delegation to King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh and Emaar office, and workshops on architecture and town planning projects in Jeddah and elsewhere in the Kingdom.
Other speakers were JCCI Chairman Saleh Al-Turki, French Ambassador Charles Henri d’Aragon and Dr. Yahya Hamza Koshak, board member of Saudi Council of Engineers.
Jeddah, with its unique and historical role as the gateway to Makkah and Madinah, is bound to grow and see its regional and international position strengthened as a major destination for arriving pilgrims, a hub of Islamic culture and a tourist and trading center. “However, the city is facing challenges to preserve and enhance our advantages, which include the rapid population growth, an increased environmental pressure and the onward plan to seek a lesser dependence on oil, all of which call for innovative ideas in terms of urban management and planning, and transport and financing,” Dr. Amir said, speaking on behalf of Jeddah Mayor Adel Faqeeh.
“We have embarked on an ambitious program to face these challenges. We are currently engaged in developing a vision for our city with a 20-year perspective. This vision, which we call Jeddah 1450, is guided by certain principles that are based on culture, history, and the environment,” he said.
The objectives of the Jeddah plan include limiting the urban sprawl and encouraging a higher density through the creation of mixed-use sub-centers and setting up tall building areas, establishing north-south and east-west development corridors that will help restructure the city in terms of transport, reduce the dependence on cars, preserve the historic quarters and provide for affordable housing.
“The mayoral team has developed a list of 100 projects covering these major themes,” he said. These include the City Center at the Old Airport site, the Jeddah Center project including Balad and parts of the water front, and projects on the Corniche.
“Some of these projects could be executed with public-private partnerships and under build, operate and transfer (BOT) programs,” Amir said.
French Ambassador Charles Henri d’Aragon said the Kingdom’s ongoing second economic boom offered a huge business opportunity to overseas businessmen. “During the next 10 years, the Kingdom is estimated to invest over $450 billion in various projects in order to generate more jobs. The King Abdullah Economic City and four other new cities under development will attract multibillion dollar investment,” he said and urged French businessmen to take advantage of the opportunity. He also listed some projects that would reshape the economic development including Makkah-Madinah rail link, land bridge railway project, airport expansion, new oil refineries, chemical and petrochemical projects.
“The private sector is changing its role in the ongoing economic boom and process of reform,” JCCI Chairman Saleh Al-Turki said. The private sector is no longer dependent wholly on the government,” he said, adding that the ongoing privatization has made it easier for non-Saudis to operate in the Kingdom.
Dr. Yahya Hamza Koshak, board member of Council of Saudi Engineers, said that since the Kingdom had opened its doors to foreign investment, the council would extend all support to facilitate their operations.