JEDDAH, 12 May 2007 — Saudi Arabia’s fifth economic city will be established in the northern city of Tabuk as part of a government plan to promote development all over the country. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who arrived in Tabuk yesterday, is expected to lay the foundation stone for the mega city.
King Abdullah has already launched four economic cities — in Rabigh, Hail, Madinah and Jizan — which are to attract foreign and domestic investment worth more than SR300 billion and create more than a million jobs.
Amr Al-Dabbagh, governor of Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), had earlier disclosed plans to establish two more mega economic cities in Tabuk and the Eastern Province.
Dabbagh said the new economic cities would contribute $150 billion to the gross domestic product (GDP) by the year 2020. They will also provide job opportunities to 1.3 million people, living environment for 4.5 million people and increase per capita GDP from $13,000 to $33,500, he added.
King Abdullah arrived in Tabuk from Sakaka on the last leg of his tour of the north. He will also open a number of new educational, health, water and electricity, and road projects worth SR6 billion in the region.
On arrival at Tabuk Airport, the king was received by Crown Prince Sultan, Tabuk Gov. Prince Fahd ibn Sultan, Prince Salman ibn Sultan, assistant secretary-general of the National Security Council for security and intelligence affairs, and other top officials.
The people of Tabuk gave King Abdullah a warm welcome as they lined up along the streets to greet him and his motorcade holding pictures of the king and crown prince. Several tribal groups had pitched tents, with their pageants of horses and camels and folk art, to welcome the royals.
Tabuk Gov. Prince Fahd ibn Sultan said the new projects to be launched by the king during the visit would take the Tabuk region to new heights of progress and prosperity.
New development projects to be launched by the king in Tabuk include: a university, a medical city, two hospitals in Dhuba and Amlaj, and a number of technical colleges and vocational training institutes. The current budget has allocated SR475 million for the first phase of the Tabuk University project.
King Abdullah later attended a grand reception organized by the people of Tabuk at King Khaled Sports City. Thousands of people attended the reception. In his welcome address Dr. Abdul Khaliq Sahli, chairman of the Prince Fahd ibn Sultan Social Center, praised the king for his efforts to settle differences and achieve unity among Arabs.
According to sources, King Abdullah was expected to lay the foundation stone for the $3 billion Saudi-Egyptian Causeway, which will not only link the Asian and African continents but also boost economic development of the Kingdom’s northern regions.
The historic project, linking Ras Humaid in Tabuk with Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, will be completed within the next three years by a consortium of Saudi and international companies, including Saudi Binladin, Saudi Oger, Al-Khorafi of Kuwait and Arab Contractors of Egypt, sources said.
Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie said several health projects worth SR662 million would be launched in Tabuk. He added that the first phase of the medical city project would cost SR320 million.
According to Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah Al-Hussayen, the king would lay the stone for a comprehensive water project in the region to meet potable water requirements of people in Tabuk and surrounding areas. “We have already spent SR1.7 billion on this long-term project,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted Al-Hussayen as saying. The project involves the construction of 36 wells, a water purification plant, a control station and a large water container. The project would see 50,000 cubic meters of water supplied daily to Tabuk in the first phase.
Labor Minister Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi said his ministry has allocated SR569 million for new projects in Tabuk including a technical college and higher technical institute for girls.
“New projects under construction will bring the total number of technical institutes and vocational training centers in the Kingdom to 250 with 450,000 trainees,” the minister said. The number of graduates from these institutions will reach 180,000 annually.
The transport sector will also receive its share of projects during the royal visit. The king will lay the foundation for the 177-kilometer Sharma-Badae Sharaf-Haql-Durra Road, according to Transport Minister Jabara Al-Seraisry, adding that the project would cost SR210 million.
King Abdullah’s landmark visit to the north witnessed the launching of several development projects including the opening of two universities: Northern Border University and Al-Jouf University. He is scheduled to lay the stone for another university in Tabuk.
The king arrived in Tabuk from Al-Jouf, where he launched new educational, health, electricity, water and housing projects worth SR15 billion. He also examined the design and route of a new railroad to be constructed by the Ministry of Finance.
The king also inaugurated projects for the King Abdullah Charitable Housing Foundation, the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training, the General Organization for Social Insurance, the Disabled Children’s Association, the Suleiman Al-Rajhi Charitable Foundation and Al-Jouf Cement Co.
