Saudi Arabia Unveils First Comprehensive Master Plan for Riyadh’s 2025 Projects

Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh and Chairman of the Infrastructure Projects Center, speaking during the event (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh and Chairman of the Infrastructure Projects Center, speaking during the event (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Saudi Arabia Unveils First Comprehensive Master Plan for Riyadh’s 2025 Projects

Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh and Chairman of the Infrastructure Projects Center, speaking during the event (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh and Chairman of the Infrastructure Projects Center, speaking during the event (Asharq Al-Awsat).

Saudi Arabia has announced its first-ever comprehensive master plan for all infrastructure projects in Riyadh for the upcoming year, with the aim to reduce traffic congestion caused by overlapping projects, optimize spending efficiency, and ensure the sustainability of developments.

Prince Dr. Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, Mayor of Riyadh and Chairman of the Infrastructure Projects Center, introduced the plan during an event showcasing Riyadh’s detailed infrastructure project roadmap.

Prince Faisal described the initiative as a transformative milestone for the city, as it consolidates upcoming projects into a structured, coordinated system, allowing authorities to identify conflicts, set priorities, reschedule overlapping initiatives, and enforce adherence to project timelines. Additionally, the plan establishes a unified coordination strategy among various stakeholders.

Eng. Fahad Al-Badah, CEO of the Infrastructure Projects Center, called the master plan a model for national cooperation, developed through a comprehensive engineering methodology. The process involved data collection, integration of planning efforts, and collaboration with over 15 government and service entities.

Al-Badah further noted that more than 837 project plans were reviewed and approved, leading to the restructuring of 1,737 project phases and accumulating over 100,000 work hours. The center also conducted over 80 workshops and automated more than 66,000 pre-coordinated permits for 2025.

He credited this achievement to joint efforts with service providers and project developers, supported by a 36-member task force representing key service entities. Additionally, 72 officials have been assigned to ensure rapid responses to any challenges that arise during project execution.

Over the past 50 years, Riyadh has evolved from an emerging city into a global economic hub and a leading investment destination. Its land area has expanded by over 2,000%, and its population has surpassed 7 million.

This rapid growth is reflected in the surge in infrastructure work permits, which have tripled from 50,000 in 2017 to over 150,000 in 2024. “These figures underscore the city’s accelerated urban and economic expansion,” Al-Badah noted.

He emphasized that sustaining this momentum requires adopting global best practices in infrastructure development, aligning with the ambitious goals of Vision 2030.

The master plan is part of broader efforts led by Riyadh’s Infrastructure Projects Center, established by a Cabinet decision in July 2023. The center aims to enhance project efficiency and improve coordination among stakeholders to ensure sustainable, high-quality urban development.



Saudi Arabia Strengthens Relations with Danish Private Sector to Boost Bilateral Trade

Saudi Industry Minister strengthens relations with Danish private sector to boost bilateral trade. (SPA)
Saudi Industry Minister strengthens relations with Danish private sector to boost bilateral trade. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Strengthens Relations with Danish Private Sector to Boost Bilateral Trade

Saudi Industry Minister strengthens relations with Danish private sector to boost bilateral trade. (SPA)
Saudi Industry Minister strengthens relations with Danish private sector to boost bilateral trade. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef, held a series of bilateral meetings on Friday with leaders of several leading Danish companies in the industry and mining sectors. Discussions covered joint investment opportunities, as well as the enablers and incentives offered by the Kingdom to investors, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meetings focused on strengthening cooperation in the industrial and mining sectors between the two sides, with an emphasis on leveraging the strategic opportunities presented by the National Strategy for Industry across its 12 priority sectors that the Kingdom aims to localize and develop. This was discussed alongside the opportunities provided by the comprehensive mining strategy, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Alkhorayef also met with executives from the pharmaceutical, food, and mining sectors, including FLSmidth, Danfoss, Novo Holdings, Novonesis, and Arla Foods.
The visit reflects Saudi Arabia’s continued efforts to deepen economic partnerships with leading industrial nations and attract global expertise to accelerate the growth and competitiveness of the Kingdom's industrial and mining sectors.