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, IMF, World Bank Stress Int’l Commitment to Syria’s Economic Recovery

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and World Bank Group (WBG) President Ajay Banga are seen at Friday's meeting. (SPA)
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and World Bank Group (WBG) President Ajay Banga are seen at Friday's meeting. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, IMF, World Bank Stress Int’l Commitment to Syria’s Economic Recovery

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and World Bank Group (WBG) President Ajay Banga are seen at Friday's meeting. (SPA)
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and World Bank Group (WBG) President Ajay Banga are seen at Friday's meeting. (SPA)

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and World Bank Group (WBG) President Ajay Banga stressed on Friday their commitment to Syria’s economic recovery.

Meeting on the sidelines of the 2025WBG/IMF spring meetings in Washington, they co-hosted a high-level roundtable for Syria, bringing together the Syrian authorities, finance ministers, and key stakeholders from multilateral and regional financial institutions, as well as economic and development partners.

“Building on earlier discussions – including at the Paris Conference on Syria (February 13), the AlUla roundtable on February 16 and Brussels IX conference (March 17) — this event provided a platform for the Syrian authorities to present their ongoing efforts to stabilize and rebuild their country, reduce poverty, and achieve long-term economic development,” they said in a joint statement.

“There was broad recognition of the urgent challenges facing the Syrian economy and a collective commitment to support the authorities' efforts for recovery and development. Priority will be given to efforts to meet the critical needs of the Syrian people, institutional rebuilding, capacity development, policy reforms, and the development of a national economic recovery strategy,” it added.

“The IMF and WBG were called upon to play a key role in providing support in line with their mandates and reflecting shareholders' support, in close coordination with multilateral and bilateral partners,” it continued.

“We welcome the efforts to help Syria reintegrate with the international community and unlock access to resources, to support the authorities' policy efforts, address early recovery and reconstruction needs, and promote private-sector development and job creation,” read the statement. “We also support the Syrian authorities' efforts to strengthen governance and increase transparency as they build effective institutions that deliver for the people of Syria.”

“We extend our gratitude to all participants for their valuable contributions and commitment to support efforts by the Syrian authorities to rebuild Syria and improve the lives of the Syrian people,” it stressed.

The officials will convene again at the annual meetings of the IMF and WBG in October 2025 to monitor the progress achieved and harmonize global efforts in advancing Syria's economic-recovery and prosperity.