‘Mostadam’ Initiative Preserves Real Estate Market Value, Draws Investments

Mostadam initiative aims to provide a range of services and solutions that contribute to enhancing the quality of residential construction and raises the efficiency of energy and water consumption | PHOTO/Khaled Al-Khamis
Mostadam initiative aims to provide a range of services and solutions that contribute to enhancing the quality of residential construction and raises the efficiency of energy and water consumption | PHOTO/Khaled Al-Khamis
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‘Mostadam’ Initiative Preserves Real Estate Market Value, Draws Investments

Mostadam initiative aims to provide a range of services and solutions that contribute to enhancing the quality of residential construction and raises the efficiency of energy and water consumption | PHOTO/Khaled Al-Khamis
Mostadam initiative aims to provide a range of services and solutions that contribute to enhancing the quality of residential construction and raises the efficiency of energy and water consumption | PHOTO/Khaled Al-Khamis

The Saudi Housing Ministry is looking to boost the Kingdom’s real estate market, especially in terms of supporting residential infrastructure. It launched 16 initiatives, looking to increase market value.

Real-estate experts confirmed that the initiatives are starting to show real-time results, stressing that the Ministry will not hesitate in announcing new initiatives if they prove helpful in contributing to solving the housing problem in Saudi Arabia and provide housing for all citizens.

The Mostadam (Arabic for sustainable) program was reviewed positively by experts who say it helps to preserve market value and the median age of buildings and works to attract investment.

Economics Professor Salem Baajajah stressed that Mostadam is one of the most important initiatives announced by the Ministry in the past period. This is traced to its many benefits and extra goals that were necessary in order to complete the scene for the real estate sector.

“The government, represented by the Ministry of Housing, allocates billions of riyals to provide housing for citizens, in view of the high demand for construction, whether by the state or by the citizen, it was necessary to ensure that these new buildings are built according to safety and security standards,”Baajajah said in his review of the Mostadam initiative.

“Mostadam fulfills all conditions combined through services it offers to all those wishing to build their homes,” he added.

“It works to offer services and solutions to boost the quality of buildings and increase water and power efficiency and the confidence index,” Baajajah told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Adhering to the terms of this initiative ensures that operation and maintenance costs of housing units are reduced…it also reduces potential risks in the housing construction process and the costs entailed,” he added.

Mostadam provides services such as quality inspections for residential units belonging to real estate developer. A certificate is handed out to qualifying buildings.



Mohammed bin Salman Welcomes Egypt’s Sisi in Jeddah

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)
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Mohammed bin Salman Welcomes Egypt’s Sisi in Jeddah

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcomed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Jeddah on Monday.

Sisi kicked off a “fraternal” visit to Saudi Arabia as part of the two countries’ “keenness on bolstering the historic brotherly relations that bind them.”

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)

The visit aims to continue consultations and coordination over various regional and international issues of interest, said the Egyptian presidency.

Crown Prince Mohammed also held an iftar banquet in Sisi’s honor.


GCC Secretary-General Meets Lebanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC
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GCC Secretary-General Meets Lebanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC
Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. GCC

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi met Lebanon's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ali Karanouh in Riyadh on Monday.

The two sides discussed several topics, reviewing relations between the GCC and Lebanon and ways to develop them to achieve mutual interests, SPA reported.

They also addressed the latest regional and international developments and conditions.

Albudaiwi noted that the GCC has accepted an invitation to attend the International Conference in Support of the Lebanese Army and Security Forces, scheduled to take place next month in Paris, the capital of France.

He added that this participation reaffirms the GCC’s steadfast support for the brotherly Lebanese Republic and its commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, security, and stability.


Saudi Arabia Stresses importance of Iraq Respecting Kuwait’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity 

Saudi Arabia Stresses importance of Iraq Respecting Kuwait’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity 
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Saudi Arabia Stresses importance of Iraq Respecting Kuwait’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity 

Saudi Arabia Stresses importance of Iraq Respecting Kuwait’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity 

Saudi Arabia reiterated on Monday its “categorical rejections of any claims of rights by any other party in the divided submerged area within its designated boundaries with Kuwait.”

It underscored “the importance of Iraq respecting Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and honoring bilateral and international agreements,” said a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement.

It added that Saudi Arabia was monitoring with “deep concern the coordinate lists and a map filed by Iraq with the United Nations.”

“The submissions include encroachments that extend to large parts of the divided submerged area adjacent to the Saudi-Kuwaiti divided zone.,” it noted.

“The Kingdom shares with Kuwait ownership of natural resources in that area under agreements concluded and in force between them. Those agreements are based on the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” stressed the statement.

“The coordinates also violate the sovereignty of Kuwait over its maritime areas and its maritime elevations, including Fasht Al-Qaid and Fasht Al-Aij,” it remarked.

Kuwait’s foreign ministry said Iraq's claim infringes on Kuwait’s sovereignty by placing Kuwaiti areas, including the Fasht al-Qaid and Fasht al-Aij shoals, in Iraqi territory.

Saudi Arabia called on Iraq to comply with all relevant United Nations resolutions, especially United Nations Security Council Resolution 833. The resolution demarcated the land and maritime boundary between Kuwait and Iraq.

The ministry called for “reason, wisdom and dialogue to prevail in resolving differences,” urging “serious and responsible engagement in line with the rules and principles of international law and good neighborliness.”

Qatar, the United Emirates and Oman have issued statements in solidarity with Kuwait.