NEOM Kicks off Work on First Phase of Residential Complexes

Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM in Riyadh, October 25. (Reuters)
Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM in Riyadh, October 25. (Reuters)
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NEOM Kicks off Work on First Phase of Residential Complexes

Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM in Riyadh, October 25. (Reuters)
Visitors watch a 3D presentation during an exhibition on NEOM in Riyadh, October 25. (Reuters)

The NEOM company on Tuesday started construction work on the first phase of residential complexes dedicated to project workers’ housing. The first phase will house 30,000 workers who will be moving to NEOM to develop different areas of the project.

Building work kicked off with the attendance of NEOM Chief Executive Nadhmi al-Nasr as well as heads of the two Saudi companies who won contracts for the construction of the complexes, Al-Tamimi Group and Saudi Arabian Trading & Construction Co. ( SATCO).

The contracts allow the companies to operate the housing for 10 years. This is considered the first investment opportunity listed by NEOM.

Nasr urged developers to focus on the local content and increase the quantity of manufactured products and inputs in Saudi Arabia in support of the local economy and in tandem with the Saudi approach to boost local content in giant projects.

This meets guidelines of NEOM board of directors, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.

NEOM Chief Executive demanded firms to create job opportunities to residents of NEOM, pledging to back these firms in all means to achieve human development.

The residential region consists of several complexes in which Al-Tamimi Group has contracts to build two residential complexes with each fitting to 10,000 workers, while SATCO would construct a similar complex with the same capacity.

The project workers’ housing would provide a life-pattern that seeks to prepare an adequate business environment that goes in tandem with the goals of NEOM and the best world practices.

NEOM is located in an area of about 26.5 thousand square kilometers in the north-west of the kingdom. The project would be a pillar of economic transformation within Saudi Vision 2030 to provide various income sources through NEOM economic sectors and real estate investments.



China Seeks to Bolster Ports and Aviation Hubs in Western Regions

The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022.  (Reuters)
The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022. (Reuters)
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China Seeks to Bolster Ports and Aviation Hubs in Western Regions

The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022.  (Reuters)
The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022. (Reuters)

China said on Sunday it would launch 15 measures to bolster the development of its western provinces with the construction of logistical infrastructure such as ports and aviation hubs.

The General Administration of Customs said the measures would enhance the integration of rail, air, river and sea links in China's west, state media reported.

The measures are to include enhancing international aviation hubs in cities including Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi'an and Urumqi, while developing comprehensive bonded zones, and integrating these with ports and other transport links.

A number of ports would also be built and expanded.

China has long sought to bolster the economic heft of its western regions, which have markedly lagged coastal provinces.

China's western regions comprise around two-thirds of the country's land area and include regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet.

China's Politburo last year called for a "new urbanization" of western China to revitalize rural areas, expand poverty alleviation efforts and strengthen energy resources. Efforts have also been made to increase linkages to Europe and South Asia through trade corridors including rail freight routes.