Madinah Launches Mega Project with 3,700 Housing Units

Madinah Launches Mega Project with 3,700 Housing Units
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Madinah Launches Mega Project with 3,700 Housing Units

Madinah Launches Mega Project with 3,700 Housing Units

The Municipality of Madinah in western Saudi Arabia said Sunday it has approved a giant real estate project in the form of a residential neighborhood that includes more than 3,728 housing units, such as villas, buildings, mosques, schools and service facilities.

The Municipality didn’t disclose the cost of the project, which will be implemented by the Ministry of Housing in cooperation with the private sector.

It issued a permit to start construction for the project that consists of about 2,962 housing units on a land plot of approximately 740,000 square meters, which will include 766 residential buildings.

Each building has three apartments on separate floors.

According to Madinah Mayor Fahad Albuliheshi, the project falls in line with the joint cooperation among the Municipality, the Housing Ministry branch in Madinah and the Developers Services Center (ETMAM), in partnership with the private sector.

It provides housing units with different areas and designs that suit all needs, he noted.

The facilities and service locations, which were carefully selected and distributed to serve the population density, have been reviewed by architectural engineers, Albuliheshi added.

The project is located in a distinctive location in al-Sakb neighborhood in Madinah along King Khalid and Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz streets, he said.

It accommodates about 13,500 people within an integrated environment, a commercial complex, a health center, six schools for boys and girls, a kindergarten and seven mosques, the municipal chief explained.

General Manager at ETMAM Abdulwahab al-Qahtani stressed the strategic role played by the services center as a government initiative aimed at overcoming the obstacles facing the real estate developers and housing projects.

Qahtani pointed to the integrated role and fruitful cooperation provided by various government agencies to make the initiative a success.



Saudi Arabia Begins Marketing International Bonds Following 2025 Borrowing Plan Announcement

Riyadh (Reuters)
Riyadh (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Begins Marketing International Bonds Following 2025 Borrowing Plan Announcement

Riyadh (Reuters)
Riyadh (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia has entered global debt markets with a planned sale of bonds in three tranches, aiming to use the proceeds to cover budget deficits and repay outstanding debt, according to IFR (International Financing Review).

The indicative pricing for the three-year bonds is set at 120 basis points above US Treasury bonds, while the six- and ten-year bonds are priced at 130 and 140 basis points above US Treasuries, respectively, as reported by Reuters.

The bonds, expected to be of benchmark size (typically at least $500 million), come a day after Saudi Arabia unveiled its 2025 borrowing plan. The Kingdom’s financing needs for the year are estimated at SAR 139 billion ($37 billion), with SAR 101 billion ($26.8 billion) allocated to cover the budget deficit and the remainder to service existing debt.

The National Debt Management Center (NDMC) announced that Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan had approved the 2025 borrowing plan following its endorsement by the NDMC Board. The plan highlights public debt developments for 2024, domestic debt market initiatives, and the 2025 financing roadmap, including the Kingdom’s issuance calendar for local sukuk denominated in Saudi Riyals.

The NDMC emphasized that Saudi Arabia aims to enhance sustainable access to debt markets and broaden its investor base. For 2025, the Kingdom will continue diversifying its domestic and international financing channels to meet funding needs efficiently. Plans include issuing sovereign debt instruments at fair prices under risk management frameworks and pursuing specialized financing opportunities to support economic growth, such as export credit agency-backed funding, infrastructure development financing, and exploring new markets and currencies.

Recently, Saudi Arabia secured a $2.5 billion Sharia-compliant revolving credit facility for three years from three regional and international financial institutions to address budgetary needs.

In 2024, Saudi Arabia issued $17 billion in dollar-denominated bonds, including $12 billion in January and $5 billion in sukuk in May. Rating agencies have recognized the Kingdom’s financial stability. In November, Moody’s upgraded Saudi Arabia’s rating to “AA3,” while Fitch assigned an “A+” rating, both with stable outlooks. S&P Global rated the Kingdom at “A/A-1” with a positive outlook, reflecting its low credit risk and strong capacity to meet financial obligations.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated Saudi Arabia’s public debt-to-GDP ratio at 26.2% for 2024, describing it as low and sustainable. The IMF projects this ratio to reach 35% by 2029, with foreign borrowing playing a significant role in financing fiscal deficits.