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Global Bechtel to Establish Transport System Connecting NEOM Cities

NEOM Co. has awarded a contract to Bechtel for executive project management work on the development of the base infrastructure for NEOM cities. (NEOM Twitter)
NEOM Co. has awarded a contract to Bechtel for executive project management work on the development of the base infrastructure for NEOM cities. (NEOM Twitter)
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Global Bechtel to Establish Transport System Connecting NEOM Cities

NEOM Co. has awarded a contract to Bechtel for executive project management work on the development of the base infrastructure for NEOM cities. (NEOM Twitter)
NEOM Co. has awarded a contract to Bechtel for executive project management work on the development of the base infrastructure for NEOM cities. (NEOM Twitter)

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM Co. has awarded a contract to US-based Bechtel for executive project management work on the development of the base infrastructure for NEOM cities, as the Saudi Vision 2030 giga-project advances work to create the world’s leading destination to attract talent and investment.

Bechtel was selected to oversee and create resource-efficient utilities and a highly advanced transport system to connect NEOM’s cognitive cities.

Commenting on the award, NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al Nasr said: “Built from the ground up as a model of future living, NEOM will be one of the largest, most sophisticated and advanced infrastructure projects ever undertaken globally, and we are delighted to have a major industry leader like Bechtel on board to work with us to realize our ambitions.”

Bechtel Chairman & CEO, Brendan Bechtel said in a statement: “NEOM is one of the most complex projects in living memory and we are proud to be part of it. The vision for a futuristic, innovative and sustainable ecosystem is unique and bold, and we believe NEOM will change the way new cities are developed by future generations. We have helped our customers shape the Kingdom’s history with many key projects and we are honored to be a partner in building its future.”

Last July, NEOM awarded a contract to develop the digital infrastructure in its cities, through building and operating a 5G network with the Saudi Telecom Group.

NEOM has also entered into a partnership with Air Products and ACWA Power, worth $5 billion, to establish the world’s largest project to produce hydrogen and ammonia in a clean and environmentally friendly manner, which will be ready for operation in 2025.

Cognitive cities are technically enhanced and digitally sustainable societies that benefit from data in a greater proportion than smart cities, in order to provide exceptional livelihoods that improve the quality of life of residents and support business sectors.

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World Bank: Earthquake Worsens Myanmar's Economic Decline

This photo taken on May 8, 2025 shows a worker walking past sacks of rice in a warehouse on the outskirts of Zalun township in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta region. (Photo by Sai Aung MAIN / AFP)
This photo taken on May 8, 2025 shows a worker walking past sacks of rice in a warehouse on the outskirts of Zalun township in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta region. (Photo by Sai Aung MAIN / AFP)
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World Bank: Earthquake Worsens Myanmar's Economic Decline

This photo taken on May 8, 2025 shows a worker walking past sacks of rice in a warehouse on the outskirts of Zalun township in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta region. (Photo by Sai Aung MAIN / AFP)
This photo taken on May 8, 2025 shows a worker walking past sacks of rice in a warehouse on the outskirts of Zalun township in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta region. (Photo by Sai Aung MAIN / AFP)

Myanmar's beleaguered economy is expected to contract by 2.5 percent in the 2025/26 fiscal year largely due to the devastating impact of a powerful earthquake in late March, the World Bank said in a report on Thursday.

The World Bank said direct damages to property and infrastructure from the 7.7 magnitude quake were estimated at $11 billion, or 14% of the nation's gross domestic product, estimating that economic output would be about $2 billion lower than it otherwise would have been because of the quake.

The quake affected more than 17 million people, with nine million severely impacted, the World Bank said. The death toll has topped 3,700, according to Myanmar's ruling junta.

"The earthquake caused significant loss of life and displacement, while exacerbating already difficult economic conditions, further testing the resilience of Myanmar's people," Melinda Good, Division Director for Thailand and Myanmar, said a statement.
"Recovery efforts are essential to help the most vulnerable populations."

A junta spokesman did not respond to a call from Reuters seeking comment on the report.

In December, the World Bank had projected Myanmar's economy would shrink 1% in the 2024/25 fiscal year that ended in March due to the severe flooding in the country.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power in a coup in February 2021, sparking a civil war. There have been international efforts to stall the conflict, but rebels have accused the junta of breaching a ceasefire called to allow relief efforts to reach earthquake-affected areas.

The hardest-hit regions of Mandalay and Naypyidaw were expected to lose up to one-third of their production between April and September before a partial recovery in the second half of the fiscal year, the World Bank said.

The earthquake could increase the national poverty rate by 2.8 percentage points, pushing more households into poverty, the report stated. A survey before the quake estimated the poverty rate at 31% in 2024.

"Myanmar's compounding crises have put household coping mechanisms under severe stress," said Kim Edwards, Senior Economist and Program Leader for Thailand and Myanmar.