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Saudi Crown Prince Launches ‘The Journey Through Time’ Masterplan for AlUla

“The Journey Through Time” represents a key milestone in the transformation of AlUla into a global destination for heritage. (SPA)
“The Journey Through Time” represents a key milestone in the transformation of AlUla into a global destination for heritage. (SPA)
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Saudi Crown Prince Launches ‘The Journey Through Time’ Masterplan for AlUla

“The Journey Through Time” represents a key milestone in the transformation of AlUla into a global destination for heritage. (SPA)
“The Journey Through Time” represents a key milestone in the transformation of AlUla into a global destination for heritage. (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Chairman of the Royal Commission for AlUla, launched on Wednesday a visionary masterplan that sets to responsibly and sustainably develop the core historical area of AlUla, a unique cultural landscape located in northwestern Arabia.

“The Journey Through Time” represents a key milestone in the transformation of AlUla into a global destination for heritage, culture and nature, and contributes to the advancement of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Under the leadership of the Crown Prince and the guidance of Prince Badr, the Saudi Minister of Culture, and the Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), the plan will be implemented in three phases until 2035, with the first phase set to be completed by 2023.

The masterplan represents the first phase of a wider development strategy for AlUla, which is being overseen by the RCU. Upon completion in 2035, the Commission aims to create 38,000 new jobs amid a population grown to 130,000, with AlUla contributing SAR 120 billion to the Kingdom’s GDP.

The masterplan draws on the deep-rooted essence of what AlUla already is – an oasis of unique culture, heritage, nature, and community – promoting the inclusion of the local community in AlUla’s development process to inform the future and open new chapters in AlUla’s unfolding history.

As part of the masterplan, five districts spanning the 20km heart of AlUla will serve as waypoints on the “Journey Through Time”, representing a Living Museum.

The five key districts envisioned in the masterplan include the AlUla Old Town, Dadan, Jabal Ikmah, Nabataean Horizon and Hegra Historical City.

Each of these districts is a cultural landmark in its own right and reflective of the topography and nature that is unique to each location. The highly differentiated experiences and cultural assets are designed to be visitor-centric, rewarding more immersive discovery of the region’s rich culture and history.

Fifteen new cultural assets including museums, galleries and cultural centers are planned as part of the masterplan, serving as landmarks across each district. Besides, 5,000 room keys will also be added, with each district offering its tailored blend of living and hospitality options, ranging from hotels and eco-tourism resorts to exclusive lodges and canyon farms carved into the sandstone rocks.

The Kingdoms Institute, one of the plan’s flagship components, will be a global hub for archaeological knowledge and research dedicated to the cultures and civilizations that have inhabited this area for more than 7,000 years. This includes the ancient kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan and the magnificent Nabataeans, who built the city of Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The masterplan offers several sustainable mobility solutions to help visitors traverse each of the districts, to minimize road congestion and noise levels. A scenic roadway as well as bicycle, equestrian, and pedestrian trails will promote a smooth and experiential approach to mobility, championing low-carbon journeys.

Reflecting AlUla’s standing as a historic crossroads and the cultural center of northwestern Arabia, the historical tramway will ensure that visitors enjoy a memorable and historically stimulating experience, connecting from AlUla’s International Airport to the five districts.

The masterplan also serves as an investment in AlUla’s citizens and their future, emphasizing RCU’s commitment to community inclusivity. Fully embedded within the plan, new community-driven services, amenities as well as cultural and educational facilities will together promote the development of the local tourism, cultural and agricultural economies for AlUla, helping to nurture a thriving and vibrant society in a great place to live, work and explore. Also, the masterplan will contribute to the revitalization and rehabilitation of the cultural oasis, and the sustainable development of its agricultural community, as a commitment to developing the agricultural sector in AlUla.

Reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s renewed commitment to the preservation and protection of world heritage, knowledge and research, the masterplan is backed by extensive scientific studies on AlUla’s human patterns, environmental and geological evolution, led by a team of international and Saudi experts over three years. It seeks to achieve the concept of coexistence with nature and to celebrate the cultural and historical heritage of AlUla.

As a direct result, the revitalization of AlUla's cultural oasis and the sustainable development of its community is an integral part of the plan, in response to the challenges of sustainably and responsibly developing in a fragile desert environment. At the heart of this are several robust resiliency policies, including circularity commitments, as well as flood and improved water management and sustainable agricultural production.

Together, the two flagship projects of the masterplan – the Kingdoms Institute and the Cultural Oasis – reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment to offering the world a viable model for protecting, preserving and contributing to the world’s cultural and natural legacy.

Solid policies have been adopted regarding development in heritage and environmentally sensitive areas, development of AlUla community, sustainable agricultural production, improvement of water management, in addition to promoting the principles of circular economy in the masterplan.

Contributing to the Saudi Green Initiative, the regeneration of AlUla is underpinned by a strategy to rehabilitate the land and reverse the course of desertification in the area. Enabling a major expansion of AlUla’s green and open spaces up to 10 million square meters, 80 percent of AlUla province is also being designated as nature reserves with key flora and fauna reintroduced, as well as the conservation of wild animals.

This will be achieved through income generated by welcoming two million visitors annually, offering over 9,000 hotel keys in total across the six areas, and further promoting agriculture, arts and culture, and tourism as key economic drivers for AlUla. Unique opportunities brought on by the development of the masterplan will further encourage and accelerate business and investment from partners who share RCU’s values of sustainability, responsible development and community inclusivity.

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Business

Egypt Seeks Faster Progress on Libya Gas, Refining and Power Projects

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a press conference with Minister of Information Diaa Rashwan (not pictured) in Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2026. (Reuters)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a press conference with Minister of Information Diaa Rashwan (not pictured) in Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2026. (Reuters)
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Egypt Seeks Faster Progress on Libya Gas, Refining and Power Projects

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a press conference with Minister of Information Diaa Rashwan (not pictured) in Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2026. (Reuters)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty speaks during a press conference with Minister of Information Diaa Rashwan (not pictured) in Cairo, Egypt, March 25, 2026. (Reuters)

Egypt aims to accelerate energy projects with Libya, including gas pipeline links, refining of Libyan crude in Egypt and an electricity interconnection, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said late on Saturday.

Abdelatty's comments were in ‌a ministry ‌statement after a meeting ‌with ⁠Libya’s acting oil ⁠and gas minister Khalifa Abdulsadek in Tripoli.

Abdelatty also ‌called for cooperation on petroleum products and the completion of projects to refine Libyan ‌oil in Egypt and re-export it, the statement said, ⁠adding ⁠that Abdulsadek had said that Libya would continue implementing existing projects and would visit Cairo soon to continue technical talks with Egypt’s petroleum and electricity ministers.

The statement did not provide details on costs or the status of the projects.

Business

GCC: Railway Agreement Sets Joint Framework for Project Implementation and Operation

GCC transport ministers pose for a group photo following the 27th committee meeting in Kuwait. (GCC Railway Authority)
GCC transport ministers pose for a group photo following the 27th committee meeting in Kuwait. (GCC Railway Authority)
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GCC: Railway Agreement Sets Joint Framework for Project Implementation and Operation

GCC transport ministers pose for a group photo following the 27th committee meeting in Kuwait. (GCC Railway Authority)
GCC transport ministers pose for a group photo following the 27th committee meeting in Kuwait. (GCC Railway Authority)

Jasem Albudaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), said on Sunday that the signing of the General Agreement on the GCC Railway Project marked an important step toward establishing an integrated regional transport network.

He said the network would facilitate the movement of citizens and residents, ease freight transport, boost intra-GCC trade efficiency and strengthen member states’ economic competitiveness and the region’s position in regional and international trade.

Albudaiwi's remarks came at the signing ceremony in the Bahraini capital, Manama, on Sunday, held under the patronage and in the presence of Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

He said the project reflected the GCC’s shared ambition to connect member states and improve mobility and trade by linking their economic and industrial hubs, ports and logistics centers.

He added that the project would create opportunities for safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally friendly transport services that meet development needs, serve the aspirations of future generations and strengthen economic integration among GCC states.

Albudaiwi said the agreement sets a common framework for member states to implement and operate the project in coordination with their national railway networks, while establishing mechanisms and a timetable to accelerate its completion.

Albudaiwi praised GCC leaders and transport ministers for their support of strategic regional projects, thanking Bahrain’s crown prince and prime minister for hosting the signing ceremony and officials for advancing the railway project.

Business

Mega Projects Drive Growth for Saudi Small and Medium Factories

A factory in Madinah’s industrial city. (SPA)
A factory in Madinah’s industrial city. (SPA)
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Mega Projects Drive Growth for Saudi Small and Medium Factories

A factory in Madinah’s industrial city. (SPA)
A factory in Madinah’s industrial city. (SPA)

Mega projects in Saudi Arabia are offering increasing opportunities for small and medium-sized factories to expand their businesses and integrate into local supply chains. This shift is accompanied by growing demand for industrial products and auxiliary services, including transport, warehousing, maintenance, and engineering services.

This demand has the potential to broaden the domestic manufacturing base, enabling factories to scale up capacity and upgrade their products rather than limiting their operations to meeting existing market needs. However, capitalizing on these opportunities remains contingent on the factories' ability to overcome financing and liquidity challenges, secure qualification from major corporations, and meet strict requirements for volume, specifications, and delivery schedules.

Experts speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat noted that integrating small and medium-sized industrial enterprises into supply chains requires tailoring opportunities to match their actual capacities. They also stressed the need to develop financing solutions that assist these companies in executing contracts, alongside creating avenues for them to build a track record that qualifies them to compete for larger orders.

A worker at a factory in Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Mega projects expand domestic demand base

Dr. Abdullah Al-Salloum, a finance professor at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, stated that small and medium-sized enterprises represent roughly 90 percent of global businesses, provide 60 to 70 percent of employment, and account for about 50 percent of the world's GDP.

Strengthening their role in industrial activity remains a primary developmental objective, he added.

He explained that Saudi Arabia is working to expand the contribution of these enterprises by developing the regulatory environment and national industrial strategies, improving logistics services, and reducing investment risks, as well as stimulating demand for local products through mega projects, value chains, procurement, and local content programs.

Al-Salloum added that the industrial ecosystem provides financing solutions and demand guarantees for national products, alongside qualification and operational support programs. He cited the industrial business accelerator affiliated with the Public Investment Fund, which he said received 350 applications over the past year.

These initiatives offer domestic manufacturing an opportunity to strengthen its presence in the local market and leverage that footing to expand into regional and international markets, he remarked.

The participation of small and medium-sized enterprises in the supply chains of mega projects is not limited to factories producing goods, but extends to supporting activities and services, such as transport, warehousing, maintenance, and engineering services, thereby expanding the base of beneficiaries from investment spending, he said.

The higher the capacity of local industry to meet the needs of these projects, the greater the share of spending that remains within the national economy, he explained.

He cited as an example the spending of the PIF and its subsidiaries on local content, which reached 207 billion riyals ($55.2 billion) during 2024, according to an announcement by the fund's governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan. He explained that while this figure is not exclusive to small and medium enterprises or industrial factories, it reflects the volume of demand that local factories can leverage to expand their businesses and develop their products.

Visitors at the 2025 Saudi Industrial Expo. (Saudi Made)

Al-Salloum explained that recurring orders help factories raise their capacity utilization rates and distribute fixed costs across a larger number of units, thereby improving efficiency and enabling them to invest in equipment, technologies, and workforce training. It also provides them with a supply track record and practical experience that can be leveraged to attract new clients both within Saudi Arabia and abroad.

He said that reducing reliance on imports is linked to the capacity of local industry to produce a wider range of goods, components, and services that were previously imported, increasing domestic value-added, while acknowledging the continued need for certain imports during the initial stages of industrial development.

Al-Salloum added that the expansion of domestic production creates jobs across multiple fields, including technicians, engineers, and workers in quality control, operations, and maintenance.

The sustainability of these jobs depends on the factories' capacity to diversify their client base and avoid relying on a single project or entity, he remarked.

Liquidity and demand continuity present challenges for factories

Consulting engineer Abdulaziz Aba Arrous, CEO of A&BC for Safety Tools and Materials Manufacturing, stated that while the Saudi industrial sector has received government support and incentives that helped boost confidence in investment and expansion, factories still face daily challenges related to liquidity and demand continuity.

He explained that executing a large order requires the factory to purchase raw materials and pay wages and production costs before collecting its dues, creating a financing gap between the start of implementation and receiving the supply value. Furthermore, scaling up production capacity demands investment in equipment and recruiting qualified technical labor, as well as bearing continuous operational obligations.

Clarity regarding future demand, the availability of long-term contracts, and the regular settlement of dues are factors that help enterprises plan, expand, and utilize available support and incentives, rather than operating under intermittent orders that make it difficult to determine production and investment needs, he continued.

Aba Arrous said that opportunities for small and medium-sized factories to enter the supply chains of mega projects exist, but they vary depending on the nature of the product, the volume of demand, and the factory's ability to commit to specifications, quantities, and delivery schedules.

He added that the "Etimad" platform allows enterprises to view government tenders, while the preference for national products, in accordance with applicable regulations, contributes to boosting the competitiveness of local factories. However, the challenge with major corporations often begins at the stage of registration and qualification as an approved supplier, prior to accessing an actual supply opportunity.

Aba Arrous explained that while a factory may possess a quality product and adequate production capacity, it often faces lengthy qualification procedures, or orders with volumes and payment terms that exceed its financial capabilities. Therefore, he highlighted the importance of awarding small and medium-sized enterprises initial orders tailored to their capacities, with the volume of business scaling up based on execution quality and adherence to delivery schedules.

This approach allows the factory to prove its capability while enabling the buyer to assess its actual performance, he noted.

Qualification and financing requirements determine expansion opportunities

Regarding the obstacles preventing factories from securing supply contracts, Al-Salloum stated that financing challenges, production capacity, qualification requirements, and contract accessibility are interconnected.

A factory may possess a quality product but lack the experience necessary to qualify as a supplier, or it may secure a contract without having sufficient liquidity to execute it, he explained.

He pointed to the PIF's announcement in September 2026 of the launch of the "Tawreed" company, aimed at providing supply chain financing products, including early payment against approved invoices. He said that while these solutions can improve cash flows for factories, they do not replace the need for pre-invoice financing, which is essential for the enterprise to purchase raw materials and commence production.

Quality, safety, and compliance requirements are essential, but experience, financial solvency, and guarantee demands should align with the contract size and the nature of its risks, preventing qualification criteria from becoming a barrier to smaller factories, he added.

He also called for providing these enterprises with opportunities to prove their capabilities through smaller orders before moving to larger contracts.

A view inside of a Saudi factory. (Vision 2030)

For his part, Aba Arrous explained that small and medium-sized factories are capable of supplying various products to mega projects, including metal products, electrical components, packaging materials, and safety equipment, alongside maintenance services and custom manufacturing.

He noted that his company operates in the field of industrial safety equipment, and its products include personal protective equipment for industrial sector workers, such as flame- and heat-resistant clothing and cut-resistant gloves, whose specifications are determined according to the nature of the hazards and usage requirements.

He added that the proximity of local factories to clients gives them an advantage in monitoring their needs, managing variations in quantities and sizes, and responding to required modifications, compared to direct imports which may take longer in some cases. This proximity helps in developing products and building ongoing supply relationships with clients.

Client diversification ensures sustainable growth

Al-Salloum stressed that overreliance on mega projects or government initiatives could expose enterprises to single-customer concentration risks, making productivity improvements, cost controls, and customer base diversification essential for business sustainability, rather than tying the factory's future to specific contracts or a single entity.

The most significant developmental impact of small and medium factories participating in these projects extends to building more productive enterprises, developing worker skills, and forming a baseline of competitive national products, enabling local industry to sustain itself and grow after the projects conclude, he said.