Jeddah Central Project Set to Be Prominent Development Project in Kingdom’s Vision 2030

Jeddah Central Project will push the Saudi city into a development movement that will enhance its presence among the top 100 global cities (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Jeddah Central Project will push the Saudi city into a development movement that will enhance its presence among the top 100 global cities (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Jeddah Central Project Set to Be Prominent Development Project in Kingdom’s Vision 2030

Jeddah Central Project will push the Saudi city into a development movement that will enhance its presence among the top 100 global cities (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Jeddah Central Project will push the Saudi city into a development movement that will enhance its presence among the top 100 global cities (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz launched a development plan for the Jeddah Central Project on Friday. The undertaking sets out to be one of the most prominent development projects of the Kingdom’s national program for transformation, Vision 2030.

It aims to develop the city of Jeddah in support of its ambitions to become one of the top 100 cities in the world.

The project will contribute to developing a vital area suitable for recreation, entertainment, and shopping, transforming the city into a unique destination for various segments of society, including residents and visitors.

The project will be implemented by the Public Investment Fund’s Central Jeddah Development in three phases, the first of which will be completed by the end of the year 2027.

Downtown Jeddah will then begin to receive residents and visitors from inside and outside the Kingdom.

The project aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, especially developing tourism sites that live up to the highest international standards. It also provides investment opportunities that contribute to the development of the private sector and the tourism, hospitality, and entertainment sector.

In addition, the city will benefit from the building and development of modern residential areas, encompassing 17,000 residential units and diversified hotel projects that offer more than 2,700 hotel rooms, and the provision of integrated solutions for the business sector.

The project will feature a world-class marina and stunning beach resorts, as well as restaurants and cafes and diverse shopping options.

The waterfront of the project is 9.5 km long, which includes a promenade, a marina to host local and international yachts, and a 2.1 km long beach. Open spaces and public services make up a significant part of the project area, with the provision of designated walking areas to create a walkable environment.



Israel's Leviathan Signs $35 Billion Natural Gas Supply Deal with Egypt

File photo of the Israeli Leviathan field (Reuters)
File photo of the Israeli Leviathan field (Reuters)
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Israel's Leviathan Signs $35 Billion Natural Gas Supply Deal with Egypt

File photo of the Israeli Leviathan field (Reuters)
File photo of the Israeli Leviathan field (Reuters)

Israel's Leviathan natural gas field has signed the largest export agreement in the country's history, worth up to $35 billion to supply gas to Egypt, NewMed, one of the partners in the field, said on Thursday.
Leviathan, off Israel's Mediterranean coast with reserves of some 600 billion cubic meters, will sell about 130 bcm of gas to Egypt through 2040, or until all of the contract quantities are fulfilled, Reuters said.
The Leviathan reservoir began supplying Egypt shortly after production began in 2020. It signed an initial deal in 2019 for 60 bcm - or 4.5 bcm a year - that is expected to be fully supplied by the early 2030s.
Leviathan, the largest natural gas field in the Mediterranean, has already supplied 23.5 bcm of gas to Egypt since 2020, NewMed said.
"This is the most strategically important export deal to ever occur in the eastern Mediterranean, and strengthens Egypt’s position as the most significant hub in the region," NewMed CEO Yossi Abu said.
"This deal, made possible by our strong regional partnerships, will unlock further regional export opportunities, once again proving that natural gas and the wider energy industry can be an anchor for collaboration." Egypt, the most populous Arab country, has endured rolling blackouts over the last two years as government finances are under strain and natural gas supply fell short of demand.
It abandoned plans to become a hub supplying Europe and instead became a net importer of gas, signing over recent months agreements with energy firms and trading houses to buy 150-to-160 cargoes of liquefied natural gas. During a 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June, exports from Leviathan were halted for security reasons.
Under Thursday's deal, Leviathan in a first stage will supply Egypt with 20 bcm of gas starting in early 2026 after the connection of additional pipelines.
It will export the remaining 110 bcm in a second phase that will begin after completion of the Leviathan expansion project and the construction of a new transmission pipeline from Israel to Egypt via Nitzana in Israel, NewMed said.
Leviathan's expansion, it said, should allow for production and supplies within Israel and to its neighbors through 2064.