Saudi Arabia Allocates 100 Mln Sqm of Land to Reduce Real Estate Prices

Saudi Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al Hogail (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al Hogail (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Allocates 100 Mln Sqm of Land to Reduce Real Estate Prices

Saudi Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al Hogail (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al Hogail (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al Hogail said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered allocating the residential sector with 100 million square meters (sqm) of land in Riyadh and other cities, where land and real estate prices are rising.

Al Hogail revealed that about 1.5 million Saudi families have benefited from housing subsidies during the past four years.

Moreover, the minister affirmed that the rate of ownership among Saudis has reached about 60% since the launch of the housing program until 2020. This means that the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goal of having 70% Saudi ownership of homes is almost achieved.

In a Monday press conference, Al Hogail said that real estate financing recorded significant leaps, providing more than 300,000 annual mortgage loans since the launch of Vision 2030.

The Kingdom is exerting efforts to ensure a sustainable housing environment that aligns with four key axes that include financing, supply support, legislation development, and services.

The Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) wholly owned Saudi Real Estate Refinance Co. (SRC) supported market liquidity by purchasing portfolios of over SAR25 billion ($6.6 billion) in the last two years.

“By the end of this year, we aim to buy additional portfolios worth SAR45 billion ($12 billion) to inject liquidity into the financing sector, and ensure products of up to 25-year term to facilitate loans for nationals,” Al Hogail added.

The housing program targets providing 365,000 homes until 2025 to fulfill the applications in the program, the minister affirmed.

The ministry aims to find solutions for all income brackets, including the neediest families. The Joodeskan platform served 8,000 households through offering units and supporting rents. Total contributions on the platform surpassed SAR 1 billion ($266 million) in 2022.



EU May Suspend Syria Sanctions on Energy and Transport

FILE PHOTO: A general view of the commercial harbor of Syria's coastal city of Tartous, Syria, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view of the commercial harbor of Syria's coastal city of Tartous, Syria, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
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EU May Suspend Syria Sanctions on Energy and Transport

FILE PHOTO: A general view of the commercial harbor of Syria's coastal city of Tartous, Syria, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view of the commercial harbor of Syria's coastal city of Tartous, Syria, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo

The European Union may soon suspend sanctions on Syria related to energy and transport but has yet to agree on whether to ease restrictions on financial transactions, according to three diplomats and a document seen by Reuters.
EU foreign ministers will discuss the matter at a meeting in Brussels on Monday. The bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Reuters on Wednesday she hopes a political agreement on easing the sanctions can be reached at the gathering.
Europe’s approach to Damascus began to shift after Bashar al-Assad was ousted as president in December by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which the United Nations designates as a terrorist group.
Officials see transport as key for helping Syria’s airports become fully operational, which in turn could facilitate the return of refugees. Energy and electricity are similarly seen as important for improving living conditions to help stabilize the country and encourage citizens to come back.
According to an EU document seen by Reuters, diplomats from the bloc's 27 members recommended taking swift action towards suspending the restrictions "in sectors necessary for economic stabilization and launch of economic reconstruction of Syria, such as those regarding energy and transport”.
The diplomats, who are part of a group that negotiates the EU’s foreign policy positions on issues related to the Middle East and North Africa, also recommended “assessing options for reopening banking and investment relations with Syria”.
“The easing of EU restrictive measures would be rolled out in a staged approach and in a reversible manner, regularly assessing if the conditions in Syria allow for further suspension,” the diplomats wrote, pointing to the need for respect for fundamental freedoms and an inclusive transition.
The wording of the document represents a compromise among EU capitals. Some governments want to move quickly to suspend sanctions, while others prefer a more careful and gradual approach to ensure Europe retains leverage.
If a political agreement is announced on Monday, European officials would proceed to work on the technical details of a suspension.
A number of sanctions should remain in place, according to the document, including measures related to the Al-Assad regime, illicit drug trade and arms trade.