Saudi Arabia Presents ‘The Line,’ an Icon for Nature Conservation

The Line pedestrian city in NEOM is the first model for preserving the planet in the world. (SPA)
The Line pedestrian city in NEOM is the first model for preserving the planet in the world. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Presents ‘The Line,’ an Icon for Nature Conservation

The Line pedestrian city in NEOM is the first model for preserving the planet in the world. (SPA)
The Line pedestrian city in NEOM is the first model for preserving the planet in the world. (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s unveiling of plans to build a huge new zero-carbon city at NEOM, a mega project and a key pillar of Kingdom Vision 2030, has put the Kingdom at the forefront of countries pursuing the establishment of modern cities.

Located in northwestern Saudi Arabia, the project named “The Line”, will be home to a million people and have no cars and no streets, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.

Building The Line is set to cost between $100 to 200 billion. The Crown Prince confirmed that the backbone of investment would come from Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom's sovereign wealth fund – the Public Investment Fund (PIF) – as well as local and international investors for the NEOM project.

Positive reactions towards the new project flooded social media platforms.

According to the Crown Prince, the project was announced after three years of planning.

More so, he confirmed that communities at The Line will be powered by Artificial Intelligence and the city will comprise carbon-positive urban developments powered by completely clean energy.

The project will be an economic engine for the Kingdom and will drive diversification in line with the Vision 2030 reform program.

Construction of the revolutionary city will preserve 95% of nature within NEOM and will commence in the first quarter of this year.

The city will be a 170-kilometer belt of “hyper-connected future communities,” and will be built around the natural environment, confirmed the Crown Prince.

“We need to transform the concept of a conventional city into that of a futuristic one,” he added at an event to launch the city.

“By 2050, one billion people will have to relocate due to rising CO2 emissions and sea levels. 90% of people breathe polluted air,” the crown prince said.

“Why should we sacrifice nature for the sake of development? Why should seven million people die every year because of pollution? Why should we lose one million people every year due to traffic accidents? And why should we accept wasting years of our lives commuting?” he asked.

The pedestrian city will have services such as schools, health centers and green spaces, as well as high-speed public transportation. It also promises that everything anyone could need would be only a five-minute walk away.



US-Saudi Business Council Hosts High-Level Investment Event

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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US-Saudi Business Council Hosts High-Level Investment Event

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

The US-Saudi Business Council, in collaboration with the White House and the US Department of Commerce, hosted a high-level investment event on Friday in Washington.
The event was held in preparation for the upcoming visit of US President Donald Trump to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the economic partnership between the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency said Saturday.
The event was attended by senior executives from more than 50 American companies, alongside a high-level Saudi delegation that included officials from over 10 ministries, government agencies, and private-sector companies. The gathering provided a valuable opportunity for dialogue and the exchange of perspectives on the prospects for bilateral cooperation.
Representatives from the US Department of Commerce and the US-Saudi Business Council presented strategic visions and key topics focused on supporting trade and investment relations between both sides.
Participants discussed cooperation opportunities in sectors vital to both economies, including digitalization and artificial intelligence, mining and minerals, innovation in the energy sector, and the development of cross-border trade and investment.
Bilateral meetings between representatives of American companies and the Saudi delegation offered platforms to explore market trends and strengthen direct business relations.
The event reflected the shared commitment of both countries to advance economic cooperation to deeper levels and highlights the pivotal role of the US-Saudi Business Council in building bridges between the public and private sectors in both Saudi Arabia and the United States.