Saudi Arabia showcases its global leadership role at WEF  

The World Economic Forum is being held in Davos. WEF
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Updated 16 January 2024
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Saudi Arabia showcases its global leadership role at WEF  

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s participation in the five-day annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is bolstered by its position and leadership role in the global arena, according to a top official.    

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, Princess Reema bint Bandar, the Kingdom’s ambassador to the US, said that guided by its Vision 2030 the country has made remarkable achievements in various international forums and adopted a new approach in its foreign policy.   

This has established Saudi Arabia as a leader in the region and the world.    

She also expressed her keenness to play a key role in enhancing the Kingdom’s successful engagement at the WEF by exchanging views and ideas that can help address global challenges.  

Princess Reema is eager to share Saudi Arabia’s achievements in the political, economic, climate, technical and innovative domains at the event.    

For his part, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha discussed ways to enhance cooperation and digital inclusion with the secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, on Jan. 15.  

On the sidelines of the WEF annual meeting, the discussion focused on stimulating collaborations and initiatives aimed at connecting the world, empowering individuals, and protecting the planet.  

Additionally, the talks also focused on how important it is to develop partnerships in order to support the expansion of the digital economy, and how critical it is to take advantage of generative artificial intelligence prospects, advance national digital skills, and support digital entrepreneurship.  

In an effort to strengthen collaborations in the fields of innovation and the digital economy, Al-Swaha also met with a number of executives from well-known international technology and innovation businesses.  

The topics of discussion included creating technologies and solutions for cloud computing, generative AI, and improving Saudis’ digital skills in new fields like digital content localization.  

Furthermore, the minister met with Alexander Wang, the founder and CEO of Scale AI, and Borje Ekholm, president and CEO of the Ericsson Group, to discuss collaborations, share expertise, and promote the expansion of the digital economy and innovation.  

During the WEF annual meeting, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef held several meetings with a number of leaders of international companies and institutions, according to Saudi Press Agency. 

Alkhorayef discussed enhancing cooperation and promising investment opportunities in the industrial and mining sectors, as well as developing avenues for trade exchange and increasing the access of Saudi non-oil exports to global markets. 

“Saudi Arabia is open for business,” Alkhorayef said, highlighting the Kingdom’s efforts to attract investors and entrepreneurs to the mining and Industry sectors from around the world, according to a tweet by the Ministry of Economy and Planning on X. 


Industry leaders highlight Riyadh’s Metro, infrastructure as investment catalysts

Updated 29 December 2025
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Industry leaders highlight Riyadh’s Metro, infrastructure as investment catalysts

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, is experiencing a transformative phase in its real estate sector, with the construction market projected to reach approximately $100 billion in 2025, accompanied by an anticipated annual growth rate of 5.4 percent through 2029.

The Kingdom is simultaneously advancing its data center capacity at an accelerated pace, with an impressive 2.7 GW currently in the pipeline. This expansion underscores the critical role of strategic land and power planning in establishing national infrastructure as a cornerstone of economic growth.

These insights were shared by leading industry experts during JLL’s recent client event in Riyadh, which focused on the city’s macroeconomic landscape and emerging trends across office, residential, retail, hospitality, and pioneering sectors, including AI infrastructure and Transit-Oriented Development.

Saud Al-Sulaimani, Country Lead and Head of Capital Markets at JLL Saudi Arabia, commented: “Riyadh is positioned at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, offering unparalleled opportunities for both investors and developers. National priorities are continuously recalibrated to ensure strategic alignment of projects and foster deeper collaboration with the private sector.”

He added: “Recent regulatory developments, including the introduction of the White Land Tax and the rent freeze, are designed to stabilize the market and are expected to drive renewed focus on delivering premium-quality assets. This dynamic environment, coupled with evolving construction cost considerations in select segments, is fundamentally reshaping the market landscape while accelerating progress toward our national objectives.”

The event further underscored the transformative impact of infrastructure initiatives. Mireille Azzam Vidjen, Head of Consulting for the Middle East and Africa at JLL, highlighted Riyadh’s transit revolution. She detailed the Riyadh Metro, a $22.5 billion investment encompassing 176 kilometers, six lines, and 84 stations, providing extensive geographic coverage, with a depth of 9.8 km per 100 sq. km. This strategic development generates significant TOD opportunities, with properties in proximity potentially commanding a 20-30 percent premium. JLL emphasized the importance of implementing climate-responsive last-mile solutions to enhance mobility and accessibility, particularly given Riyadh’s extreme temperatures.

Gaurav Mathur, Head of Data Centers at JLL, emphasized the rapid expansion of the Kingdom’s AI infrastructure, signaling a critical area for technological investment and innovation.

Focusing on the construction sector, Maroun Deeb, Head of Projects and Development Services, KSA at JLL, explained that the industry is actively navigating complexities such as skilled labor availability, material costs, and supply chain dynamics.

He highlighted the adoption of Building Information Modeling as a key driver for enhancing operational efficiency and project delivery.