New Murabba partners with Tourism Development Fund to bring Riyadh’s downtown to life

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The MoU was signed by New Murabba Development Company CEO Michael Dyke and TDF chief executive Qusai bin Abdullah Al-Fakhri. (Twitter @newmurabba)
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The MoU was signed by New Murabba Development Company CEO Michael Dyke and TDF chief executive Qusai bin Abdullah Al-Fakhri. (Twitter @newmurabba)
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Updated 01 March 2024
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New Murabba partners with Tourism Development Fund to bring Riyadh’s downtown to life

  • The agreement aims to unlock New Murabba’s potential, placing Riyadh at the forefront of global destinations

RIYADH: New Murabba Development Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tourism Development Fund to spearhead the transformation of Riyadh.

The agreement will see the two entities work together to create New Murabba, for what they envisage will be the world’s largest modern downtown, serving as a model for future urban development and contributing toward Riyadh city’s evolution, in line with Vision 2030.

NMDC’s strategic partnership with TFD is pivotal in realizing New Murabba’s ambition to create the most advanced, transformative, downtown experience in the world. It aims to fulfil Saudi Arabia’s potential as a leading investment destination — for what the entities involved foresee as a place where people live, work and play; a tourism and hospitality hotspot distinguished by a thriving technology ecosystem; an enabling business environment; and a diverse and welcoming society.

The MoU was signed by New Murabba Development Company CEO Michael Dyke and TDF chief executive Qusai bin Abdullah Al-Fakhri. As part of the agreement, TDF will provide direct financing opportunities in collaboration with its network of partners and contracted investors, solidifying NMDC’s access to TDF’s expertise, networks and investment capabilities.

The agreement aims to unlock New Murabba’s potential, placing Riyadh at the forefront of global destinations and showcasing the Kingdom’s commitment to innovative, sustainable urban development, cultural richness and international visitor experiences.

 


Saudi Arabia emerges as regional leader in government AI

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Saudi Arabia emerges as regional leader in government AI

  • Saudi Arabia also placed seventh globally in the governance pillar and ninth worldwide for public-sector AI adoption

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has topped the Middle East and North Africa in the Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index 2025, underlining the Kingdom’s rapid progress in adopting artificial intelligence across government services, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The index, one of the world’s leading benchmarks for artificial intelligence policy and regulatory planning, assesses the ability of 195 governments to deploy and leverage AI in public policy.

It evaluates performance across governance, infrastructure and institutional readiness.

Saudi Arabia also placed seventh globally in the governance pillar and ninth worldwide for public-sector AI adoption, highlighting balanced development across both regulatory frameworks and practical implementation.

The strong showing reflects the maturity of the Kingdom’s national AI ecosystem and its growing role in promoting the responsible use of advanced technologies to improve government efficiency, enhance quality of life and support the objectives of Vision 2030, SPA added.

The achievement comes amid continued backing for the Saudi Data and AI Authority from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also chairman of SDAIA’s board of directors, enabling sustained investment in data-driven capabilities and AI innovation.

The report highlighted Saudi Arabia’s performance in key areas including AI infrastructure, supported by national platforms such as HUMAIN, as well as progress in AI governance, public-sector digital transformation and the development of flexible national policies to accelerate AI adoption.