The Saudi housing crisis can be solved with cheap units, less bureaucracy and innovative financing, said Deputy Premier of Turkey Ali Babacan at the Jeddah Economic Forum (JEF) yesterday.
Babacan said his government granted free plots and built six million units to solve the housing crisis in Turkey.
Babacan stressed the need to cut lengthy bureaucratic procedures.
“My country succeeded over the past 10 years in implementing a national project to establish integrated residential districts which accounted for 10 percent of all housing projects. It also fulfilled the housing needs of the people and eradicated slums and unplanned neighborhoods,” the Turkish minister said.
“We realized that simplifying procedures to obtain housing plots was the cornerstone of solving the housing problem,” he said.
The system also evolved a two-pronged approach by adopting a community housing scheme and undertaking another for profitable housing projects.
He said the private sector undertook the projects. The projects also included the construction of 900,000 schools and 100,000 health care centers because all housing facilities need other utilities and infrastructure.
Funding solutions included the issue of treasury bonds, legalization of bond issues by the private sector, launching investment funds and the revitalization of the mortgage sector, he said.
People of limited income and middle income groups needed to pay only 25 percent of the cost of a unit initially with the remaining amount paid in installments, he said.
The deputy premier said developing nations have to solve their housing problems because discontent could erupt into uncontrollable situations.
In her address to the forum on the role of governments in the second session on the second day of the JEF, Ireland’s Minister for Housing and Planning Jan O’Sullivan briefly outlined the success story of how her country tackled its housing crisis with the establishment of housing cooperatives.
While people need only pay 25 percent of the construction cost of affordable houses, the private sector and some other agencies pay the remaining portion as part of their corporate social responsibility, O’Sullivan said.
It was the responsibility of the state to provide the land for housing, she said. With easy access to financing the country has been experiencing a housing and property boom. Her government is striving to revitalize the economy by providing more employment and housing opportunities at affordable prices. She added that while most people dream of owning their own homes some people do not repay the loans taken from financing institutions.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees and President of the Arab Urban Development Institute Abdullah Al-Naeem said that the Kingdom’s housing sector made a qualitative shift with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s order to allocate SR 250 million to build 500,000 housing units. He added that the government allocated 2.5 million land grants for housing in the past. In Riyadh alone 40 million sq meters of land was granted to limited income families, he said.
Ali Babacan: Cut the red tape
Ali Babacan: Cut the red tape
Saudi Royal Court: King Salman to undergo medical examinations
JEDDAH: The Saudi Royal Court said on Sunday that King Salman would undergo medical examinations at the Royal Clinics at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah.
The medical team decided to conduct tests on King Salman – who suffers from a high temperature and joint pain – to diagnose his health condition, the Royal Court said in a statement.
Saudi crown prince meets White House national security adviser Sullivan
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received the US official in Dhahran
- Their discussions included Saudi-US strategic relations, the Gaza War and Palestinian statehood
DHAHRAN: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan in eastern city of Dhahran, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
During the meeting, the strategic relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them in various fields were reviewed, SPA said.
It said efforts to find a credible solution to the Palestinian issue, including a lasting ceasefire and unhindered entry of humanitarian aid in Gaza, with a view to a “two-state solution that meets the aspirations and legitimate rights of the Palestinian people”, were also discussed.
Greece’s prime minister receives Muslim World League chief in Athens
RIYADH: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis received the secretary-general of the Muslim World League on Tuesday in Athens, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the meeting, Mitsotakis and Dr Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa discussed several topics of common interest.
Al-Issa, who is also chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars, spoke about Islamic values that call for global peace and understanding between its peoples, and said he appreciated the warm reception he received during his visit and the good sentiments expressed regarding Islam’s contribution to civilization.
Al-Issa then met with Islamic officials in Greece, including muftis and imams, and visited the Athens Mosque, during which he expressed his pleasure with the additional dialogue that took place during the meeting.
He also met with Ieronymos II, the archbishop of Athens and all Greece, during which the two sides stressed the importance of the role of religious leaders in addressing all forms of religious, ethnic and societal conflicts around the world.
Saudi environment and water minister heads Kingdom’s delegation at World Water Forum
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, is heading the Kingdom’s delegation participating in the 10th World Water Forum in Bali and will attend the high-level session, on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The forum, inaugurated by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, kicked off Saturday and runs until May 25, with heads of state and government, ministers and officials from 180 countries, and 250 international organizations attending.
The Kingdom is participating with a high-level delegation representing the water sector, and will participate in an exhibition that highlights its efforts in developing the water industry through its regional and international contributions.
It will also organize a dialogue session on the sidelines of the forum in preparation for the Kingdom’s hosting of the 11th session of the World Water Forum in 2027 in Riyadh, under the slogan “Action for a Better Tomorrow.”
The Kingdom’s hosting of the event also comes as “confirmation of Saudi Arabia’s role in addressing water challenges around the world and its commitment to issues of environmental sustainability, based on what it has provided over decades of pioneering global experience in producing, transporting and distributing water and innovating technical solutions to its challenges,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Kingdom has helped push water issues to the top of the international agenda, a move it adopted during its hosting of the G20 in 2020, and to put strategic plans to ensure water security, strengthen partnerships with global and scientific institutions, and build capacities at all levels, SPA added.
This year’s forum is being held under the slogan “Water for Shared Prosperity,” and will discuss several sub-themes, including water security and prosperity; disaster risk reduction and management; and hydro-diplomacy.
Tears of joy as American reunites with Saudi family after 40 years
- Relatives in Saudi Arabia say they ‘never lost hope’ they would one day find Eid Alsumani
- Eid and his older brother grew up in Alabama estranged from their father and other family members
JEDDAH: A four-decade long search has finally led to the heartwarming reunion of an US citizen with his Saudi family, putting an end to a painful era full of longing and searches that had long promised to end in disappointment.
Two-year-old Eid Alsumani, now 42, and his older brother’s American mother cut ties with the family for reasons that have not been revealed to the public.
She had met Saud Alsumani when he was a student in the US, after which they married and had two sons.
Following her return to Alabama with the boys, Eid’s mother cut all communication between them and their father, who returned to Saudi Arabia.
“Throughout that period of time, which lasted 40 years, members of the family were searching for their sons through the American Embassy ... (they) tried to search for the family several times, but no leads helped,” said Bander Alsumani, Eid’s cousin.
HIGHLIGHTS
• A video of Eid Alsumani’s reunion with his family at King Abdulaziz International Airport after 40 years of separation went viral on social media.
• For decades, the family had tried everything including seeking the help of the Saudi Embassy in Washington.
An English teacher at Abdullah Al-Thagafi High School in Jeddah, Bander told Arab News that his family did not lose hope in finding the lost brothers. “We just hoped they were alive.”
After decades of searches that yielded no results, their father died, never having reconnected with his sons. Their uncle, Khalid Alsumani, went to the US, determined to find his estranged nephews.
According to Bander, while the uncle sought the help of the Saudi Embassy in Washington, the perseverence of another member of the family paid off as they found Eid on Instagram.
“It was the happiest day for the family ... we all were in joy and happiness when we heard Eid is alive and coming back home with his uncle,” said Bander. The joy also came with the sad news that Eid’s older brother had already died.
Eid and his family were finally reunited on May 9, with many of them meeting their 42-year old relative for the first time.
I believe I will visit again in maybe six months. Inshallah, I will continue to learn more about my religion, Arabic, and my family.
Eid Alsumani, Found after 40 years
“It was the most wonderful feeling in the world … just couldn’t believe that the family had been reunited with (their) son after so many years,” said Bander.
A heartwarming video of Eid’s reunion with his family at King Abdulaziz International Airport after 40 years of separation went viral on social media.
When Eid appeared from passport control with his uncle, his cousins and relatives hugged him one after another tightly, shedding tears of joy.
The family hosted a gathering with various members of the family who came from all corners to meet the long lost son and celebrate the joyous occasion.
During the emotional reunion, Eid, dressed in traditional Saudi attire, expressed his immense happiness and relief at being reunited with his extended family.
A US citizen, Eid was raised in Alabama and currently resides in Florida having graduated with bachelor’s of science degree in history and nuclear engineering technology.
Speaking to Arab News after performing Umrah in Makkah, Eid described the scene at the airport as “unbelievable.”
He said: “It was surreal. It was the first time I had been in my fatherland.
“I was extremely excited about the blessings of seeing four family members who greeted me with the legendary hospitality of Saudi fame. It felt like a scene from a movie.”
Eid, who was raised by his mother with Christian values, has reconnected with Islam with the help of his Saudi relatives.
He described praying in the Grand Mosque in Makkah as an unforgettable moment in his life. “When I was in Makkah, I was amazed to see so many people from all over the world who were walking and praying together as one for the sake of Allah,” he said.
Speaking about his future in the Kingdom, he added: “Alhamdulillah, my stay has been extended for a few days … I believe I will visit again in maybe six months. Inshallah, I will continue to learn more about my religion, Arabic, and my family.”
