logo
PPP model allows private sector to develop infrastructure with govt: Al-Jadaan

PPP model allows private sector to develop infrastructure with govt: Al-Jadaan

Argaam28-02-2025
Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan said Saudi Arabia adopted a public-private partnership (PPP) model, allowing private entities to collaborate with the government in developing and managing infrastructure projects.
Speaking at the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, Al-Jadaan highlighted key initiatives such as the National Center for Privatization and the National Infrastructure Fund, which focus on attracting private investments in sectors like transportation, water, and energy.
The minister emphasized that the global economy is at a critical crossroads. "The challenges, including slow growth and high debt, are intensifying due to economic fragmentation and trade tensions, highlighting the urgent need for effective coordination and multilateral cooperation," he noted.
Al-Jadaan also noted the resilience of the economies in the MENA region despite their successive challenges, highlighting the opportunities and potential that the countries in the region possess for progress and prosperity. He explained that what happens in the region has a significant impact on the international stage.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Expo memoir highlights Dubai's legacy of innovation
Expo memoir highlights Dubai's legacy of innovation

Arab News

timea few seconds ago

  • Arab News

Expo memoir highlights Dubai's legacy of innovation

When Dubai hosted Expo 2020, it became the first country in the Middle East and North Africa region to hold the event, redefining the possibilities of a World Expo. Historically, these global gatherings, stretching back to 1851, have been dynamic showcases of experimental architecture, international collaboration and technological advancement. Yet, for almost two centuries, women were largely absent from their production and focus. Dubai notably changed this narrative, largely due to the formidable leadership detailed in 'When Ground Shifts,' the insightful new book by Reem Al-Hashimy, the UAE minister of state for international cooperation and the visionary behind Expo 2020. As Expo 2025 Osaka passes its halfway point, it continues to build on this rich history, while the anticipation for Expo 2030 Riyadh further underscores the region's commitment to this global platform for innovation and collaboration. Al-Hashimy's book is far from a mere chronicle of milestones; it is a candid, first-hand account of the immense personal and international challenges she navigated — from being appointed a minister at 29 to delivering Dubai's final presentation in Paris while heavily pregnant and repeating her mantra of 'hope is not a method.' The anecdotes reveal the tireless effort required to deliver a World Expo. Her book illuminates the relentless dedication that transformed a patch of untouched desert into a showplace for more than 190 countries and 24 million visitors. Expo 2020 visitors were captivated by the falcon-like UAE Pavilion; the majestic 'energy trees' surrounding Terra — The Sustainability Pavilion; and the immense Al-Wasl Plaza, the planet's largest 360-degree projection surface. Significantly, they were moved by the Women's Pavilion, inspired in part by a vintage Cartier bracelet. Her expo understood style as much as it did substance. Having had the privilege of witnessing Expo 2020 as a writer, a speaker for the US pavilion and as a member of the fair's Visitor Experience department, what I saw, and what Al-Hashimy's book powerfully conveys, is that a grand undertaking thrives from the top down. The meticulous attention to detail, the open-minded willingness to seek expertise from every corner of the globe, the pervasive feeling that everyone involved could contribute something, and the daring that was not just tolerated but actively sought all flowed from Al-Hashimy and the cast of several thousand characters she assembled like a Marvel superhero team. Her profound understanding of what she calls 'barakah' — the ability to find those who can ease your burdens and solve your problems — is a core theme in 'When Ground Shifts,' and it was palpable on the ground. Expo 2020 came within a hair's breadth of its goal of 25 million visitors, despite a year-long delay due to the lockdowns. Charles Pappas 'Inspiration is a guest that does not willingly visit the lazy,' Tchaikovsky said. The Expo 2020 site went from zero to a fully realized 4 sq. km city with mind-bending speed. Each problem was a domino falling to her steady, relentless effort. Perhaps no obstacle was greater than the COVID-19 pandemic. While the 1873 Vienna World's Fair saw a cholera epidemic slash its expected turnout, Expo 2020 came within a hair's breadth of meeting its goal of attracting 25 million visitors, despite a year-long delay due to the lockdowns. Drawing the largest number of countries ever for a World Expo, the event was cosmopolitan yet grounded in the Middle East. Indigenous ghaf and palm trees provided shade, while dozens of calligraphy benches, which resembled abstract art but spelled out words in Arabic like 'vision,' 'dignity,' 'hope' and 'dream,' offered respite from the 20,000 or so steps visitors would easily rack up in a day. These details, far from mere decorative elements, were integral to the event's cultural tapestry. 'When Ground Shifts' could easily have been a dull humblebrag. Instead, it is alive with grace and pride. The self-described 'little on the nerdy side' student who found deep meaning in the Lincoln Memorial and the American experiment built an expo where, for the first time, every country had its own pavilion. She also built Expo Live, which channeled $100 million to pioneering social projects that embodied the expo themes of mobility, opportunity and sustainability. This commitment to equitable participation and impactful legacy is a cornerstone of the book's message. Until 1970, most world expos were held in cities such as London, Paris, Philadelphia, Chicago and New York. But with Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan, world's fairs began trending toward non-Western locations, realizing their singular soft power. Expo 2020 propelled the UAE onto a world stage and into the top 10 countries in the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2023. It was a nation's coming of age on the global stage. All of that is an astonishing heritage. As the spotlight shifts to Expo 2025 Osaka and continues with significant anticipation for Expo 2030 Riyadh, that spirit of global collaboration and innovation remains a powerful guiding force. Riyadh's bid, centered on 'The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow,' aims to further advance global dialogue. The lessons learned from Dubai's inclusive approach and Osaka's technological ambitions will undoubtedly inform Riyadh's preparations, ensuring Expo 2030 continues the legacy of creating a platform for collective progress and a sustainable future. While every expo charts its own course, the high bar of success and the compelling story of leadership captured in 'When Ground Shifts' offer a rich context for understanding the immense undertaking that Osaka is now embracing and what Riyadh will soon embark upon. The world waits to see what new legacies they will inspire.

UAE, Jordan Airlift Humanitarian Airdrops over Gaza amid Starvation Crisis
UAE, Jordan Airlift Humanitarian Airdrops over Gaza amid Starvation Crisis

Leaders

time30 minutes ago

  • Leaders

UAE, Jordan Airlift Humanitarian Airdrops over Gaza amid Starvation Crisis

Two Jordanian and one Emirati plane airlifted 25 tons of humanitarian aid over the Gaza Strip on Sunday, according to a statement by the Jordanian army. The Royal Jordanian Air Force and UAE Air Force C-130 aircraft successfully carried out three humanitarian airdrops full of food and basic necessities amid the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The airdrops represent an integral part of Jordan's continued relief efforts, carried out in coordination with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization and international partners, to support the Palestinian people and alleviate their sufferings. On Saturday, the United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan noted that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a 'critical and unprecedented level.' 'Air drops are resuming once more, immediately,' Al-Nahyan said. He further affirmed their commitment to ensuring that essential aid reaches those who are in a dire need, whether through land, air or sea. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a critical and unprecedented level. The United Arab Emirates remains at the forefront of efforts to deliver life-saving assistance to the Palestinian people. We will ensure essential aid reaches those most in need, whether through… — عبدالله بن زايد (@ABZayed) July 26, 2025 Aid Trucks Move toward Gaza At the same time, aid trucks began moving from Egypt toward the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing in southern Gaza. Israel also announced on Saturday that it started aid airdrops to Gaza and is currently taking several other steps to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Palestinian enclave. Moreover, Israel's Foreign Ministry said the military would 'apply a 'humanitarian pause' in civilian centers and in humanitarian corridors' on Sunday morning. Dozens of Gazans including children have lost their soles due to malnutrition throughout the 21 months of war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 59,000 Palestinians wounded more than 142,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Related Topics: Canada Condemns Israel over Gaza's 'Humanitarian Disaster' UK to Hold Urgent Talks with France, Germany over Gaza War US Envoy to Finalize Gaza Aid Corridor Amid Starvation Crisis Short link : Post Views: 6

Saudi Arabia concludes participation in UN High-Level Political Forum 2025 on sustainable development
Saudi Arabia concludes participation in UN High-Level Political Forum 2025 on sustainable development

Saudi Gazette

time4 hours ago

  • Saudi Gazette

Saudi Arabia concludes participation in UN High-Level Political Forum 2025 on sustainable development

Saudi Gazette report NEW YORK — Saudi Arabia concluded its participation in the 2025 United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which brought together nations to review global efforts and progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 Agenda. The forum ran from July 14 to 23 at the UN headquarters in New York. The Saudi delegation was led by Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Al-Ibrahim and included representatives from nine government entities: the Ministries of Economy and Planning, Foreign Affairs, Health, Human Resources and Social Development, and Environment, Water and Agriculture; the Saudi Fund for Development; Madinah Development Authority; the National Center for Wildlife; and the Quality of Life Program. In his remarks, Minister Al-Ibrahim highlighted Saudi Arabia's rapid progress on sustainable development indicators within the G20 over the past decade, attributing it to Vision 2030, which he described as a national project born from the aspirations of the leadership and the Saudi people. "Vision 2030 has enabled the Kingdom to become the fastest-progressing G20 country in SDG indicators over the last 10 years," Al-Ibrahim said. "This progress reflects the power of aligning ambition with structured action, strong political will, and effective policies." He also pointed to innovative local initiatives, such as the launch of the Sustainable Development Atlas by Madinah City, which covers all 70 of its neighborhoods and supports evidence-based policy design through comprehensive data mapping and scenario modeling. Saudi Arabia's water sustainability efforts were spotlighted as the Kingdom was recognized by the UN Water Committee for its clear progress on SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), particularly in integrated water resources management. The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture presented key lessons learned in securing water sustainability in one of the world's most arid regions during a dedicated side event. Additionally, the Ministry of Economy and Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Quality of Life Program, and the Madinah Development Authority, organized a side event focusing on cross-sectoral integration, institutional capabilities, and innovation to accelerate progress toward the SDGs. The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) also participated with an informational pavilion showcasing its contributions to global sustainable development through the financing of projects in health, education, energy, infrastructure, industry, and mining. On the sidelines of the forum, Minister Al-Ibrahim held a series of bilateral meetings with senior officials to explore opportunities for strategic partnerships, economic cooperation, and investment. The High-Level Political Forum is held annually under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council and serves as a key platform for tracking SDG progress since its inception in 2012.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store