Saudi Arabia to triple size of its rail network
January 13, 2022, 7:09 am

Saudi Arabia to triple size of its rail network

Railway track/Pixabay

The Arab News reported that the Saudi Arabia’s investment minister said on Wednesday, the country plans to more than triple the size of its rail network with 8,000 kilometers of new track.

Khalid Al-Falih told the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh: “New rail will criss-cross the Kingdom and add to the network we already have.”

There are currently about 3,650 km of track on the Saudi rail network, on three lines.

The 2,750 km North-South line runs from Riyadh to the border with Jordan, and has feeder lines to mineral mining operations in the north of the Kingdom.

The Riyadh-Dammam stretches 450 km from the capital to the east coast, and the new 450 km Haramain high-speed line connects the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah via King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City to the north.

Al-Falih also said his ministry was working on a new investment law that would address the needs of both domestic and international investors.

The law would be enacted this year, “hopefully soon,” Al-Falih said, and would add to other regulatory and judicial reforms introduced by the Kingdom.

The Saudi foreign policy during the region's crises

Saudi Arabia said last year it would give foreign companies until the end of 2023 to set up headquarters in the Kingdom or risk losing out on government contracts. In October it said it had licensed 44 international companies to set up regional headquarters in Riyadh.

The Future Minerals Forum is a special event bringing together ministers, organizations and mining leaders from more than 30 countries.

Hosted by the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, is aimed at highlighting the role of mining in Saudi Vision 2030, after the government identified it as the third pillar of the Kingdom’s economy.

Turkish President to visit Saudi Arabia in February

Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, told the forum that the transition away from fossil fuels to clean power was complicated, and the world needed to be flexible to avoid sacrificing energy security.

Energy transition needed to be thought through carefully, Prince Abdulaziz said. “It may end up be- ing a leap into the future, unfor- tunately an unknown future. We should not forfeit energy security for the sake of a publicity stunt.”

Prince Abdulaziz also said the Kingdom would be manufacturing and developing uranium.

Saudi women to drive the Kingdom’s Haramain express train

“Let me be very specific about it, we do have a huge amount of uranium resources that we would like to exploit and we will be doing it in the most transparent way, we will be bringing in partners.”

He said Saudi Arabia would be publishing its energy strategy soon, and it was well-placed to become the cheapest producer of “green” hydrogen.

Source: arabnews

Kazakhstan detains 1,678 more people over alleged participation in unrest Iran loses right to vote at the United Nations due to unpaid dues

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”