Minister of Transport Jobarah Al-Suraisy emphasises the private sector's role in developing Saudi Arabia's infrastructure in OBG interview

He said: "Particularly in transport we emphasise the role of the private sector and at every occasion we invite them, domestic and international, to participate and to take advantage of the opportunities.

"Opportunities arise in all areas of transport but right now I think the emphasis is on ports. There is an ongoing effort to modernise existing ports and build new ones. A new port is going to be built on the Arabian Gulf, Ras Al-Zour, and the port will receive minerals coming from the deposit areas in other parts of the kingdom for processing.

"The government will build the port there, but there are opportunities for the private sector to participate in these efforts. Additionally we are now expanding the port of Jeddah and the King Abdul Aziz Port at Dammam."

The Report: Saudi Arabia 2008, which is rated as the premier guide for foreign direct investment into the country's rapidly transforming economy, is a complex guide to the many facets of the Kingdom, including its macroeconomics, infrastructure, political landscape, banking and sectoral developments, and is considered the most comprehensive intelligence review produced on the country.

Al-Suraisy said that the new rail infrastructure would help develop the Kingdom's ports, adding: "The railroad coming East to West, from the port of Dammam on the Arabian Gulf to the Jeddah port on the Red Sea provides a connection which will mean TEUs (Transport Equivalent Units) that come from the eastern parts of the Kingdom will not need to travel all the way to Dammam through the Arabian Sea and Arabia Gulf to the port in Damamm. They will simply unload in the Jeddah port. This will lead to further expansion in both ports and create jobs. It will also mean an increase, not only in the trade through both ports, but also the trade between Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries."

He said the government will allocate a great deal of money for building roads, but will perhaps consider some private sector investment in the next five years, which may be on a build and transfer model, which is being examined.

The Report: Saudi Arabia 2008 is the most comprehensive review of the Kingdom's business and economic environment available, with sector overviews and analyses supported by a list of exclusive interviews and viewpoints with leading businessmen and political leaders.

The interviews are carried in full in The Report, which is available in print form and online, and which is part of the range of OBG's publications, renowned as leading sources of information on developing and emerging economies around the world.