Saudi Arabia announces $500 billion mega city project

[UzaySan]

You don't need to create 500 billion "smart" city to develop your country.Saudis clearly doesn't know how to spend money.First they spend 60 billion to defence which is ten percent of gdp and it causes saudi wealth fund gets smaller now they build 500 billion city.you dont need this it would be better if you spend that money to create factories R&D centers.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

You don't need to create 500 billion "smart" city to develop your country.Saudis clearly doesn't know how to spend money.First they spend 60 billion to defence which is ten percent of gdp and it causes saudi wealth fund gets smaller now they build 500 billion city.you dont need this it would be better if you spend that money to create factories R&D centers.

How much do you know about NEOM? With all due respect it seems to be not much, if anything at all.

As for KSA, I wrote this post of mine a few days ago when an ignorant troll was barking about KSA becoming "bankrupt".

"Sure. In a fantasy world maybe.

Let us see;

1) One of the biggest sovereign wealth funds on the planet (4th place and worth 700 billion USD)

2) 1-2 trillions USD worth of investment abroad

3) Enormous untapped resources (oil, gas, minerals etc., incredible potential for renewable energy (solar and wind etc.) that 95% of all countries worldwide can not compete with.

4) Praised economic reforms in the past 2-3 years by IMF and other organizations and very promising non-oil/gas growth (this year almost 15 USD billion more than expected) and economic growth despite unprecedented economic reforms in the modern era and falling oil prices (although I read that they were back to 70 USD per barrel earlier today)

In fact KSA is so "bankrupt" that;

6) The largest ever state budget for this year was implemented 3 weeks ago.

https://twitter.com/x/status/943269209135550466

https://twitter.com/x/status/943133157859250177

https://twitter.com/x/status/943136767821172736

In fact KSA is so "bankrupt" that

7) 4.700 + infrastructural projects worth almost 1 trillion USD (1) are underway currently.

https://twitter.com/x/status/937843913099849728

In fact KSA is so "bankrupt" that

8) KSA is the fourth least indebted country in the world!

https://twitter.com/x/status/940719885016973312

In fact KSA is so "bankrupt" that

9) a new technological and strategic city (project) worth 500 billion USD (!) called NEOM was inaugurated this year. A project which will be built in a area the size of middle-sized European country almost!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhDNainqi1c&sns=tw

https://twitter.com/discoverneom

10)

Did I mention that the unemployment rate fell 5.8% for the 3rd quarter of last year?

So let's stick to facts.

The reason why a tourism sector (real one) is opening up is due to the promising Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 (google that as well)

http://vision2030.gov.sa/en

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Vision_2030

and the amazing potential for tourism in KSA which is already one of the top 15 most visited countries on the planet as well as simple logic. The combination of Hajj, Umrah, KSA' geography and all that KSA can offer is a combination that few countries can compete with.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_rankings

So yeah, we are struggling BIG time. "Bankrupt" very, very soon.

Oh, did I mention uranium exploration (KSA is estimated to have one of the largest uranium reserves in the world and is going to built at least 16 nuclear reactors by 2030). With Chinese cooperation among many others.

https://mobile.sabq.org/nYgFcv

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-wine-country-tourism-lifeblood-idUSKBN1CH34U

http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-o-s/saudi-arabia.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_energy_in_Saudi_Arabia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Abdullah_City_for_Atomic_and_Renewable_Energy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_program_of_Saudi_Arabia

KSA will master the entire "nuclear energy process" as I mentioned above within less than 2 decades if not sooner. So it is not a question if but when. KSA will be like Japan and South Korea by then by all accounts. Nuclear weapons are old technology anyway. "Even" the likes of NK with outside help (granted) but hardly any economy can accomplish it. So no big deal really. The political aspect is the most challenging one which is why Rick Perry (Minister of Energy in the US) has been pressuring KSA to pick the US option (visited recently) and for KSA to sign the "123 agreement" which most regional countries have signed but KSA refused to do so. Very wisely.

http://middle-east-online.com/?id=263062

No coincidence that China is involved with the uranium drilling and that a deal was just signed with Russia."
​

As for NEOM, I strongly suggest you to read the content of this thread and this thread below;

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/8-th...saudi-arabias-innovative-neom-project.526246/

Much of the investment will come from abroad and comes from leading technology firms. Arab, Western, Japanese, Chinese, Russian etc. Everyone is interested. They have already pledged to invest billions upon billions of dollars. Likewise there are 15-20 planned/current/unfinished industrial cities in KSA but none are of this enormous scale or as ambitious as NEOM. MbS means business!

You can start watching the video that I linked to (55 minute long) about NEOM and hear it from the mouths of the elephants in the room.

 

[damm1t]

OMG Saudis will save the earth again..

 

[damm1t]

Butthurt much? Seems so.

Saudi Arabian innovation to power NEOM
Young engineers design project to generate electricity from passing car tires


The design involves ramp-steps integrated in the pavement with turbines operating to harvest energy from car tires passing over them.
Layan Damanhouri


Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — A team of Saudi inventors came up with an innovation that can generate electricity for NEOM, the new $500-billion business and industrial zone coming up in the north of the Kingdom.

Inventor Meshal Al-Harasani announced the completion of the first phases of the invention, which is designed to produce electricity for a city from kinetic energy, or the energy from motion, of vehicles› tires passing on the road.

NEOM is a city for dreamers and it›s going to be a green and future-oriented place, said Al-Harasani who serves as counselor of the vice president for Business and Knowledge Creativity at King Abdulaziz University.

The future is in sustainable energy, he said, when asked about idea of the project.

It took two engineering teams to develop the project together. The design involves ramp-steps integrated in the pavement with turbines operating to harvest energy from car tires passing over them.

Energy generated from the pressure and speed of vehicles in traffic is then converted to electricity.

Currently, there are no similar technologies used in roads in the Kingdom for converting energy.

The Saudi-made invention was presented to Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, who earlier revealed that the new zone would provide a new way of life and the highest sustainability standards.

Al-Harasani, who has previous patents and inventions, hopes this recent invention to reach worldwide and would be recognized as a patent by Saudi youth.

Nothing stops people from coming up with inventions, he told Saudi Gazette.

All they need is encouragement and mentoring. There are thousands of Saudi inventors today. Research centers, entrepreneurial bodies, and education sector plays a big role in producing new inventors.

He added: «With Saudi Vision 2030, our country is on its way to the first world. Our government believes in the Saudi youth. We are passionate about developing our country.

NEOM is said to drive the transformation of the Kingdom into a leading global hub through value chains of industry and technology.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/525401/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-innovation-to-power-NEOM

Project NEOM - a highly ambitious and progressive megacity plan

As Saudi Arabia works reducing its economic dependency on oil, it recently launched the ambitious Project NEOM, which has the potential to be both progressive and positive for the region.

As part of the Vision 2030 strategy, as well as continued economic diversification efforts and job creation plans, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has recently launched Project NEOM (‘NEO’ comes from the Latin word, meaning new, and the ‘m’ being an abbreviation of ‘Mostaqbal’, meaning future), a US$500 billion megacity project. With an area of about 26,500 sq.km. being allocated for the development, it covers three countries – Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. To put this into perspective, this equates to around 33 times the size of New York City.

The project was announced during the Future Investment Initiative in October 2017, and includes plans for resorts and holiday destinations along the Red Sea coast, as well as innovative, energy efficient and sustainable systems, buildings and infrastructures. This development is expected to create over 250,000 jobs and will contribute to KSA's GDP, which was expected to increase from 4.4% to 6.3% by 2020.

The development is backed by the Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The PIF is a sovereign wealth fund owned by Saudi Arabia, founded in 1971 by royal decree to invest funds and provide financial support on behalf of the Government of Saudi Arabia, to projects of strategic significance to the national economy. It is expected that the PIF will provide the first capital investments for the project, enabling it to commence by 2019 and have a first phase completed by 2025.

The area is intended to be an international hub for trade, innovation and knowledge, and will focus on different industries including hospitality, entertainment, advanced manufacturing and biotechnology. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been explicit in his vision for this to be a world hub that is attractive for foreign funding. Investors from different sectors, including energy, water, biotechnology and robotics are expected to put more than half a trillion dollars into the region in coming years, and following the Kingdom’s announcement, Virgin founder Richard Branson has already expressed his intention to invest. Furthermore, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has expressed an interest in investing in this megacity.

The project’s primary focus is to turn 34,000km of Red Sea coastline into a luxurious tourist destination, and attract foreigners into the most conservative country in the GCC. NEOM will operate as an independent economic zone, with its own laws, tax structures and regulations, promoting economic growth and prosperity for its investors and residents. A number of promising initiatives relating to the project were announced in late 2017, which indicate that there is a marked intention for the region to become more liberal and open to Western norms. These include the Kingdom’s plan to issue its first tourist visas in 2018, the launch of entertainment projects such as theme parks, and the lifting of bans on women driving and public cinema. This approach, coupled with the intention to allow a mixed-gender working environment, will undoubtedly have a positive impact on a number of sectors, particularly tourism.

Once completed, this zone will offer an array of opportunities for local and international tourists, from exploring a nature reserve at the foothills of a dormant volcano nearby to scuba diving along the extensive coral reefs in the waters around the Red Sea at marine-orientated resort projects.

Ultimately, Project NEOM is considered to be highly progressive and very positive for Saudi Arabia, particularly in working towards its objective of diversifying the economy away from oil. The Kingdom is steadily gearing up towards attracting holidaymakers and investors alike, and has its sights set on potentially becoming one of the Middle East’s prime tourist destinations, as well as a global hub for innovation and trade.

https://www.linesight.com/insight/project-neom-a-highly-ambitious-and-progressive-megacity-plan

You wish... But amount of the fvck given is zero

 

[Saif al-Arab]

You wish... But amount of the fvck given is zero

Apparently you do since you are here trolling and trying to get some attention. Your useless barking will not change the enormity and ambition of this wonderful one of a kind project.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some random photos of the ancient and historical Tabuk province:

تبوك - حسمه - رحلة مصوري تبوك by © Saud AL-Jethli, Photo, on Flickr

tabukarea164 by tabuk تبوك, on Flickr

​

Saudi Arabia Snow by ABO_TMEEM, on Flickr

Saudi Arabia - Tabuk , by © Saud AL-Jethli, Photo, on Flickr

Saudi Arabia. Tabuk 2010 by © Saud AL-Jethli, Photo, on Flickr

الوجه الاخر by A.Aziz Hajjaj عبدالعزيز بن حجاج, on Flickr

Amazing footage from Tabuk province:

https://twitter.com/x/status/829335131470958593

44 different shark species can be found in the tropical waters of the Red Sea​

List of sharks in the Red Sea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Great Whites are present too.


Tabuk area منطقة تبوك by tabuk تبوك, on Flickr

​

KSA is also home to almost 2000 islands. This is an example of 1 such island. Tabuk Province. A stunning video.

Evidence of a large Christian monastery (one of the earliest in the world) in modern-day Northwestern KSA (Hijaz - current day Tabuk province):

https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/wiley/c...ve-of-islam-kilwa-saudi-arabia-new-jn3k599qlT

For many more photos;

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/8-th...arabias-innovative-neom-project.526246/page-2

 

[damm1t]

Apparently you do since you are here trolling and trying to get some attention. Your useless barking will not change the enormity and ambition of this wonderful one of a kind project.

Language! Dude learn some proper manner... I know it's a bit tough for you

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Saudi Arabian innovation to power NEOM
Young engineers design project to generate electricity from passing car tires


The design involves ramp-steps integrated in the pavement with turbines operating to harvest energy from car tires passing over them.
Layan Damanhouri


Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — A team of Saudi inventors came up with an innovation that can generate electricity for NEOM, the new $500-billion business and industrial zone coming up in the north of the Kingdom.

Inventor Meshal Al-Harasani announced the completion of the first phases of the invention, which is designed to produce electricity for a city from kinetic energy, or the energy from motion, of vehicles› tires passing on the road.

NEOM is a city for dreamers and it›s going to be a green and future-oriented place, said Al-Harasani who serves as counselor of the vice president for Business and Knowledge Creativity at King Abdulaziz University.

The future is in sustainable energy, he said, when asked about idea of the project.

It took two engineering teams to develop the project together. The design involves ramp-steps integrated in the pavement with turbines operating to harvest energy from car tires passing over them.

Energy generated from the pressure and speed of vehicles in traffic is then converted to electricity.

Currently, there are no similar technologies used in roads in the Kingdom for converting energy.

The Saudi-made invention was presented to Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, who earlier revealed that the new zone would provide a new way of life and the highest sustainability standards.

Al-Harasani, who has previous patents and inventions, hopes this recent invention to reach worldwide and would be recognized as a patent by Saudi youth.

Nothing stops people from coming up with inventions, he told Saudi Gazette.

All they need is encouragement and mentoring. There are thousands of Saudi inventors today. Research centers, entrepreneurial bodies, and education sector plays a big role in producing new inventors.

He added: «With Saudi Vision 2030, our country is on its way to the first world. Our government believes in the Saudi youth. We are passionate about developing our country.

NEOM is said to drive the transformation of the Kingdom into a leading global hub through value chains of industry and technology.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/525401/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-innovation-to-power-NEOM

Project NEOM - a highly ambitious and progressive megacity plan

As Saudi Arabia works reducing its economic dependency on oil, it recently launched the ambitious Project NEOM, which has the potential to be both progressive and positive for the region.

As part of the Vision 2030 strategy, as well as continued economic diversification efforts and job creation plans, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has recently launched Project NEOM (‘NEO’ comes from the Latin word, meaning new, and the ‘m’ being an abbreviation of ‘Mostaqbal’, meaning future), a US$500 billion megacity project. With an area of about 26,500 sq.km. being allocated for the development, it covers three countries – Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. To put this into perspective, this equates to around 33 times the size of New York City.

The project was announced during the Future Investment Initiative in October 2017, and includes plans for resorts and holiday destinations along the Red Sea coast, as well as innovative, energy efficient and sustainable systems, buildings and infrastructures. This development is expected to create over 250,000 jobs and will contribute to KSA's GDP, which was expected to increase from 4.4% to 6.3% by 2020.

The development is backed by the Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The PIF is a sovereign wealth fund owned by Saudi Arabia, founded in 1971 by royal decree to invest funds and provide financial support on behalf of the Government of Saudi Arabia, to projects of strategic significance to the national economy. It is expected that the PIF will provide the first capital investments for the project, enabling it to commence by 2019 and have a first phase completed by 2025.

The area is intended to be an international hub for trade, innovation and knowledge, and will focus on different industries including hospitality, entertainment, advanced manufacturing and biotechnology. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been explicit in his vision for this to be a world hub that is attractive for foreign funding. Investors from different sectors, including energy, water, biotechnology and robotics are expected to put more than half a trillion dollars into the region in coming years, and following the Kingdom’s announcement, Virgin founder Richard Branson has already expressed his intention to invest. Furthermore, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has expressed an interest in investing in this megacity.

The project’s primary focus is to turn 34,000km of Red Sea coastline into a luxurious tourist destination, and attract foreigners into the most conservative country in the GCC. NEOM will operate as an independent economic zone, with its own laws, tax structures and regulations, promoting economic growth and prosperity for its investors and residents. A number of promising initiatives relating to the project were announced in late 2017, which indicate that there is a marked intention for the region to become more liberal and open to Western norms. These include the Kingdom’s plan to issue its first tourist visas in 2018, the launch of entertainment projects such as theme parks, and the lifting of bans on women driving and public cinema. This approach, coupled with the intention to allow a mixed-gender working environment, will undoubtedly have a positive impact on a number of sectors, particularly tourism.

Once completed, this zone will offer an array of opportunities for local and international tourists, from exploring a nature reserve at the foothills of a dormant volcano nearby to scuba diving along the extensive coral reefs in the waters around the Red Sea at marine-orientated resort projects.

Ultimately, Project NEOM is considered to be highly progressive and very positive for Saudi Arabia, particularly in working towards its objective of diversifying the economy away from oil. The Kingdom is steadily gearing up towards attracting holidaymakers and investors alike, and has its sights set on potentially becoming one of the Middle East’s prime tourist destinations, as well as a global hub for innovation and trade.

https://www.linesight.com/insight/project-neom-a-highly-ambitious-and-progressive-megacity-plan

8 things you need to know about Saudi Arabia’s innovative NEOM project

NEOM is the world’s first independent special zone stretching over three countries set to become a destination located in the Northwestern region of Saudi Arabia. (Supplied)

NEOM is the world’s first independent special zone stretching over three countries. It is set to become a new vibrant destination located in the Northwestern region of Saudi Arabia. Expected to emerge as a leading global hub that exemplifies the future of human civilization by offering its inhabitants an idyllic lifestyle combined with exceptional economic prospects. NEOM seeks to attract top talent from around the world to push the boundaries of innovation like never before, and drive the growth of this zone and its residents.

1. Opportunity-rich developmental area

This special zone is located in the Northwestern region of Saudi Arabia and is set to include territory from within the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, to comprise a total area of 26,500 km2. NEOM will provide a plethora of unique development opportunities, as the project’s strategic coastal Red Sea location is notable for its:

Proximity to international markets and trade routes:

• Approximately 10% of the world’s trade flows through the Red Sea

• Connecting Asia, Europe, Africa and America, the zone will enable 70% of the world’s population to reach it in under eight hours

Temperate climate and diverse terrain:

• The unique geographical location of NEOM ensures a temperate climate, roughly about 10°C cooler – on average – than its surrounding areas, and the rest of the GCC. Cradled in a mountainous region that is home to breathtakingly diverse terrain in the North of Saudi Arabia, the area earmarked for the development also enjoys cooler winds coming in from the Red Sea for the best possible climate for future residents.

Incredible terrain that offers:

1) Untouched beaches with more than 460km of pristine coastline and several spectacular islands

2) Scenic mountains reaching up to 2,500km in height, with views across the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea, where during parts of winter some are covered in snow

3) Idyllic and peaceful desert expanses that astound the visitors

Development from the ground up:

• The blank slate upon which NEOM is set to be developed provides unique opportunities. The fundamental distinction from traditional urban planning projects is the new technology that will be built into the blueprints of the infrastructural framework.

Richness in natural resources:

• Situated in an area rich in wind, and solar energy resources, the location of NEOM provides an ideal environment in which to develop renewable energy projects

• Perennial solar resources (20 MJ/m2)

• Ideal wind speed (an average of 10.3 m/s)

• The area is also rich in Oil and Gas as well as Mineral resources. The use of such resources will have to live up to the unmatched high sustainability standards.

2. Advantages of the project

NEOM offers unique opportunities and advantages to leading investors and business owners worldwide, with the aim of stimulating GDP growth in the Kingdom. This project offers potential investors:

• Direct access to the Saudi Arabian market and global markets, given its unique geographic location as a hub that links three continents

• Comprehensive supply and innovation systems

• Funding and financial incentives

• Favorable industry specific regulatory environment paired with international trade laws

• An infrastructural environment which puts the human first and technology in its hands to experience the future first

• Redirecting Saudi spend abroad back indirectly into NEOM. This is an incredible opportunity, as Saudis spend significant amounts on tourism ($15 billion), healthcare ($12.5 billion), education ($5 billion), and general investment abroad ($5 billion)

It also offers inhabitants:

• An idyllic living environment and rich quality of life

• Technology-based civil services in health, education, transport, entertainment, and other fields

• Advanced urban planning

• Many opportunities for employment and personal growth

• World-standard social norms in culture, arts, and education

3. Huge earnings for Saudi Arabia

The NEOM project is set to transform the Kingdom into a leading global innovation and trade hub through the introduction of value chains of traditional and future industries and technologies to stimulate local industry, private sector job creation, and GDP growth in the Kingdom.

4. Contributing to the realization of Vision 2030

Born from the ambition of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to see the country develop into a pioneering and thriving model of excellence, the NEOM project targets the achievement of the three following pillars of the Vision 2030:

A vibrant society

• A destination at the top of the world's most livable cities index

• Developing the information and digital sectors that contribute to the Kingdom's GDP

• The promise of becoming an aspirational society that demonstrates the future of human civilization, sought-after as a place to live and work by local, regional, and international talent

A thriving economy

• Favorable business environment and regulations

• Incentives for attracting foreign companies and investments

• Nine sectors aimed at diversifying the economy away from oil

• Strong contribution to the Kingdom's GDP and redirecting some of the leakage of overseas spend back into the base economy

An ambitious nation

• A vibrant destination that adopts technology in service of humanity

• The full utilization of digital technologies to increase government efficiency

• Leveraging the latest advancements in sustainability, connectivity, and mobility

5. Economic sectors

The NEOM project aims to develop nine key economic sectors for the future, in addition to the establishment of industries that curb economic leakage in the Kingdom, and the region in general. This will be achieved through the establishment of development funds, that will support these sectors, identified as:

• The future of energy and water: Includes being, fully powered by renewable energy, forward looking energy storage, and transport solutions as well as R&D and manufacturing. In addition, utilizing green technology in building water capabilities and maximizing usage efficiency

• The future of mobility: Includes seaports, airports, autonomous transport solutions such as autonomous vehicles/drones, and others

• The future of biotech: Includes biotechnology, human biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals manufacturing

• The future of food: Includes an international innovation center for food technologies, including seawater and desert farming, aeroponics, and hydroponics

• The future of advanced manufacturing: Includes new materials in composites and metals, 3D printing, robotics and vehicle manufacturing, and much more

• The future of media and media production: Includes the development of the television and film industry, the video gaming industry, digital content, and more

• The future of entertainment: Includes facilities, activities, sporting and cultural entertainment events, and others

• The future of technological and digital sciences: Includes artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality technologies, data centers, the Internet of Things, and e-commerce

• The future of living as NEOM’s foundation: Includes housing, education, security and safety, green spaces, health care, hospitality, hotels, and others

6. World-class quality of life

NEOM is positioned to become an aspirational society that denotes the future of human civilization by offering its inhabitants a lifestyle that surpasses that of any other metropolis, through the development of a unique societal experience that encompasses:

• Favorable business environment: Offering systems conducive to investment

• Idyllic living environment: Offering a comfortable and enjoyable community with the highest quality of life that includes a combination of beautiful beaches and mountains and untouched land, along with best in class education, arts and culture facilities.

• Continental demographics: Offering a multicultural environment that nurtures a proactive and diverse community

• World-class education: Offering high quality education that caters to everyone at all stages of development

• Transport: Offering fast and efficient mobility across NEOM

• Comfortable housing: Offering ample housing and facilities for everyone

• Stability: Offering a safe, secure, and stable society

• Healthcare: Offering world-class healthcare facilities, using advanced capabilities to provide an all round service

7. Main futuristic concepts

The futuristic vision of the project comprises six main pillars that will be adopted across NEOM

• Human beings as a top priority: NEOM provides its residents with comfortable living conditions set within an idyllic society that promotes inclusion and encourages personal growth and lives by world-class social norms

• The next generation of healthy living and transport: NEOM will allow its residents to reach many locations via walking or biking and also have an unprecedented transportation infrastructure, build on future transportation technologies

• Automated services/ E-Government: NEOM government services will be fully automated and most easily accessible to its residents

• Digitization: NEOM will provide its residents “digital air”, free highest-speed internet and free online continuous education at their fingertips

• Sustainability: NEOM will be solely powered by renewable energy and buildings will have a net zero carbon footprint

• Innovation in construction: Serving as a laboratory for innovative construction techniques and materials operating with complete flexibility to meet future requirements

8. Economic Earnings

One of the project’s main advantages is the redirection of the Kingdom’s economic leakage back to the country:

• Net imports to the Kingdom: The nine sectors outlined for development will return about $70 billion in revenue back into the Kingdom, by way of commodities currently imported from abroad, through the potential of local production of vehicles, machinery and communication equipment.

• Investments abroad: The project will provide new opportunities in previously non-existent sectors for Saudi Arabian investors, within an environment that adopts favorable business laws and a system conducive to growth. Thus, part of the investment leakage issue will be addressed.

• Saudi consumers overseas spending: NEOM will offer a new local tourist destination for Saudi citizens to visit, while ensuring that their capital is injected back into the local economy.

NEOM will be back by more than $500 billion over the coming years by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, local as well as international investors. NEOM’s contribution to the Kingdom's GDP is projected to reach at least $100 billion by 2030, in addition to its per capita GDP – projected to become the highest in the world.

For further information on NEOM please visit DISCOVERNEOM.COM

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/bus...t-Saudi-Arabia-s-innovative-NEOM-project.html

Must watch

 

[UzaySan]

How much do you know about NEOM? With all due respect it seems to be not much, if anything at all.

As for KSA, I wrote this post of mine a few days ago when an ignorant troll was barking about KSA becoming "bankrupt".

Should i know too much about this "Smart City".There is only consept designs.Nobody know what will it be.everyone always telling that "this project will help to develop saudi arabia".You say this project help saudi arabi to develop itself and im asking how?

You dont need to build a new city to develop your country.Just use the ones that already exist.how much will you spend of this 500 billion to build factories and R&D centers.big part of mone will spent to build skyscraper and other things that something will not be usefull as science center or universities.

You can do more useful things with ten percent of this money.This project will be huge waste of money.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Should i know too much about this "Smart City".There is only consept designs.Nobody know what will it be.everyone always telling that "this project will help to develop saudi arabia".You say this project help saudi arabi to develop itself and im asking how?

You dont need to build a new city to develop your country.Just use the ones that already exist.how much will you spend of this 500 billion to build factories and R&D centers.big part of mone will spent to build skyscraper and other things that something will not be usefull as science center or universities.

You can do more useful things with ten percent of this money.This project will be huge waste of money.

With all due respect there is absolutely no reason for you to showcase your ignorance once again. It is obvious for everyone here that you have no clue about what you are talking about or developments in KSA.

You claim that nothing is known about this project while you could not be more wrong. Clearly you have not bothered taking a look at all the information in this thread (articles, videos, links etc.). This is not really my fault however don't say that I did not try to educate you on this front. No offense but such kind of discussions are a waste of time.

 

[UzaySan]

With all due respect there is absolutely no reason for you to showcase your ignorance once again. It is obvious for everyone here that you have no clue about what you are talking about or developments in KSA.

You claim that nothing is known about this project while you could not be more wrong. Clearly you have not bothered taking a look at all the information in this thread (articles, videos, links etc.). This is not really my fault however don't say that I did not try to educate you on this front. No offense but such kind of discussions are a waste of time.

no you are the one who doesnt understand.I read it.You will build sport centers,science centers,hospitals free healtcare,new opportunities and more.The thing im saying is you can do this to cities that already exist what is the point make a new one it will cost more.You want solar powered city you dont need to build a new one.you can feed your current cities with solar power.

You guys think being modern and developed requires fancy buildings,too much skyscrapers and too much light.Thats not how it works.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

no you are the one who doesnt understand.I read it.You will build sport centers,science centers,hospitals free healtcare,new opportunities and more.The thing im saying is you can do this to cities that already exist what is the point make a new one it will cost more.

What you are saying is also happening. NEOM Is a separate project. A unique one.

Read about Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 and the recent promising developments on almost every single front.

There are 15-20 other industrial cities in KSA that are being built/have been built/are partially being built/will be built as well devoted to all necessary industries.

As for universities, the universities in KSA have better rankings than all other universities in the Muslim world (overall) and are also improving rapidly.

Oiling the wheels on a road to success

Pakinam Amer
Nature 532,
Published online
27 April 2016

With the benefit of a sustainable plan and the funds to back it, Saudi Arabia is aiming high.
Saudi Arabia's scientific development may be in its infancy, but the oil-rich Kingdom is making strides in terms of research investment and publication — with a clear ambition to one day join those in the highest echelons.

KAUST students embark on a new school year with a commencement ceremony. The relatively new university has quickly made an impact on the Nature Index.

In 2012, Saudi Arabia had a weighted fractional count (WFC) of 52.84 in the index, sitting behind Turkey, Iran, Mexico, Chile and South Africa. In four years it rose 86.8% to reach a WFC of 98.67, leapfrogging all these countries to compete with Chile and Argentina globally. Saudi Arabia ranks at number 31 in the world in terms of WFC — up from 39 in 2012.

The country has risen even higher in specific subject areas. In chemistry, for example, it has surpassed countries with a strong scientific impact like Finland and Ireland, with its WFC rising to 66.54, achieving almost a three-fold increase from its position in 2012.

Institutionally, the country's leading science hub King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) made an impressive leap in its WFC between 2012 and 2015, carving a place for itself to compete with American and European research powerhouses.

In just four years, its WFC has risen to become higher than those of prestigious institutions including the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), the University of Georgia, United States, and Dresden University of Technology, Germany, to name a few. The output of all of these institutions dwarfed KAUST's in 2012, but KAUST's impressive trajectory since then has seen its WFC shoot to 72 in 2015, overtaking these heavy-hitters.

The country's science development ambitions have been backed by action. Since 2008, the country has embarked on a multi-tiered strategy that will see the Kingdom overhaul its science infrastructure, build high-spec labs, secure grants for research in priority areas in applied science, and link science to industries that drive the economy.

The strategy, broken into four stages to be implemented by 2030, aims to eventually “see Saudi Arabia become a leader in Asia and give it an economic power based on science,” says Abdulaziz Al-Swailem, vice president of scientific research support at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).

The Saudi Human Genome Project will sequence 100,000 human genomes to conduct biomedical research in the Saudi population.

Saudi Arabia's march to the top
Saudi Arabia's efforts to boost its scientific research have been paying off, with its output in the Nature Index (WFC) rising steadily over the years. The two graphs below highlight Saudi Arabia's rise compared to other nations, both overall and for chemistry.

Overall output
In 2012 Saudi Arabia's overall output in the index was below all the countries shown, but continuous efforts have seen the Kingdom's WFC rise to overtake them all in 2015.



Chemistry
More marked than its overall rise, Saudi Arabia has made great strides in chemistry. After accelerated growth, which saw the Kingdom's chemistry WFC triple since 2012, it has outshone many larger players in the field in 2015.



The Kingdom's science investments focus on applied research that feeds directly into the country's industrial interests, particularly the oil and energy sector. But even in its strong subjects, chemistry and the physical sciences, Saudi Arabia's WFC remains modest compared to big players in Asia like China, Japan and South Korea.

To truly swim comfortably with these bigger fish, Saudi Arabia may benefit from looking at successful emerging economies in Asia.

One inspiration could be India. In addition to multi-disciplinary scientific and technical advancements that have improved its output in the index from 736.5 to 901.4 in the past four years, the subcontinental giant has joined the exclusive club of countries that have launched successful space missions.

Like Saudi Arabia, India's leading research institutes focus on chemistry, and their total output currently outstrips their Saudi Arabian counterparts by almost a factor of seven (the latter surpassing 472 in 2015, while the former is 66.5).

India's prowess in chemistry is something that Saudi Arabia can aspire to, considering that working conditions for researchers in the Kingdom are more conducive.

India's science ecosystem is far from perfect. Research funding cannot keep up with inflation and a general slowdown in the country's economy. In addition, commentators from the research community say the funding processes are lengthy, bureaucratic, and provide little feedback when applications for grants are turned down. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's healthy stream of oil revenue provides assured funding for the country's state-of-the-art research facilities.

While India has slightly increased spending and dedicated US$1.19 billion for the next fiscal year (2016–2017) for science, it has around 700 universities and 200,000 full-time researchers drawing on the same funding pot. By contrast, Saudi Arabia has pledged an education and training budget of US$50.9 billion for next year, which includes higher education and scientific research. With a total population of just 30 million, it has a much lower number of full-time researchers competing for the available resources.

Another impressive trajectory that Saudi Arabia might look to emulate is that of Singapore, which has a smaller population as well and has managed to climb high in the index. Like the Kingdom, Singapore also has a focus on chemistry research, and it has put together a similar top-down national science strategy for research institutes across the country. Both countries have strong collaborations with top universities around the world and are welcoming of foreign researchers in their efforts to drive innovation.

Mansour Alghamdi, director of the general directorate of scientific awareness and publishing at KACST, is optimistic that Saudi Arabia can bridge the large gap that currently exists in the volume of scientific output between it and such countries as India and Singapore.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a clear plan to do so and it has the resources,” he says.

Future growth
An internationally rising star
This graph shows KAUST's rise compared to a selection of other institutions*.
*Institutions shown are those that were furthest above KAUST in 2012, have experienced overall growth in WFC by 2015 and have been overtaken by KAUST in 2015. For clarity, only 2012 and 2015 data points are shown.

In 2012, Saudi's ranking in research output, with a WFC of 52.8, meant it was comparable with countries like South Africa, Turkey and Iran, all hovering around the 60–70 mark. Its WFC stood way below countries like Mexico, Hungary, Chile, Greece and Argentina.

Saudi Arabian researchers benefit from cutting-edge labs and generous funding that has boosted the country's R&D.

Four years later, the country's research outlook is very different and it is surpassing countries like Argentina, Mexico and Hungary in the index, and levelling the playing field with Chile. Chemistry research led the country's rapid rise to surpass these countries, but its life sciences and physical sciences WFCs of 8.5 and 31.5 still lag behind.

However, the Kingdom's AC has been steadily growing in these two fields over the past four years, hinting at the ever-increasing significance of international collaborations. It seems that Saudi Arabian researchers are casting their nets ever wider and are participating in publishing more articles, to the detriment of the WFC accredited for these articles.

Though international collaboration has proved fruitful, Saudi Arabia must keep a focus on nurturing home-grown talent, says Nasser Al-Aqeeli, dean of research at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), based in Dhahran's 'techno valley' in the eastern region of the Kingdom. In the next five years, he says, the country will focus on a programme for national capacity building.

A good first step was the Saudi government's decision to create a large scholarship programme in 2005, arguably the largest in the world, which has seen more than 200,000 young Saudi Arabians studying abroad. This makes Saudi Arabian students in the United States the fourth largest bloc of expatriate students, following those of China, India and South Korea. The government hopes these students will come back and drive a scientific culture in the country.
Saudi Arabia is also looking to increase its applied research focus, which is an integral part of the current phase of its national science strategy, while securing good funding for basic research as well. Al-Aqeeli says that Saudi's journey involves what he termed a “self-correcting mechanism” where the country is having a slow start in high-impact research, but a more sustainable one. An eventual future move towards basic research might help Saudi Arabia's research capacity to mature.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v532/n7600_supp_ni/full/532S13a.html


Global Nature Magazine; Saudi Arabia ranks 28th worldwide in high quality scientific publishing

KSA is also located 31st worldwide in the Nature Index of 2016. The 2017 tables are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016.

https://www.natureindex.com/annual-tables/2017/country/all

Best performing Muslim nation.

Related article (in the highly respected Nature) published 1.5 years ago;

https://www.nature.com/articles/532S13a

Saudi Arabian universities (with the highest ranks overall of any other regional country):

http://www.shanghairanking.com/World-University-Rankings-2017/Saudi-Arabia.html

http://www.arabnews.com/node/1180431/saudi-arabia



https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/oiling-the-wheels-on-a-road-to-success-in-saudi-arabia.428713/

As for skyscrapers there are hardly any skyscrapers in KSA. There are more skyscrapers in Istanbul alone than all of KSA combined. So not sure about where this comment comes from? Is it due to 1 Arab city (Dubai) out of 10 million or so, that makes you say this?

 

[UzaySan]

Acually its not my bussines its your money do whatever you want

 

[UzaySan]

As for skyscrapers there are hardly any skyscrapers in KSA. There are more skyscrapers in Istanbul alone than all of KSA combined. So not sure about where this comment comes from? Is it due to 1 Arab city (Dubai) out of 10 million or so, that makes you say this?

there was a guy he said dubai was a test board,neom will be perfect and i think he is right if this city looks similiar a little bit to dubai it will contain a lot of skyscraper

dubai has 2 million population and has 285 skyscrapers while istanbul has 122 with 19 million population

when i search super rich arabian countries like qatar,dubai,quwait on google images big part of photo is skyscrappers with to much light

thats what im talkin about

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Acually its not my bussines its your money do whatever you want



there was a guy he said dubai was a test board,neom will be perfect and i think he is right if this city looks similiar a little bit to dubai it will contain a lot of skyscraper

dubai has 2 million population and has 285 skyscrapers while istanbul has 122 with 19 million population

when i search super rich arabian countries like qatar,dubai,quwait on google images big part of photo is skyscrappers with to much light

this is what im talking about

Dubai, 100 years ago, was one tiny sleepy fishing village in UAE about of 1000's and 1 tiny sleepy fishing village out of 1-2 million in the entire Arab world, and today Dubai is one of the most visited cities in the world, has the busiest airport (tourist wise) and is totally independent of oil. A huge success story. So that is hardly negative.

Your examples show 3 Arab cities (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha). Similar stories with all 3, although Dubai tops it.

Fact of the matter is that Istanbul alone has more skyscrapers than KSA combined. Skyscrapers are not very common in KSA. Traditional architecture is preferred.

Anyway let us end it here as it seems that we are misunderstanding each other or simply do not agree. No problem.

 

[UzaySan]

sorry im new here i posted wrong