Jeddah’s 2013 construction, infrastructure forum to host U.N.

A construction and infrastructure forum in the Saudi city of Jeddah, kicking off next January, will bring on members of the United Nations, in a push to showcase industry opportunities in the Gulf kingdom.

A forecasted $4.3 trillion is to be spent on construction in the MENA region in the next 10 years, the Environmental Infrastructure Forum (EIF) said in a statement this week, adding that $750 billion has been allocated in Saudi Arabia for infrastructure, transport, social reform and mass housing, as well as a further $500 billion in energy, logistics and education.

“With Saudi Arabia’s urban-industrial expansion plans well underway, an urgent need exists to integrate low-emission, climate-resilient strategies if the Kingdom is to achieve its goals of sustainable development,” the United Nations Development Program’s Kishan Khoday, who will be speaking at the conference, said.

“The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is pleased to partner with the Presidency for Meteorology and Environment (PME) for this 2nd EIF to bring forth global lessons and models for achieving results,” Khoday added.

EIF 2013 will discuss the business and investment opportunities that are continuing to arise as a result of its implementation across the diverse regions of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi’s Prince Turki bin Nasser, head of the PME and Chairman of the Saudi Environmental Society, will preside over the gala opening ceremony, which last year invited mayors from 13 municipalities around the kingdom to support for environmentally sustainable initiatives in their constituencies.

The event will take place on Jan. 27-29.