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  Construction begins on phase two of Cairo Metro Line 4

  18 August 2026

  Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) has begun implementing the second phase of Cairo Metro’s Line 4, spanning about 27 kilometres.

  The main construction works contract was awarded to a joint venture of local firms, including Arab Contractors, Hassan Allam, Petrojet and Concord Engineering & Contracting.

  Cairo Metro Line 4 will stretch from Fustat station to Zahraa Nasr City station in New Cairo. The line will comprise 21 stations, 15 underground and six elevated.

  According to data from regional projects tracker MEED Projects, the scope also covers:

  • Construction of a tunnel route starting from Al-Fustat station, following Salah Salem Road, and intersecting with the sixth metro line at Sayeda Aisha station
  • An extension along Hafez Ibrahim Street, intersecting the Shinzo Abe Axis and linking Ahmed Al-Zomor and Al-Mithaq streets
  • A section running via Nasr Road and Nasr City to Anwar Al-Mufti Street, with an interchange with the East Nile Monorail at Aviation station
  • Construction of a depot at the Omra El-Gasima site
  • Integration of interchange stations with existing lines, including Line 1 and Line 2
  • Construction of structures over and under major roadways, including the Ring Road and Cairo-Suez Road
  • Earthworks and site preparation, including elevated foundations and underground excavations
  • Construction of all other associated infrastructure

  Local media reports said construction work on the first phase of Line 4 is expected to be completed in 2028.

  The joint venture of Arab Contractors, Hassan Allam, Petrojet and Concord Engineering & Contracting is also undertaking the main works on the first phase.

  The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) provided half of the $4bn funding required for Line 4’s first phase.

  The media reports added that NAT is currently studying the third and fourth phases of Line 4.

  The third phase aims to connect the Ashgar Gardens and Al-Hosary areas via a rail line spanning more than 16km.

  The fourth phase will be more than 38km long and will connect the Al-Rehab area with the capital’s international airport east of Cairo.

  Once completed across all phases, Line 4 will link 6th of October City with southern and eastern Cairo, the New Administrative Capital and Capital International airport, making it one of the longest transport networks in the country.

  In April last year, MEED reported on Egypt’s future rail project plans, which include eight key projects spanning metro, high-speed rail and light rail transit.

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  READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Expo 2030 Riyadh construction gathers pace > WORLD CUP: What the 2026 World Cup means for Saudi Arabia 2034 > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge > INDUSTRY REPORT: GCC banks prove resilient amid turmoil > LEADERSHIP: Private capital and the GCC infrastructure inflection > PORTS: Geopolitical risk shapes $513bn of global ports projects > INTERVIEW: Developers look beyond standalone solar

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

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  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  RTA opens bridge connecting DWTC to Al-Mustaqbal Street

  18 August 2026

  Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has opened a new 500-metre, two-lane bridge connecting traffic from Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and One Central to Al-Mustaqbal Street.

  The bridge will reduce travel time from DWTC to Al-Mustaqbal Street from around 10 minutes to about two minutes during major events.

  The bridge is part of the $172m Al-Mustaqbal Street Development Project. The wider scheme includes around 2,000 metres of bridges and tunnels, along with a pedestrian bridge on Al-Sukook Street, and runs from Zaabeel Palace Street to Financial Centre Street.

  As part of the project, Al-Mustaqbal Street will be widened from three to four lanes in each direction, increasing overall capacity by 33% to 8,800 vehicles per hour in both directions.

  The RTA added that this is expected to cut end-to-end travel time along the corridor from 13 minutes to six minutes.

  Three tunnels, totalling 1,500 metres, at the intersection of Al-Mustaqbal Street and Trade Centre Street are scheduled to open in February 2027.

  These include a three-lane tunnel towards Deira with a capacity of 4,500 vehicles per hour, a two-lane tunnel for left-turn movements between the two streets, and a one-lane tunnel serving One Central.

  The RTA said that the overall project completion rate has reached 85%.

  In February last year, MEED exclusively reported that the RTA had selected local firm Wade Adams to undertake improvement works on Al-Mustaqbal Street.

  Planning for growth

  The Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan was launched in March 2021. Its launch referenced studies indicating that the emirate’s population will reach 5.8 million by 2040, up from 3.3 million in 2020. The daytime population is set to increase from 4.5 million in 2020 to 7.8 million in 2040.

  In December 2022, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved the 20-Minute City Policy as part of the second phase of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. 

  In addition to the road projects, the RTA’s Dubai Metro Blue Line extension and Dubai Metro Gold Line form part of Dubai’s plans to improve residents’ quality of life by cutting journey times, as outlined in the policy.

  The policy aims for residents to have 80% of their daily requirements within a 20-minute journey, on foot or by bicycle. This goal will be achieved by developing integrated service centres with all necessary facilities and increasing population density around mass transit stations.

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  READ THE AUGUST 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

  Saudi Arabia builds for the global stage; Rising uncertainty creates fresh set of challenges in the Maghreb; Gulf banks remain robust in the face of geopolitical tensions.

  Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the August 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

  > AGENDA: Expo 2030 Riyadh construction gathers pace > WORLD CUP: What the 2026 World Cup means for Saudi Arabia 2034 > MARKET FOCUS: Maghreb fortunes diverge > INDUSTRY REPORT: GCC banks prove resilient amid turmoil > LEADERSHIP: Private capital and the GCC infrastructure inflection > PORTS: Geopolitical risk shapes $513bn of global ports projects > INTERVIEW: Developers look beyond standalone solar

  To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18822891/main.jpg

  Yasir Iqbal
• 
  Saudi Arabia approves new procurement law

  17 August 2026

  Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers has approved a new Government Tenders and Procurement Law (GTPL), introducing changes to public procurement procedures and government contracting.

  The Ministry of Finance announced the approval on 5 August.

  The new law aims to strengthen governance and transparency, improve procurement planning and implementation, and promote fairness and equal opportunities in government contracting.

  The changes give government entities greater flexibility in procurement while introducing new provisions that could affect contractors and suppliers, including contract variations, outstanding payments and procurement procedures.

  Contract flexibility

  According to a Ministry of Finance summary of the key amendments, one of the main changes allows government entities to increase existing contract items by up to 20% of the contract value. Contractor approval is required for increases exceeding 10%, while the total increase from adding new items or increasing existing items cannot exceed 20% of the contract value.

  The amendments also introduce measures addressing outstanding payments to contractors. A government entity cannot make a new award when it has outstanding amounts owed to contractors for works or procurement and the required procedures have not been taken, after notification from the Ministry of Finance.

  Exceptions apply where non-payment relates to ministry procedures or where the government entity has taken the required action on a claim but does not have sufficient budget allocations.

  Single committee

  Under the new law, the committees responsible for opening and examining bids will be merged into a single committee.

  The maximum value for direct procurement will rise from SR100,000 ($26,700) to SR1m ($267,000) while government entities will be required to explain and document their use of direct procurement.

  Direct procurement will also be permitted in cases involving research, development and innovation and certain contracts with professional practitioners.

  The amendments reduce the minimum standstill period following a procurement award from five working days to three working days. Government entities will also be able to negotiate where the best bid exceeds the estimated cost plus the permitted contingency.

  Localisation

  The new framework includes provisions covering industrial localisation and knowledge transfer. The Ministry of Finance said it will issue rules for contracting for these purposes in cooperation with the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority.

  A new regulation will also cover research, development and innovation, including tendering and contracting provisions for these activities.

  Other changes involve contractors’ exposure to penalties. The maximum delay penalty on contracts, excluding supply contracts, will fall from 20% to 15% of contract value. The maximum penalty for non-performance in continuous-performance contracts will also fall from 20% to 15%.

  The value of purchases exempt from providing a final guarantee will rise from SR100,000 ($26,700) to SR300,000 ($80,000). Additional exemptions will apply to contracts with professional practitioners and emergency or urgent cases.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18805103/main.jpg

  Mark Dowdall
• 
  GCC reviews first phase of water interconnection study

  17 August 2026

  The GCC General Secretariat has completed the first phase of a study examining the feasibility of developing water interconnection projects between GCC member states.

  A two-day workshop reviewing the study’s findings concluded on 12 August at the headquarters of the GCC Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

  The GCC General Secretariat organised the workshop in cooperation with GCCIA, with representatives from relevant authorities and experts in water, infrastructure and water security taking part.

  Participants reviewed the first phase findings, including an assessment of existing water supply infrastructure and the actual water needs of GCC member states. They also discussed the technical requirements and data needed to complete the study.

  The study is intended to identify practical options and feasible solutions for developing a regional water interconnection network. This includes establishing an implementation roadmap.

  The initiative aims to improve the GCC states’ ability to respond to emergencies and crises and support continuity of water supplies.

  First meeting

  The workshop followed a virtual meeting on 22 July between the GCC General Secretariat and Saudi Arabia’s water authorities as part of the study.

  That meeting, which also involved consultancy Artelia, reviewed the study’s methodology and implementation stages. These include assessing existing water systems across GCC states, their resilience and emergency readiness, and developing technical options for bilateral water interconnection projects.

  In Saudi Arabia, the study is focused primarily on the Eastern Province and Riyadh. It is assessing water production and desalination facilities, transmission pipelines, strategic reservoirs, pumping stations and existing and planned projects.

  The study is also examining potential bilateral connections between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, as well as the possibility of a connection with the UAE.

  The 22 July meeting also discussed potential connection points and routes, water flow directions and the possibility of designing interconnection pipelines to operate in both directions.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18802726/main.jpg

  Mark Dowdall
• 
  Neom’s next phase is crucial to green hydrogen pipeline

  17 August 2026

  Commentary
  Mark Dowdall
  Power & water editor

  The completion of construction at Neom Green Hydrogen comes at an important point for Saudi Arabia’s wider hydrogen ambitions.

  The project has already shown that a large green hydrogen scheme can secure financing by reaching financial close in 2023 with long-term offtake from Air Products.

  With the facility now moving into commissioning ahead of a targeted commercial operations date next year, Neom could soon give lenders and developers real evidence on the performance, costs and risks of a large-scale green hydrogen project.

  That could be important for projects still moving through development. Acwa’s Yanbu Green Hydrogen Hub, for example, is targeting commercial operations in 2030.

  The project has brought in Germany’s EnBW as a co-developer and minority investor and Japan’s Itochu as a co-developer, investor and offtaker. Acwa is targeting production of 2.5 million tonnes a year of green ammonia from the hub.

  Saudi Arabia is also putting more of the framework around the industry in place. In July, the government granted Acwa exclusive rights to export green hydrogen produced in the kingdom along with its derivatives, including green ammonia, methanol and fuels.

  However, partnerships and policy support alone will not remove the commercial questions facing projects. Yanbu still needs to progress through development and secure the financing needed to move into construction.

  Neom’s financing structure and 30-year offtake may be specific to the project, but its operating performance should give future developers and lenders a clearer reference point for assessing production, reliability and costs.

  While Neom will not make the next projects bankable on its own, if it stays on track and performs as expected, it could give lenders a stronger basis for assessing projects that follow. In the long-run, this could be one of its most important contributions.

  https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18800285/main.jpg

  Mark Dowdall