Meed | Kuwait navigates unchartered political territory

Kuwait navigates unchartered political territory

29 August 2024

Kuwait’s political situation and its near-term prospects for governance continue to hinge on the dramatic suspension of the nation’s parliament by Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

This drastic measure by the country’s leader came in response to a deepening political stagnation in Kuwaiti politics that has seen successive formations of parliament and government deadlocked over the most fundamental of fiscal legislation: approving the budget and raising the debt ceiling.

Underlying these stumbling blocks are allegations of fiscal and budgetary malfeasance levelled by the elected lawmakers in parliament at the ruler-appointed and ruling family-led cabinet.

In recent years, the proceedings in parliament have become increasingly acrimonious, with lawmakers frequently demanding the right to question cabinet members – a demand that has instead often simply resulted in the dissolution of the government.

Kuwait’s political system has often been described as a “democratic experiment”, as it was a first in the GCC to devolve significant legislative authority to a chamber of fairly freely elected representatives.

On 10 May, however, after the fourth election in four years in pursuit of a functioning government resulted in the same rigmarole, the emir triggered the system’s inbuilt circuit breaker for the first time since its establishment and effectively placed the experiment on hold.

Two days later, the emir announced the formation of a new cabinet headed by Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Sabah as the returning prime minister. The country’s oil, finance and foreign ministers all retained their posts as well, making it a continuity cabinet, but in the absence of parliament.

Officially, the rules allow for the suspension of parliament for up to four years, enabling direct rule by the emir and his cabinet in the interim. Kuwait has thus returned, temporarily, to something of a default setting for the GCC. But it is a dramatic turn of events for Kuwait given the country’s well-worn electoral legacy – even as its other positively regarded attributes, such as a relatively free press, remain intact.

Project revitalisation

The emir’s decision is nevertheless being viewed in many quarters as a potentially positive development, not least in the projects sector. The political deadlock plaguing the country has been a salient problem for contractors in recent years due to the way parliamentary objections have impeded project spending.

Indeed, political disputes over capital expenditure have come close to scuttling Kuwait’s projects sector, which has seen its activity plummet over the past decade, with the country’s $16.5bn in contract awards in 2016 plunging to just $2.6bn in 2019 and averaging less than $4bn in the past five years. Given the parallel $100bn in project completions over the past 10 years, this fall in awards has resulted in a $50bn net decline in the value of projects under execution.

This loss of value from the projects sector has been detrimental to Kuwaiti contractors, who have been looking abroad in increasing numbers for alternative avenues of work. The drop-off in value in the project market has also been even more dramatic in certain industries, including the oil sector, where the total value of active projects fell from $65bn in early 2019 to just over $5bn by early 2023.

The reduction in oil sector projects, where constant work is required to maintain the performance of the infrastructure, is a threat to the main driver of the Kuwaiti economy and government revenues.

Given the country’s limited diversification and the accounting of the oil sector for 60% of Kuwait’s GDP and 90% of government revenue, the potential long-term consequences of the nation’s political dysfunction metastasising into dysfunction in the oil sector are considerable.

It is not surprising then that one of the first things on the agenda since the suspension of parliament has been the revival of oil sector projects – with the country’s Central Agency for Public Tenders now meeting three days a week since July to advance the tendering of major schemes.

Political correction

Political reform is also on the table. In his televised address to the nation on 10 May, the emir stated: “The recent turmoil in the Kuwaiti political scene has reached a stage where we cannot remain silent, so we must take all necessary measures to achieve the best interest of the country and its people.”

The presentation of the challenges facing the country in existential terms underlined the heightened perception that Kuwait was careening towards disaster amid political paralysis, falling oil infrastructure investment and snowballing expenses.

However, regardless of the “unimaginable, unbearable difficulties and impediments”, facing the country, the retaking of direct control by the emir and cabinet is no assurance that the trouble is over. The country still faces stark policy choices, including how to tackle its burgeoning public wage bill, which currently stands at about 30% of the country’s GDP and is only set to grow with rising pay and pensions.

These are costs that Kuwait cannot bear without robust oil sector development, and even that might not be enough. Economic projections have suggested public salaries could make up as much as 75% of the budget within five years, which could rapidly shrink the fiscal space for any other spending.

This is a burgeoning dilemma for the country that cannot be tackled overnight, but with four years of determined and unencumbered course correction, Kuwait could at least develop some more options.

Constitutional amendments could also be unveiled to prevent a return to political paralysis when a parliament re-forms. The ability of the house to override the emir’s veto with a simple majority, as well as to hold votes of no confidence for ministers, are two areas where changes could be made to smooth the political process – for example by requiring a super majority to overturn the emir’s veto or by making the conditions necessary to challenge the confidence in a minister more stringent.

Regardless, what is abundantly clear is that the existing system was not functioning as required – at the most fundamental level – in making basic legislative progress. Everything could now get back on track, but there are ample more “difficulties and impediments” to address, and Kuwait needs fresh solutions.

This month's special report on Kuwait includes:

> GOVERNMENT: Kuwait navigates unchartered political territory
> ECONOMY: Fiscal deficit pushes Kuwait towards reforms
> BANKING: Kuwaiti banks hunt for growth
> OIL & GAS: Kuwait oil project activity doubles
> POWER & WATER: Kuwait utilities battle uncertainty
> CONSTRUCTION: Kuwait construction sector turns corner

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John Bambridge

Exclusive from Meed

Contractor wins Riyadh airport sewage plant deal
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Azizi to announce $8bn Sharjah residential community
10 September 2026
Saudi Arabia’s power award activity slows
10 September 2026
Chinese contractor wins NHC Al-Fursan Riyadh deal
10 September 2026
Seven tenders Dammam water park and hotel project
10 September 2026

Contractor wins Riyadh airport sewage plant deal
10 September 2026
The local Safari Company has been selected to build a sewage treatment plant at the King Salman International airport (KSIA) development in Riyadh.

The contract for the facility is yet to be formally signed with King Salman International Airport Development Company (KSIADC), a source close to the project told MEED.

The facility will have a treatment capacity of 92,000 cubic metres a day and is estimated to be worth SR700m ($187m).

In July, MEED reported that Safari was one of seven contractors awaiting a decision on a contract to build the sewage treatment plant.

It is understood that bids were submitted in March, following the tender’s release earlier this year.

The plant will treat wastewater generated by the airport and surrounding developments, including passenger terminals, runways, residential districts, commercial facilities and logistics areas.

The bidders (all local) are:
- Al-Rawaf Trading & Contracting
- Almajal Alarabi
- Nesma Water & Energy
- Safari Company
- Saudi Services for Electro-Mechanic Works
- Washnah Contracting
- Water & Environment Technologies (Wetico)
The project scope includes the construction of the treatment plant, the installation of preliminary, secondary and tertiary treatment systems, sewage collection and conveyance pipelines, pumping stations, and electrical and control systems.

US-headquartered Jacobs is acting as the main project consultant. Commercial operations for the plant are scheduled for 2029.

The sewage treatment plant is one of several water infrastructure packages planned for the airport. KSIADC is also evaluating bids for a separate $30m engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract covering potable water and fire water tanks and an associated pumping station. The same seven companies submitted bids for that package.

Earlier in July, MEED exclusively reported that a joint venture of Beijing-headquartered China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and Dammam-based Mofarreh AlHarbi & Partners had won a deal to undertake the enabling and substructure works for Terminal 6 at KSIA.

That same month, MEED exclusively reported that contract details were being finalised for the main construction contract for the expansion of Hail airport. It is understood that Safari Company was appointed as the contractor for this project.

The terminal expansion works include the south expansion, which encompasses the construction of a new building covering 5,600 square metres. This building will connect to the existing terminal from the southern side.

The expansion will increase the airport’s capacity to about 1.7 million passengers a year by 2030.
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Mark Dowdall
Azizi to announce $8bn Sharjah residential community
10 September 2026

Dubai-based real estate developer Azizi Developments is preparing to launch Azizi Florence, a AED30bn ($8bn) masterplanned community in Sharjah.

Named Azizi Florence, the project will mark the developer’s first venture in the emirate of Sharjah.

The community will include 1,130 villas, over 6,000 townhouses and 3,500 apartments.

Planned as a fully integrated destination, Azizi Florence will combine residential, retail, hospitality, education, leisure, and wellness components, anchored by a 1.7 million-square-foot central park.

The development will be organised into six residential clusters, each featuring its own park, clubhouse, community centre and landscaped gardens.

Azizi Florence is another major addition to the developer’s UAE portfolio.

In April last year, Azizi announced plans to develop the Azizi Milan community in Dubai’s City of Arabia area.

According to media reports, the project will be developed at an estimated cost of AED75bn ($20bn) and will offer over 81,200 residential units.

The developer said the project will cover an area of about 40 million square feet, making it one of the largest mixed-use communities in the UAE.

In 2023, Azizi launched the Azizi Venice project in the Dubai South area. The estimated AED30bn ($8.17bn) mixed-use development will offer more than 30,000 residential units, including 100 mid-rise apartment complexes and 400 villas, two five-star hotels and an opera house.

The development will also include schools, a hospital, cycling and jogging tracks, a 3-kilometre-long swimmable lagoon, water features and landscaped parks.

Dubai real estate developments dominate the UAE’s construction market, with schemes worth over $323bn in the execution or planning stages.

This is in line with a forecast by GlobalData, which projects that the output of the UAE construction sector will grow by 4.2% in real terms in 2025, supported by developments in infrastructure, energy and utilities and residential construction projects.

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Yasir Iqbal
Saudi Arabia’s power award activity slows
10 September 2026

Saudi Arabia’s power market has seen a sharp fall in contract awards in 2026 following a major wave of renewable energy investment last year.

According to regional project tracker MEED Projects, about $3.38bn of power sector contracts were awarded in the kingdom as of early September, compared with $27.5bn in 2025, $54.2bn in 2024 and $26.1bn in 2023.

The relatively low level of contract awards this year has partly been influenced by a shift towards wider infrastructure such as battery energy storage systems (bess) and transmission projects, alongside delays in the procurement of renewable energy projects under the National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP) Round 7.

In September, Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) awarded four Group 1 storage service agreements representing more than SR4.35bn ($1.16bn) of investment. The projects will provide a combined 2,000MW of capacity and 8,000MWh of storage.

Three bess projects, Al-Muwyah, Haden and Al-Kahafa, were awarded to a consortium of Saudi Energy, Acwa and Al-Sharif Contracting & Commercial Development Company. Another consortium of France’s Engie and Haji Abdullah Alireza & Co won the contract for the remaining Al-Khushaybi bess project.

Transmission awards

The battery storage projects are part of a broader shift towards the infrastructure needed to support Saudi Arabia’s expanding power system, with transmission accounting for most of the contracts awarded this year, reaching $3.35bn in new awards.

The largest is the estimated $500m contract awarded to Alfanar Projects in March for the 500kV overhead transmission line linking Saudi Arabia’s Eastern and Central operating areas. The 508-kilometre project will have a transmission capacity of 3,000MW.

Saudi Energy, formerly Saudi Electricity Company, is implementing a $58.7bn grid investment programme through 2030, including 130 high-voltage substations, about 12,900km of overhead transmission lines and 1,100km of underground cables.

Saudi Energy is the largest owner by value so far this year, accounting for about $1.9bn of contract awards, while SPPC has awarded more than $1.1bn in new contracts.

The focus on storage and transmission follows strong growth in renewable generation investment in 2025. Wind power contract awards reached $4.4bn, while 11 major solar contracts were also awarded.

In May 2025, developers signed $8.3bn of power purchase agreements with SPPC for five solar plants and two wind farms with a combined capacity of 15,000MW, somewhat inflating last year’s figures. The projects, backed by the Public Investment Fund, reached financial close in November.

Renewables projects

The next major phase of renewable procurement is now moving through the tender process. The seventh round of NREP, tendered in January, will add 5,300MW through four solar and two wind projects.

Based on the procurement timeline for the Round 6 projects, which were tendered and awarded in 2026, it was reasonable to expect Round 7 to follow a similar schedule.

However, according to one developer, rising supply costs have been a factor in recent deadline extensions for these projects, with those involved “waiting till these come down”.

With the latest bid submission deadlines set for September, the timing of the procurement process means contracts from NREP Round 7 may now fall into 2027 rather than materially lifting this year’s total.

The solar projects comprise the 1,400MW Tabarjal 2, 600MW Mawqqaq, 600MW Tathleeth and 500MW South Al-Ula independent power projects (IPPs). The round also includes the 1,300MW Bilgah and 900MW Shagra wind IPPs.

This helps explain why Saudi Arabia’s power sector contracting could remain relatively subdued in 2026 despite a substantial volume of projects progressing through procurement.

Project pipeline

According to MEED Projects, about $5.1bn of power projects are currently under bid evaluation and a further $7.3bn are at the main contract tender stage.

Solar projects make up the largest share, at about $5.1bn, or 41% of the total. There continues to be relatively strong diversification, with cable and overhead-line projects accounting for about $3bn, followed by wind at $2.2bn, oil and gas-fired power at $1.1bn and substations at about $1bn.

Renewable energy remains a particularly significant part of the development programme. Saudi Arabia raised its renewable energy target to 130GW by 2030 in 2023 and needs to add roughly 20GW of capacity a year to meet it.

Large-scale storage is also expected to continue expanding. The latest SPPC projects build on five bess facilities awarded by Saudi Energy through National Grid Saudi Arabia to Alfanar in 2025. The facilities have a combined capacity of up to 2,500MW, equivalent to about 10,000MWh.

SPPC has also issued the request for proposals for the second phase of its independent bess programme in Saudi Arabia. The Group 2 programme comprises six independent storage provider projects with a total capacity of 3GW, equivalent to 12,000MWh based on a four-hour storage duration. Developers are due to submit bids in October.

The timing means the Group 2 projects could contribute to contracting activity in 2027, alongside this next batch of renewable projects under NREP Round 7.

Nuclear power could provide another potential source of activity over the next 12 months. The US and Saudi Arabia signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement in July, providing the legal foundation for a long-term, multibillion-dollar nuclear partnership.

While the agreement is unlikely to translate immediately into major contract values, further progress on Saudi Arabia’s nuclear programme could add another area of activity in the sector as the kingdom moves into 2027.

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Mark Dowdall

Chinese contractor wins NHC Al-Fursan Riyadh deal

10 September 2026

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Beijing-headquartered China Airport Construction Group (CACC) has won a contract for the main construction works on the Al-Ruba project, located within the Al-Fursan master development in Riyadh.

The Al-Fursan project developer, National Housing Company (NHC), awarded the contract.

The scope covers the construction of 48 eight-storey buildings, comprising 2,556 residential apartments.

CACC is already working with NHC to deliver the Rehab Al-Sadan residential project at the Al-Sadan development in Jeddah.

It comprises the delivery of about 1,400 residential units across several buildings.

In 2023, NHC and Saudi Arabia’s Housing Ministry signed investment agreements totalling more than SR24bn ($6.4bn) to launch the Al-Fursan residential project.

Al‑Fursan is described as the largest scheme in terms of area and number of housing units that NHC is implementing in partnership with other real estate developers.

For the district’s first phase, 18 real estate development agreements were signed with companies including Retal Urban Development Company and Sumou Real Estate Company.

NHC also signed four consultancy contracts to manage projects and supervise implementation of phase one and the deployment of comprehensive infrastructure works.

Other deals involved the development of facilities, including commercial and recreational areas, hospitals, health and sports centres, mosques and schools.

MEED reported in 2020 that Riyadh planned to oversee the development of more than 1 million homes by 2025 to meet growing demand in the kingdom.

By 2030, the Saudi capital aims to more than double its population, from 7-8 million to 15-20 million, and become one of the 10 wealthiest cities in the world.

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

Nuclear power ambitions gather pace; Kuwait keeps dealmaking alive despite war; Region invests in raising gas processing capacity.

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

> AGENDA: Gulf nuclear revival takes shape

> MARKET FOCUS: Kuwait keeps dealmaking alive under fire

> INDUSTRY REPORT: Gas processing takes centre stage in Mena region

> INTERVIEW: Emsteel persists with business productivity and efficiency

> TUNNELS: The Gulf’s next construction boom is happening underground

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

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Yasir Iqbal

Seven tenders Dammam water park and hotel project

10 September 2026

Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has tendered a contract for the main construction package of its Dammam Water Park and Hotel project in the Al-Hamra district.

The bid submission deadline is 14 October.

The waterfront development sits on a 324,300-square-metre (sq m) plot.

In July, MEED exclusively reported that Seven was preparing to shortlist general contractors for the project.

Seven is seeking firms capable of delivering a lump-sum, turnkey solution for both the water park and a 321-key lifestyle hotel. Construction is expected to take 24 months from contract award.

The water park is designed around five themed zones and will feature what is billed as the world’s first double-tornado/triple-wave waterslide.

The park will include 21 major rides and attractions, 21 food and beverage outlets, 66 cabanas, parking for 1,100 vehicles and a daily peak capacity of 4,500 guests.

Slide procurement has already been completed directly by Seven. The selected contractor will be responsible for locally sourcing slide towers, integrating them with rockwork and secondary steel, and installing the units.

Detailed design and issued-for-construction packages are complete.

Marine works, piling, dewatering and site utilities are being progressed separately by the existing early works contractor.

The hotel component covers roughly 31,700 sq m of gross floor area and will offer 321 guest rooms, four F&B outlets, spa and wellness facilities, a family pool, and meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition space.

The new contractor’s scope includes superstructure concrete works, façade and roof works, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, interior fit-out and landscaping.

Seven will consider only contractors with demonstrated experience delivering water parks with complex aquatics, theming and rockwork – either directly or through clearly defined subcontractor partnerships – along with a track record in high-end turnkey hotel fit-outs.

Construction of Seven’s Dammam entertainment complex is under way. In October 2023, Saudi Binladin Group won contracts worth around SR5bn ($1.3bn) from Seven to build two entertainment destinations in the Dammam and Al-Khobar areas of the kingdom’s Eastern Province.

The Al-Khobar entertainment complex is being built on reclaimed waterfront land. The complex spans around 300,000 sq m and is also known as ‘The Waves’.

The Dammam entertainment complex spans 360,000 sq m and is being built on reclaimed land on the Dammam waterfront.