Read the September 2024 MEED Business Review

4 September 2024

Download / Subscribe / 14-day trial access

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the GCC is accelerating. The number of EVs on Dubai's roads rose 72% between year-end 2022 and the end of 2023, suggesting that the city's obsession with fast and expensive sports cars and fuel-inefficient four-by-fours could soon be just a speck in the rearview mirror.

The September issue of MEED Business Review looks at the future of EVs in the GCC and finds that the region is on the cusp of an EV production boom

As governments around the region drive forward their sustainable transport policies in line with their goals of reducing carbon emissions and transitioning away from fossil fuels, cohesive policies will prove key to smoothing out what has so far been a bumpy road for hybrid and electric vehicles.

This support for greener transportation options, combined with energy and economic diversification programmes and ambitious industrialisation plans, has also spurred major investments in EV production. As of July, in Saudi Arabia and the UAE planned projects related to the construction of manufacturing and assembly plants for hydrogen-powered and EVs have a total combined capacity of close to 400,000 vehicles a year.

In MEED's latest issue, we also delve into the downstream sector, where China is expected to lead the increasing global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the coming decade and hydrocarbons producers in the GCC have committed billions of dollars to rapidly expand their LNG production capacities.

Meanwhile, this month's exclusive 15-page market report highlights Kuwait, where prospects are taking a positive turn as the fiscal deficit is pushing the country towards reforms and the suspension of parliament looks set to ignite the projects market.

In addition, our latest issue is packed with insight and analysis. The team assesses the outlook for the project to expand production facilities at Iraq's Khor Mor gas field and discovers how security concerns are threatening the prospects of Libya's oil sector.

This month's issue also features a round-up of the top 15 stadiums being built or refurbished in Saudi Arabia in preparation for the kingdom's hosting of football’s Fifa World Cup 2034. We also examine how communication gaps are hindering Saudi gigaprojects and find out what the region can do to successfully navigate the impact of digital currencies on foreign exchange markets.

What's more, the September issue includes an interview with Diriyah Company’s chief development officer, Mohammed Saad, about legacy building at the Saudi gigaproject.

We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the September 2024 issue of MEED Business Review

 

Must-read sections in the September 2024 issue of MEED Business Review include:

AGENDA: 
GCC ponders electric future
Region on the cusp of EV production boom

> CURRENT AFFAIRS:
Outlook uncertain for Iraq gas expansion project
Security concerns threaten outlook for Libyan oil sector

INDUSTRY REPORT:
Analysis of the outlook for the downstream sector
> Global LNG demand set for steady growth
Region advances LNG projects with pace

> SAUDI GIGAPROJECTS: Communication gaps hinder Saudi gigaprojects

> INTERVIEW: Legacy building at Diriyah

> SAUDI STADIUMS: Top 15 Saudi stadium projects

LEADERSHIP: Navigating the impact of digital currencies on forex markets

> KUWAIT MARKET REPORT: 

> COMMENT: Kuwait’s prospects take positive turn
> 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

MEED COMMENTS: 
> Saudi World Cup bid bucks global trend for sporting events
> Finance deals reflect China’s role in delivering Vision 2030

Harris-Walz portents shift in US policy on Gaza
Aramco increases spending despite drop in profits

> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: UAE leads slight dip in market

> JULY 2024 CONTRACTS: Saudi Arabia boosts regional total again

> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects

> OPINIONThe beginning of the end

BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts

To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/12433974/main.gif
MEED Editorial
Related Articles
  • Populous wins Bahrain Sports City contract

    21 April 2026

     

    US-based engineering firm Populous has won a BD5m ($13.5m) contract for the Sports City development at Sakhir in Bahrain.

    The contract was awarded by Bahrain’s Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning.

    The scope covers pre-contract consultancy services, including finalising the masterplan and internal infrastructure, completing phase 1A design works and preparing tender documents.

    Populous is a specialist sports venue designer that formerly operated as part of HOK Group.

    The contract was first tendered in 2021, when Populous emerged as the sole bidder.

    At the time, it was reported that Sports City would include Bahrain’s largest sports stadium and a multi-purpose indoor sports arena.

    The project is expected to provide renewed impetus to Bahrain’s construction and transport sector, which has struggled in recent years, with the total value of awarded contracts falling for a third consecutive year.

    According to regional project tracker MEED Projects, about $400m-worth of contracts had been awarded in Bahrain by the end of October last year – less than half the $1.2bn recorded during the same period the previous year.

    The sector has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Before 2020, Bahrain consistently awarded more than $2bn in contracts annually, peaking at nearly $4bn in 2016.

    Bahrain’s construction industry is forecast to record average annual growth of 4.9% in 2026-29, supported by investments in transport infrastructure and renewable energy projects aligned with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030.

    Vision 2030 includes the BD11.3bn ($30bn) Strategic Projects Plan, unveiled in October 2021, encompassing 22 national infrastructure projects. It also includes plans to create five new cities by 2030: Fasht Al-Jarm, Suhaila Island, Fasht Al-Azem, Bahrain Bay and the Hawar Islands.

    Growth over the forecast period is also expected to be driven by investments under the National Renewable Energy Action Plan, which targets a 30% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035, compared to 2015 levels, and aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.


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

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

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

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16487784/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Entries now open for MEED Projects Awards 2026

    21 April 2026

    Enter the awards

    The MEED Projects Awards in association with Mashreq 2026 have officially opened for entries, inviting companies, developers, contractors and project teams to submit their projects for the region’s most prestigious construction awards.

    For over 15 years, the MEED Projects Awards have celebrated the Middle East and North Africa’s most ambitious and transformative projects, recognising technical excellence, innovation, sustainability and delivery impact. Past editions have highlighted landmark developments that set new benchmarks for the region’s built environment, including internationally recognised projects such as Burj Khalifa and Louvre Abu Dhabi.

    “The MEED Projects Awards are the gold standard for recognising outstanding achievements in construction across Mena, showcasing the region’s technical and design excellence while bringing the industry together to celebrate and connect over the very best projects of the year,” said Ed James, head of content and research at MEED.

    “As a long-standing partner of the MEED Projects Awards, Mashreq is proud to support a programme that is recognised for its independence, credibility and industry impact. These awards celebrate projects that set benchmarks for excellence and contribute meaningfully to the region’s development,” said Arun Mathur, executive vice-president and global head of contracting finance at Mashreq.

    Winners are chosen through a rigorous, independent judging process, led by a panel of more than 50 senior industry experts representing developers, contractors, engineers and project specialists. The awards celebrate projects across a wide range of sectors, including Building, Transport, Energy, Water, Healthcare, Education, Hospitality, Culture, Industrial, Power, Small Projects and Developments.

    Being shortlisted or winning a MEED Projects Award places a project among the region’s elite, offering regional recognition, global exposure and industry credibility.

    Submissions are now open, with full category details and entry guidelines available on the official entry platform.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16487756/main.gif
    MEED Editorial
  • Work advances on Saudi Maaden mine renewables project

    21 April 2026

     

    Local contractor Arabian Qudra Company is advancing construction works on an integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (bess) project at the Al-Baitha bauxite mine in Saudi Arabia.

    The off-grid facility will integrate an 8MWp solar PV array with a 30MWh bess, allowing the mine to operate almost entirely on renewable energy.

    Emerge, a joint venture of Masdar and EDF Power Solutions, is developing the project, including managing financing, design, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance.

    Last August, MEED reported that Maaden Bauxite & Alumina Company (MBAC), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden), had signed a 30-year power purchase agreement with Emerge to supply its Al-Baitha bauxite mine with renewable energy.

    Arabian Qudra Company was subsequently appointed as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, with works beginning at the start of 2026.

    The firm is a subsidiary of Abunayyan Holding Company, a privately owned Saudi industrial group.

    The project is expected to generate around 17,300MWh of electricity annually and provide a continuous 24/7 power supply. It will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 13,800 tonnes a year.

    According to projects tracker MEED Projects, construction is expected to be completed in early 2028.

    Maaden Solar 1

    Maaden is also in the early stages of developing Maaden Solar 1, potentially the world’s largest solar process heat plant. 

    MEED previously reported that US-based GlassPoint had partnered with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment as a first step towards construction of the planned $1.5bn project.

    In 2025, Spain-headquartered Cox Energy signed a collaboration agreement with the client to participate in the project. The client had been expected to invest approximately $31.1m in the first phase of the project.

    Once complete, Maaden Solar 1 will be a 1,500 megawatt-thermal (MWth) facility. A timeline for the project remains unclear, with construction not expected to begin until at least 2027.


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

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

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

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16487404/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Egypt to build Olympic Village project on Red Sea

    21 April 2026

    Egypt has moved to back a major new sports development on the Red Sea coast, officially assigning a 225-acre plot for a planned Olympic Village in the Red Sea Governorate.

    The site is located opposite the resort destination of El-Gouna, giving the project access to an established tourism corridor.

    The development is intended to strengthen Egypt’s ambition to become a hub for international sports tourism, with facilities designed to support large-scale regional and global championships.

    Plans include stadiums and purpose-built arenas designed to meet Olympic-level requirements, enabling the complex to accommodate multiple sports and event formats.

    To support visiting delegations and spectators, the Olympic Village is expected to include on-site hospitality facilities, including a hotel.

    The project is intended to operate as an integrated, self-contained destination capable of staging regional and international tournaments, while also leveraging the Red Sea’s year-round appeal for camps, friendlies and seasonal training programmes.

    According to UK analytics firm GlobalData, Egypt’s residential construction sector is expected to grow by 8.3% from 2026 to 2029, supported by investments in the housing sector and the government’s focus on addressing the country’s growing housing deficit amid a rising population.

    The commercial construction sector is expected to register real-term growth of 6.6% in 2026-29, supported by a rebound in the tourism and hospitality markets and an improvement in investment in office buildings and wholesale and retail trade activities.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16485900/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Algeria launches oil and gas licensing round

    21 April 2026

    Algeria has launched a new bid round offering seven exploration blocks to international companies.

    The round was launched by the National Agency for the Valorisation of Hydrocarbon Resources (Alnaft), which manages and regulates the upstream oil and gas sector in the country.

    The blocks are located in the regions of Ouargla, Illizi, Touggourt and El-Bayadh. Both oil and gas assets are included.

    The blocks on offer are:

    • Est Bordj Omar Driss 1
    • Illizi Centre 1
    • El-M’Zaid Nord
    • El-Borma 2
    • El-Hadjira 3
    • El-Benoud Est
    • Touggourt Sud

    Technical evaluation of bids will cover exploration, development and production optimisation plans.

    All bids – except those for Est Bordj Omar Driss 1– will also be assessed against financial criteria, including the bidder’s participation rate in financing upstream operations.

    Successful bidders will access the assets through contracts with Sonatrach, either via production service agreements or participation agreements, depending on the block.

    Algeria is currently seeing an uptick in demand for its gas exports due to the disruption to exports from Qatar and the UAE in the wake of the US and Israel’s attack on Iran on 28 February.


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

    Economic shock threatens long-term outlook; Riyadh adjusts to fiscal and geopolitical risk; GCC contractor ranking reflects gigaprojects slowdown.

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

    > GCC CONTRACTOR RANKING: Construction guard undergoes a shift
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/16478927/main.png
    Wil Crisp