Register for MEED’s 2023 construction summit
21 February 2023
After several challenging years, the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) construction industry is starting a new era of spending.
The need to meet the expectations of growing populations is driving investment in transport infrastructure, housing and power and water capacity. At the same time, governments are investing in industrial, digital and logistics capacity to support the growth and diversification of the regional economy.
Inspired by powerful national visions, construction spending is surging across the region, led by huge masterplan developments in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq. But as well as new opportunities, the surge in activity also raises new challenges.
MEED’s Mena Construction Summit 2023 examines the trends, opportunities and challenges for construction companies and their suppliers in the Middle East.
Decarbonisation agenda
New factors are reshaping how projects in the Middle East are planned, delivered and operated.
In November 2022, Egypt hosted the 27th instalment of the UN climate change summit, Cop27. This year, from 30 November until 12 December, the UAE will host Cop28. Decarbonising the economy is at the top of the regional policy agenda and is set to transform project delivery in the region.
As the biggest consumer of raw materials, generating between 25-40 per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, the construction industry is vital in the drive to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The Mena Construction Summit 2023 examines what the decarbonisation agenda means for the Middle East construction industry and discusses ways to reduce the carbon footprint of its people, plants and materials.
Smart construction
Covid-19 has turbocharged the digitalisation of the region's construction industry, and project sponsors and construction clients today expect digital data and smart technology to drive efficiency, safety, sustainability and whole life-cycle profits.
Technologies such as 4D and 5D building information modelling (BIM), digital twins, cloud-based project controls, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, 3D printing, internet of things (IoT) and big data analytics are no longer ‘nice to haves’. They are essential to be competitive.
The Mena Construction Summit 2023 explores how new technology is transforming project delivery and redefining design and construction, while at the same time reducing waste and environmental impact.
At the heart of the Middle East construction community
After a successful third edition of the summit in 2022 that boasted over 1,000 attendees representing the biggest regional construction companies, the fourth edition of the Mena Construction Summit continues to support the construction ecosystem for smart and sustainable cities and help firms change their operational dynamics.
Bringing together key players from across the construction value chain, the event will showcase some of the latest research and innovations driving improvements in productivity, quality, reliability, cost-savings, waste-reduction and energy efficiency and how you can employ these methods in your projects.
Join us in person for the fourth edition of the Mena Construction Summit on 7 June 2023 as we explore the many ways of using innovation and technology to construct sustainable buildings of the future. An immersive agenda with interactive panel discussions, fireside chats and keynote presentations will offer the unmissable opportunity to discuss and examine case studies from the region’s greatest gigaprojects.
Participants attending include representatives from important government stakeholders, project owners, contractors, architects, engineers, consultants, digital technology and equipment providers and software solution companies.
This is an exclusive opportunity to network in person with high-profile individuals, deepen your understanding of the construction sector in the Mena region and make the right investments, while ensuring better project delivery and finding future growth opportunities.
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Dubai Municipality awards Tasreef drainage contract21 July 2026
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Qatari Diar unveils $30bn Egypt project masterplan21 July 2026
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Related Articles
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Seven seeks contractors for Dammam water park and hotel21 July 2026

Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, is preparing to shortlist general contractors for the main construction package of its Dammam Water Park & Hotel project in the Al-Hamra district.
The waterfront development sits on a 324,300-square-metre (sq m) plot.
A notice was issued to contractors in July, and the client is expected to finalise the shortlist by the end of this month.
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 currently 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.
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Al-Ula appoints equestrian village early works contractor21 July 2026

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Al-Ula (RCU) has awarded a contract for early construction works at the Al-Muatadil Equestrian Village.
The contract was awarded to Al-Khobar-based Al-Shalawi International Company.
Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRealis is the project management consultant. UK-headquartered Baker Wilkins & Smith and local firm Al-Hoty Company are the cost consultants.
Dubai-based SSH is the supervision consultant, and UK-based Hopkins Architects is the lead design consultant.
RCU announced the project plans in March 2023, including the development of an equestrian hub with two arenas that can accommodate 5,000 and 1,400 spectators, respectively.
The venue will also include grass polo, sand polo and endurance facilities, with capacities of 600, 400 and 600 seats, respectively.
These facilities will be complemented by visitor amenities, two stable compounds with capacity for 740 horses, and accommodation and retail outlets for event participants and workers.
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Contractors await decision on Riyadh airport sewage plant21 July 2026

Seven contractors are awaiting a decision on a contract to build a sewage treatment plant at the King Salman International airport (KSIA) development in Riyadh, according to sources.
It is understood that bids were submitted to King Salman International Airport Development Company (KSIADC) 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 facility will have a treatment capacity of 92,000 cubic metres a day. The contract is estimated to be worth SR700m ($187m).
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 contract covering potable water and fire water tanks and an associated pumping station. The same seven companies have 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.
The latest development followed KSIADC’s receipt of prequalification statements from contractors on 1 July for two new packages at KSIA.
These include the construction of a permanent East-West corridor and landside access roads serving the North and South terminals.
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Dubai Municipality awards Tasreef drainage contract21 July 2026

Dubai Municipality has awarded local firm Detech Contracting the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the TF-15-C1 package of its Tasreef Rainwater Drainage Network programme.
It is understood the municipality issued the letter of award for the contract earlier this month, covering the construction of a stormwater drainage system along Al-Wasl Road and communities west of the Dubai Canal.
The project includes the construction of a gravity-based stormwater pipeline network with diameters of up to 3.5 metres. It is estimated to cost $100m.
It was tendered in February through the government’s Sewerage and Recycled Water Projects Department, with bids submitted in April.
The package forms part of the wider Tasreef initiative, which is intended to improve Dubai’s flood resilience.
The TF-15-C2 package was recently awarded to China State Construction Engineering Corporation for a stormwater drainage network project located along Umm Suqeim Road in the Al-Barsha and Al-Quoz areas of Dubai.
The project is estimated to cost $162m and includes the construction of about 20 kilometres of new stormwater pipelines. Similar to the C1 package, it is located west of the Dubai Canal and will connect the Al-Quoz 3 and Al-Quoz 4 industrial areas with Al-Quoz 1.
Separately, Al-Kharafi has won a drainage EPC contract (Ds207) to upgrade an existing pumping station for the municipality, a source said. The package focuses mainly on mechanical works and is valued at about $39m.
In May, MEED reported that local firm Nael Construction & Contracting had signed a contract with Dubai Municipality to build a sewage and stormwater drainage system in Dubailand.
The project (DS-204-C1) involves the construction of a drainage system with sewage gravity pipelines of up to 2,200mm in diameter.
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Qatari Diar unveils $30bn Egypt project masterplan21 July 2026
Qatari Diar, the real estate arm of the Qatar Investment Authority, has announced the masterplan for its $30bn Alam Al-Roum project on Egypt’s north coast.
The masterplan was developed by US-based architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
The master-planning team also includes US-based landscape architecture firm SWA; UK-headquartered marina design and operations consultant Marina Projects; and French transport and traffic engineering consultant Setec.
The development will cover more than 20 million square metres and include 7.2 kilometres of private beachfront on the Mediterranean Sea.
The site is about 20 minutes from Marsa Matrouh and 50 minutes from Ras El-Hekma.
According to a statement, the project includes $3.5bn in direct cash investment and is designed as an integrated, year-round Mediterranean destination.
Alam Al-Roum expands Qatari Diar Egypt’s portfolio, which includes CityGate, New Giza and The St Regis Cairo.
Qatari Diar and Egypt’s New Urban Communities Authority signed the project agreement for Alam Al-Roum in November 2025.
The estimated value of the deal to Egypt is $7.5bn. Under the agreement, Cairo will receive an upfront payment of $3.5bn by late December 2025 for the initial land purchase and is expected to receive an in-kind stake in the project, estimated to be worth $1.8bn.
Qatari Diar’s broader investment plans for the area include spending up to $26.2bn in addition to the $3.5bn already allocated for the land purchase.
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