24/05/2009
The outline for strategic industrial development was discussed during a May 23rd meeting organized by Asharqia Chamber and chaired by Salman Al-Jeshiy, a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Industrial Committee. The meeting was also attended by Khalid Al-Karim, a member of the Board of Directors, and a number of businessmen and investors in The 2nd Industrial City.
During the meeting, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fauzan Al-Rabee'ah, the Director of the Commission for Industrial Cities and Technical Areas, explained that the employment of convicts in the industrial sector, as well as the establishment of industrial cities, and small enterprises are all part of the Commission's interest in the lesser developed regions of the country and its work to develop the industrial sector in order to diversify sources of income for the Kingdom. Some of the investors present at the meeting affirmed the need to support the Commission and increase the investment capital of Industrial Development Fund.
During the meeting, Dr. Al-Rabee'ah said "our industrial strategy aims to increase industrial contribution to the GDP to 20% over the next 13 years, placing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia high on the global industrial map.'' He pointed out that the goal of the Commission is to supply every region of the Kingdom with advanced technical and industrial cities that have integrated services. Adding that the mission of the Commission is the creation, development and operation of industrial cities and technical areas in cooperation with the private sector in order to meet the needs of investors, provide integrated services, contribute to the development of the community, and preserve the environment.
Dr. Al-Rabee'ah said that the Kingdom has about 14 industrial cities with four new industrial cities under development. He said the availability of industrial land is plentiful in all cities except Dammam where unfortunately there is no additional land. The Commission has discussed this problem with Saudi Aramco and the Secretariat of the Eastern Region trying to access additional land for the establishment of other industrial cities.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah also said that part of the industrial development strategy of the Commission is an agreement with the Bureau of Prison Administration to open industrial cities inside correctional facilities in Ha'ir and Jeddah. The Commission is working to make agreements with other correctional facilities with the objective of solving economic and social problems by providing employment in the industrial sector.
