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Investment
in Arriyadh
ARRIYADH, A VERY MODERN METROPOLIS
M
any great cities around the world make a strong case for themselves
as investment centers. However, few cities enjoy the pre-eminence
of Arriyadh in terms of its location as the capital city of the dominant
economy in the Arabian Gulf and the largest economy in the Arab
world.
Nor is it simply a question of location. Arriyadh is well on the way
to becoming one of the world’s most advanced and sophisticated
cities. When the stunning and ambitious King Abdulaziz Project for
Public Transport in Arriyadh is completed, it will boast the most
transformational integrated transport solution on the planet.
Perhaps the clearest demonstration of the will and vision behind this
development, which characterises everything about the go-ahead attitude
of the authorities responsible for the capital’s spectacular growth, is the
fact that the transport infrastructure that is currently being put in place,
reaches out to large areas within the city’s boundaries that although
zoned for development, will not see any construction and development
for some years.
Indeed the six-line urban rail system that is now under construction,
along with the integrated high-speed bus system that feeds and
complements the 178-kilometer monorail network comprise a golden
thread that runs through the Saudi Arabian capital, drawing together
its many talents and qualities and presenting many new exciting
opportunities.
The argument for foreign investors to base their regional and national
operations in Arriyadh extends far beyond the reality of it being
Kingdom’s capital. Like every other seat of government around the
world, a business that bases itself close to the corridors of power has
easy access not just to ministries and officials as well as institutional and
corporate headquarters, but also to the informal contacts and debates
that are helping to define priorities and shape future policies.
Add to this the reality that Arriyadh is a vibrant city and a pleasant
place to work and live. It has state-of-the-art communications, a
willing pool of high-quality local graduates and outstanding office
accommodation, not least in the extraordinary and entirely new King
Abdullah Financial District. In addition, the capital has a full range of
excellent homes for expatriates, from apartments to luxurious villas,
some of them in secure and fully-serviced compounds.
The following pages seek to present a clear assessment of the
particular advantages that accrue to foreign businesses that choose to
base their regional and domestic operations in the remarkable city of
Arriyadh.
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