Bapco, the Bahrain-based oil refining company, was last night named as the 2014 winner of the annual MEED Quality Award for Projects in the GCC. The company won for its $125m wastewater treatment plant. “This project involves building on a…
Author: Edmund O'Sullivan
I am a writer, author, economist and business person. I've reported on and done business in the Middle East since 1979 and travelled throughout the region. I specialist in reporting and writing, economic and media industry consultancy, business development and conference moderation.
AWCS told Kuwait’s population now more than 4m
The MEED Arabian World Construction summit (AWCS) was told this morning that Kuwait’s population is now 4m and that it will significantly greater than 6m in 2030. Head of masterplanning at Kuwait Municipality Saad Muhailbi said that the municipality is…
AWCS told Jeddah Economy Company investment will be up to SR20bn by 2020
The annual Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS) was told this morning that first-phase investment in the Jeddah Kingdom Tower and residential and commercial development will be SR18bn-20bn. The project’s first phase is scheduled to be completed 2020, Jeddah Economic Company…
AWCS told more than $30bn infrastructure investment needed in King Abdullah Economic City
The MEED Arabian World Construction summit (AWCS) was told this morning that long-term primary and secondary infrastructure investment in Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) will total at least SR125bn ($33bn). The city, which is located between Jeddah and…
AWCS told construction contracts worth $60bn already awarded in the GCC so far in 2014
MEED Insight head Ed James told the annual Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS) in Dubai this morning that the value of new contract awards in the GCC so far this year had already reached $60bn. The largest market for new…
AWCS told that GCC projects awards could rise by 20 per cent to $178bn in 2014
MEED Insight head Ed James told the annual Arabian World Construction Summit in Dubai this morning that the value of new contract awards in the GCC could rise by 20 per cent to $178bn, a new record for the region’s…
Fear of bank sanctions is disrupting Iran food imports: Reuters
Fear among international banks about being subject to penalties for breaching sanctions against Iran are disrupting food imports into the Islamic Republic, Reuters reported on 10 May. It says that hundreds of thousands of tons of grain and sugar in…
AWCS chairman calls for GCC collaboration in delivering $1tn of megaprojects
The GCC should act now to develop a regional megaproject information and excellence centre to support more than 100 megaprojects with an aggregate value of almost $1n that are due to be delivered in the region by 2025, Arabian World…
Ras al-Khaimah gets S&P population warning: The National
Standard & Poor’s (S&) said on 8 May that it might downgrade the credit rating for Ras al-Khaimah as a result of doubts about the accuracy of population data published by the emirate, one of seven that make up the UAE,…
NBK forecasts flat Kuwait growth in 2014-15
Kuwait’s GDP will be barely changed this year and should expand by 1 per cent in 2015, the latest National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) economic report shows (see table below). GDP at current prices will be KD 50bn in 2014 and…