Manafee Forum discuss role of business sector in Kingdom’s development

Makkah, The Gulf Observer: Makkah Chamber of Commerce launched the first Manafee Forum at its headquarters in the city this week. It aims to rally the business community to help achieve the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, and of the Doyof Al-Rahman Program, including enhancements to the pilgrim experience in the Kingdom, such as increased capacity so that 30 million people can perform Umrah and 5 million can take part in Hajj by 2030.

The forum was organized under the patronage of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, the governor of Makkah, in cooperation with Madinah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

Abdullah Saleh Kamel, chairman of the board of directors of both chambers, said during his opening speech on Monday that the forum’s ambitions have grown since initial discussions were held to establish it in response to requests from business owners in many Islamic countries.

“Everyone is willing to participate and happy with these initiatives,” he said. “I find in this a perfect opportunity to confirm our commitment to fulfilling our duty to achieve the mission we have set for Manafee, which is to invest in Makkah and Madinah at a global level to turn them into attractive sites for business activities and a springboard for knowledge and creativity related to the Islamic world.”

During its first session, members of the forum discussed a number of major recent developments in Makkah and Madinah. Osama Al-Zamil, the deputy minister of industry and mineral resources, said that both locations offer significant potential to help support the Made in Saudi program — which celebrates technical innovation, creativity and business acumen in the Kingdom — given the number of pilgrims who visit the country each year to perform Hajj and Umrah. He added that more than 1,600 companies in the country have registered with Made in Saudi.

“There are 212 industrial-investment opportunities available through the Invest Saudi platform, including 82 opportunities announced within the 163 opportunities of the National Industrial Strategy, as all the investment opportunities it provides will be added through the platform during 2023,” said Al-Zamil.

“Makkah comprises, today, more than 2,000 factories conducting more than 23 different industrial operations, with investments of more than SR205 billion ($54.7 billion), while Madinah comprises 461 factories conducting more than 20 different industrial operations, with investments of SR120 billion.”

Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, the minister of Hajj and Umrah, said the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 development and diversification agenda includes many targets and initiatives, including a Pilgrim Experience Program that aims to enhance the services provided to pilgrims and enrich their experiences.

“The sustainability of this field ensures the achievement of our distinguished targets. This year has witnessed a record number of pilgrims, as there are currently around 1.3 million foreign pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah,” he said.

“We are working on enriching the experience of pilgrims to ensure they enjoy ancient history. We are also working on many historical sites, including more than 100 sites in Makkah and Madinah, which are changing for the better.”

Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih said the Saudi leadership is working to enhance the role of the Kingdom and providing large budgets to enhance services at the Two Holy Mosques.

“As much as we are proud of what we have achieved in the Hajj experience, it needs fine-tuning,” he said, adding that the enhancement process is ongoing and that greater participation by the private sector, especially small and medium enterprises, is a key element of the forum’s mission.

“In the Hajj and Umrah experience, we look into the value chain in an integrated manner to find high value for spending on hotel complexes in the Kingdom,” said Al-Falih.

“Shopping is important, as are health services; we have attracted investors to build clinics to international specifications.

“Furthermore, it is important that the Ministry of Investment cares about the Saudi investor as much as it cares about the foreign investor.”

Majid Al-Hogail, Saudi minister of municipal and rural affairs and housing, said the municipal and housing sectors are building partnerships with the private sector.

“We have acquired 400 Saudi developers in four years and we are waiting for 600 other developers,” he said.

Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser said that Makkah and Madinah represent a unique global challenge in terms of transportation and logistical services.

“The Kingdom has gained expertise and has huge investments in this field,” he said. “There are plans to expand the airports in Jeddah and Madinah.

“In addition, there is the Haramain train, which goes on 100 smooth trips on a daily basis. It is one of the top 10 fastest trains in the world … We also have a huge road network and modern modes of transportation (and) we have managed to introduce the first electric bus in the city.

“We have also worked on improving several elements in the municipal sector, and we have ensured the removal of 43 unpleasant sights.”

Two other sessions took place during the first meeting of the forum.

“Future Plans for Makkah and Madinah and their integration with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030” considered the role of Modon, the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, in developing the industrial field in the cities, while the “Role of the Private Sector in the Development of Makkah and Madinah” discussed the successful investment experience in both cities, along with expansion plans.