Roads & Transport Authority - News Details

The 5th Dubai International Project Management Forum discussed during a key note speech about steering transformation of infrastructure project management practices delivered HE Ahmed Al Balawi, Director General, NPMO, Saudi Arabia.

 
The lecturer spoke about the experience of Saudi Arabia in project management as well as its 2020 and 2030 visions. He also touched on the market trends which reflect a considerable growth in the building sector worldwide, especially in countries like India, America and China. Forecasts indicate that this sector is bound to grow by a rate of 5%, given the prevailing oil prices. The Kingdom has ambitious plans to invest $60 b in the real estate sector among others.

 
“Project management needs more competent staff and time management likewise Japan and Malaysia,” he said. Al Balawi congratulated the UAE on achieving the highest rate in providing competent staff per project.

 
He also reviewed the pillars of the Saudi Vision 2030 namely: enhancing the government impact on the market, developing programmes for identifying talents, allocating resources and encouraging the private sector to improve the government structures. “The Kingdom has 40 initiatives related to the preparation of project strategies and budgets as well as the building of competencies and restructuring entities associated with the infrastructure,” he added.

 
He concluded by reviewing the challenges confronting the Kingdom; which can be overcome through the deployment of competent project managers, grooming a suitable working environment, benefiting from local engineers, standardizing project procedures and assessing risks before setting finance portfolios.