In a strategic move aimed at accelerating development and reconstruction in the liberated governorates, the Minister of Public Works and Highways, Engineer Hussein Al-Aqrab, laid the foundation stone today, Saturday, for the "New Economic City" project in the coastal area of ​​Al-Alam in Abyan Governorate. This project is one of the largest investment and development projects the region has witnessed, spanning a vast area of ​​approximately 96 million square meters.

Details of the giant investment project

The project boasts a strategic location in the Al-Alam district, considered the eastern gateway to the interim capital, Aden, and a vital link to Abyan Governorate. According to the announced plans, the project goes beyond traditional urban planning, encompassing the construction of a massive canal exceeding 26 kilometers in length. This canal aims to enhance the city's aesthetic appeal and tourism potential, while also boosting the investment climate and attracting local and foreign capital, reflecting an ambitious vision to transform the region into a vibrant economic hub.

High-level official attendance

The inauguration ceremony was attended by prominent state and local government officials, including Minister of Youth and Sports Naif al-Bakri and Secretary-General of the Abyan Governorate Local Authority Mahdi al-Hamdi. A large number of undersecretaries, security and military leaders, and prominent social figures from the governorates of Aden, Abyan, and Lahj were also present, along with a select group of businesspeople and investors who see this project as a promising opportunity to revitalize the real estate and commercial market in Yemen.

The strategic and economic importance of the project

The establishment of the economic city comes at a crucial time, as the Yemeni government seeks to create genuine investment opportunities that transcend current challenges. The Al-Alam area derives its significance from being a pristine coastal region possessing immense, yet untapped, tourism and commercial potential. This project is expected to generate thousands of job opportunities for young people, revitalize the contracting and construction sector, and alleviate population and urban pressure on Aden by creating new, well-planned urban centers designed according to the latest engineering standards.

Supporting infrastructure and regional integration

Officials confirmed during the inauguration that this project is not merely a residential development, but rather the nucleus of a fully integrated city that will bolster the national economy. The new economic city is expected to serve as a hub for commercial activity among the southern governorates, thus strengthening economic integration between Abyan, Aden, and Lahj. This initiative is part of a series of government efforts aimed at normalizing conditions and improving services and infrastructure that have suffered in recent years, sending reassuring messages to investors about the future of the investment climate in the region.

In a generous humanitarian gesture that embodies the deep and strong fraternal ties that unite the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - may God protect him - issued a royal directive approving the hosting of all stranded Gulf nationals at the Kingdom’s airports.

This generous directive came in response to what was presented by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, as the royal order included an emphasis on preparing all the necessary procedures to host and honor the Gulf citizens, and providing all means that ensure their comfort and reassurance among their families and brothers in their second country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, until the appropriate conditions are prepared that allow them to return to their countries safe, honored and respected.

An embodiment of the concept of a unified Gulf

This decision reflects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's unwavering policy towards its brothers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a policy based on the principle of "one body" and a shared destiny. The Kingdom, under its wise leadership, has always been a steadfast protector and a welcoming home for the people of the Gulf in all circumstances and crises. This hosting is not merely a matter of protocol, but a tangible embodiment of the values ​​of brotherhood and neighborliness enshrined in the GCC charters and reinforced by the deep-rooted historical and social ties between the peoples of the region.

Immediate response and crisis management

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also directed all relevant government, security, and service agencies to take the necessary measures to implement this directive immediately and to dedicate all available resources to serving those stranded. This swift action reflects the efficiency of the Kingdom's crisis management system and its ability to deal with unforeseen circumstances with remarkable flexibility, placing human life, safety, and dignity above all else.

The depth of Saudi-Gulf relations

Historically, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has never hesitated to provide support and assistance to its brothers, whether on the political, economic, or social levels. Caring for Gulf citizens and treating them as Saudi citizens in such circumstances is an extension of a long legacy of honorable stances taken by the Kings of Saudi Arabia. The sense of security felt by Gulf citizens while under the Kingdom's hospitality underscores the success of the Gulf Cooperation Council in consolidating the concept of Gulf citizenship, where Gulf citizens do not feel like strangers in Saudi Arabia, but rather among their own family and kin.

May God protect the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Crown Prince, and may He perpetuate the blessings of security, safety, stability and prosperity upon the Kingdom and the Gulf States.