MEED
Bernadette Redfern
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Education Survey finds quality still lacking
Issue 19 13-19 May 2011
The MEED 2011 Education Survey shows that employers are keen to see more investment in technology, better teaching standards and an increased emphasis on problem-solving -
Arabian World Construction Summit: Building risk-free foundations
Arabian World Construction Summit
As the market continues its recovery, contractors and consultants are checking contract terms to reduce the risk of non-payment -
Baghdad looks for private backing
Arabian World Construction Summit
Iraq needs helps in executing its huge investment programme. Foreign consultants and contractors will be crucial to deliver the plans, but corruption needs to be stamped out first -
Doha gears up for construction boom
Arabian World Construction Summit
Qatar is set to embark on an enormous investment programme to build stadiums and associated infrastructure needed to host the 2022 World Cup -
Riyadh looks to joint ventures for infrastructure projects
Arabian World Construction Summit
Saudi Arabia’s massive infrastructure investment plans and growing number of megaprojects are drawing regional contractors to the kingdom -
Qatar hoteliers prepare for the World Cup
Issue 16 22-28 April 2011
Qatar’s successful World Cup bid has given the country’s hotel sector a huge boost along with an unmissable deadline, but the prospect of a post-2022 glut is a reality that needs to be addressed -
New housing ministry faces uphill task in Saudi Arabia
Issue15 15-21 April 2011
Riyadh has shown it is taking the lack of affordable housing in the country seriously. But it will require more than a new housing ministry and a $67bn capital injection -
Developers face tough times in the Middle East
Issue 14 8-14 April 2011
Securing funding for construction projects is set to become even harder as political uncertainty engulfs the region -
Materials prices mixed
Issue 14 8-14 April 2011
Oversupply in key markets has meant cement prices are continuing to fall in the Middle East. But steel costs are rising, while labour has so far been stable -
Bahrain steps up power capacity
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
With a 15 per cent reserve margin and the Addur independent power project set to bring a further 834MW into the market in 2011, Bahrain is sitting comfortably as supply keeps pace with demand -
Egyptian power projects proceed
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
Amid political uncertainty, Cairo’s power plans are expected to move forward to meet the surging demand. But the timelines for some of these projects will inevitably slip -
Jordan to diversify energy mix
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
Peak power demand is rising in Jordan and an attack on the Arab gas pipeline has highlighted the need to broaden the kingdom’s energy generation capacity -
Oman power schemes go green
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
The sultanate of Oman has set out on a cleaner path for electricity generation, abandoning plans for coal, moving power plants away from residential areas and exploring solar power -
Private sector key to Iraq power generation
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
Iraq is at a critical juncture as it seeks to secure investment in a new generating base and gain commitment to a 20-year masterplan that outlines the need for $86bn in investment to 2030 -
Push to expand wastewater use in the Middle East
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
With desalination costs rising across the Middle East, many governments are looking to the example of Kuwait, which is seeking to use treated wastewater beyond agricultural irrigation -
Qatar’s power surplus fuels exports
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
Electricity transfers are likely to become more common in the region’s fastest-growing power market, as Doha increases its reserve margin and supply continues to outweigh demand -
Riyadh commits to new power capacity
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
Saudi Arabia is pushing ahead with the delivery of new power generating capacity despite facing the challenges of restructuring the industry and decommissioning ageing plant -
Seeking alternatives to meet electricity demand in the Middle East
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
The Middle East is striving to meet the rapidly accelerating demand for peak power and the more modest rise in the need for desalination -
UAE to diversify energy supply
Arabian Power & Water Market Report 2011
The UAE is enjoying the benefits of its power capacity building investments, but needs new generation and feedstock options to plug the predicted gas deficit and meet growing demand -
GCC power trading by end of February
15 February 2011, 12:26 GMT
Member states to approve finalised agreements before being sent out to utilities in March -
Peak power demand accelerates
Issue 7 18-24 February 2011
Demand reached record highs in the summer of 2010 -
Avoiding a building boom and bust in Qatar
Qatar Projects
Qatar’s real-estate sector has been buoyed by Doha’s World Cup success, but developers must be aware of the risk of creating accommodation oversupply once the tournament is over -
Al-Khodari Sons Company
Issue 1 7-13 January 2011
The Saudi contractor recently undertook a successful stock market flotation -
Al-Khodari Sons Company: MEED Assessment
Issue 1 7-13 January 2011
Al-Khodari’s sustainable business model means high profits -
Q&A Fawwaz al-Khodari, chief executive officer, Al-Khodari Sons Company
Issue 1 7-13 January 2011
In terms of performance our figures are some of the best on the market -
Housing shortage inflates rents in Saudi Arabia
Issue 51 17-23 December 2010
Demand for expatriate accommodation in Saudi Arabia far exceeds supply. In particular, companies are struggling to house employees moving to the kingdom with their families -
Amman seeks private partners for water projects
Middle East wastewater
Successful delivery of the Al-Samra wastewater project under a build-operate-transfer model has given Jordan a firm footing when it comes to launching public-private partnership projects -
Cairo upgrades wastewater public private partnerships contracts
Middle East wastewater
Egypt is planning for 100 per cent wastewater treatment coverage in both urban and rural areas through a raft of public private partnerships for the construction and operation of new facilities -
Damascus to overhaul wastewater contracting
Middle East wastewater
Syria is drafting a public-private partnership law to facilitate its plans for wastewater modernisation, which will see up to 200 treatment works built over the next decade -
Gulf states privatise water projects
Middle East wastewater
Investment in wastewater infrastructure remains a priority for the GCC states and Saudi Arabia in particular offers major opportunities for the private sector as it begins to open up its water market -
Wastewater sector enters a golden era in the Middle East
Middle East wastewater
The drive to improve wastewater treatment and increase the use of treated effluent is keeping the Middle East wastewater sector buoyant -
Gulf cuts building costs to protect margins
Issue 47 19-25 November 2010
The global economic downturn and collapse of the real-estate market have hit Gulf contractors hard. Companies need to work harder to win contracts and the returns on offer are slim -
Qatar supports property sector
Issue 47 19-25 November 2010
The Qatar government has intervened to reduce the oversupply of office space in Doha, but some of its methods are proving controversial -
Syrian-Qatari Holding Company puts Syria wastewater plants on hold
Issue 44 29 October-5 November 2010
Plants were planned for Jaramana and Swuedah -
Jordan plans second wastewater project for 2011
25 October 2010, 9:48 GMT
Water Ministry in talks over second build, operate and transfer project -
Egypt plans new wastewater contracts
19 October 2010, 15:29 GMT
Cairo planning to bundle smaller schemes to offer to private sector -
Egypt to tender three projects by end of November
19 October 2010, 15:27 GMT
Projects are awaiting the new public-private partnerships law -
New and improved health facilities in the Middle East
Supplement: The Health Challenge
With a plethora of new healthcare projects in the pipeline, governments are finding out what constitutes best practice and cutting-edge design, at the same time as offering value for money -
Private insurance gains ground in the Gulf
Supplement: The Health Challenge
Regulatory reforms for mandatory health insurance and increasing opportunities are making the healthcare sector more attractive for private investment in the region -
Firms benefit from lower rents in the Middle East
Issue No 39 24-30 September 2010
Falling rental costs are making Gulf cities more affordable. New supply is set to put further downward pressure on prices and increase competition between the region’s capitals -
Saudi Arabia insurance companies: Sharpening the competitive edge
Issue No 36 3-9 September 2010
Legislative change and stronger regulation has driven massive growth in the kingdom’s insurance sector -
Facing up to a healthcare staffing crisis in the Gulf
Issue 33 13-19 August
The Gulf states are making significant strides in improving healthcare provision in the region, but progress could be derailed by a shortage of medical professionals -
Primary health clinics take priority in Saudi Arabia
Issue 33 13-19 August
The kingdom is on a drive to improve access to private medical care. With huge private and state investment, the sector looks set for a successful overhaul -
Educational reforms will reap benefits for the GCC in years ahead
Supplement: Education
The reforms under way throughout the region, will only show the full benefits in several years -
MEED Education survey: Standards still fail to match expectations
Supplement: Education
A higher-quality, more diverse learning experience is needed to produce well-educated and ambitious GCC students, MEED’s survey reveals -
Financial crisis benefits the constuction of cultural icons
Issue No 29 16-22 July 2010
Clients are taking advantage of the current economic environment by picking the most experienced contractors to deliver complex structures at competitive prices -
Rising steel prices hit contractors
Issue No 29 16-22 July 2010
Margins are coming under pressure as rebar prices increase sharply, but it remains a buyers’ market for other raw materials in the region -
Rising steel prices hit contractors
Issue No 29 16-22 July 2010
Margins are coming under pressure as rebar prices increase sharply, but it remains a buyers’ market for other raw materials in the region -
Gulf states benefit from the unified grid
Issue No 28 9-15 July 2010
In the year since the GCC grid went live, the connected countries have exchanged significant amounts of power. Construction of the second phase is in full swing -
Q&A: Ziad Azzam, CEO, Taaleem
Issue No 26 25-1 July 2010
Managing schools for both public and private sector owners is a key area for growth, says Azzam -
Taaleem
Issue No 26 25-1 July 2010
The UAE education services provider is expanding to focus on management services -
Taaleem: MEED Assessment
Issue No 26 25-1 July 2010
In the short term, one of the biggest challenges for Taaleem will be managing its cost structure -
Reshaping Saudi society through women's education
Issue No 25 18-24 June 2010
The building of Riyadh’s $12bn women-only university is intended to boost the number of women entering the kingdom’s workforce -
Turning the construction industry green
19 May 2010, 13:15 GMT
Across the Middle East, innovative regulations for sustainable construction are being introduced to encourage the region’s developers to design projects with environmental considerations in mind -
Managing the supply chain
19 May 2010, 13:11 GMT
Firms with the best risk management processes and strong supply-chain relationships are well placed to deliver quality construction projects at the low costs demanded by clients -
UAE taking the lead on construction site safety
19 May 2010, 13:05 GMT
The UAE is making clear strides improving on health and safety at construction sites, but unified legislation would have a greater impact in the region
