As work on the 1,000-metre-plus Jeddah Tower gets back on track, Saudi Arabia is set to steal the title of world’s tallest tower from Dubai.

It was a landmark moment for Saudi Arabia’s construction sector in mid-September when Jeddah Economic Company invited firms to bid for a contract to complete the world’s tallest tower project.

Work on the tower “is back in full [swing]”, a source close to the project told MEED.

When completed, Jeddah Tower will be the first structure in history to exceed 1 kilometre in height. Designed to have 170 storeys, it will out-tower Dubai’s Burj Khalifa by more than 172 metres and will put Saudi Arabia firmly in the spotlight. 

MEED editor Colin Foreman provides exclusive details on the kingdom's tall tower plans in the latest issue of MEED Business Review.

He also comments on why Saudi Arabia will be seeking to escape the economic curse of record-breaking towers.

This month's exclusive 21-page market report also focuses on Saudi Arabia as Riyadh acts on multiple fronts to elevate its global influence, from international sports investment to cultivating geopolitical soft power.

MEED's latest issue is packed with analysis on topics including building the world's biggest urban park, tunnelling, the GCC rail project, joining Brics and the project's shaping Dubai's future.

MEED has also interviewed experts in the market including Parsons’ Martin Boson and Engie's Francois-Xavier Boul.

This month's industry report, meanwhile, presents MEED's annual power developer ranking, complete with league tables and analysis.

We hope our valued subscribers enjoy the October 2023 issue of MEED Business Review. 

Must-read sections in the October 2023 issue of MEED Business Review include:

> AGENDA: Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Tower reaches for new heights

> SKYSCRAPERS: Top 10 tallest towers in the region

> TALL TOWER PLANS: Saudi seeks to escape economic curse of record-breaking towers

> CURRENT AFFAIRS: Brics tilts balance of regional interests

> RAIL: Risks remain for GCC railway project

> KING SALMAN PARK: Riyadh builds the world’s largest urban park

> TUNNELS: Tunnelling projects take the front seat

> INTERVIEW: Parsons’ Martin Boson on long-term opportunities in the Saudi market

> DUBAI PROJECTS: Ten projects that will shape Dubai’s future

> GIGAPROJECTS: Saudi Arabia gigaprojects tracker

> INTERVIEW: Engie stages GCC renewables comeback

> OIL: Development of Dorra field may stoke tensions

> SAUDI ARABIA MARKET FOCUS:

> COMMENT: Riyadh reshapes its global role
> POLITICS: Saudi Arabia looks both east and west
> SPORT: Saudi Arabia’s football vision goes global
> ECONOMY: Riyadh prioritises stability over headline growth
> BANKS: Saudi banks track more modest growth path
> UPSTREAM: Aramco focuses on upstream capacity building
> DOWNSTREAM: Saudi chemical and downstream projects in motion
> POWER: Riyadh rides power projects surge
> WATER: Saudi water projects momentum holds steady
> GIGAPROJECTS: Gigaproject activity enters full swing
> TRANSPORT: Infrastructure projects support Riyadh’s logistics ambitions

> MEED COMMENTS: 
> Iraq approval could lead to Exxon’s exit
> McDermott financial restructuring is imperative
> Region becomes battery storage hotspot
> Kuwait wastewater projects keep pace

> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf index rises 2 per cent in September

> AUGUST 2023 CONTRACTS: Region records $14bn of deals signed

> MARKET SNAPSHOT: Mena oil and gas

> OPINION: Region to mark golden jubilee of 1973 war

> BUSINESS OUTLOOK: Finance, oil and gas, construction, power and water contracts