How Jeddah redevelopment project aims to clean up urban environment, improve quality of life

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Demolition work is under way in Jeddah's 26 undeveloped districts as part of the city's major redevelopment. (Supplied)
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Updated 14 April 2022
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How Jeddah redevelopment project aims to clean up urban environment, improve quality of life

  • Jeddah’s population grew rapidly during Saudi Arabia’s oil boom, leading to the spread of informal settlements
  • Municipal authorities have evaluated 64 districts across the city for restoration, modification, or demolition

JEDDAH: Deprived neighborhoods in Saudi Arabia’s coastal city of Jeddah are undergoing major redevelopment after decades of relentless urbanization led to a host of social, economic, and environmental issues.

Municipal authorities are clearing districts and squatter settlements where planners say substandard infrastructure, criminality, and disease are blighting the lives of roughly half a million people.

Saudi cities have historically benefited from the close attention and generous investment of the central government, evident in the provision of a well-maintained physical infrastructure and impressive skylines.

But investment has had to keep pace with a rapidly growing urban population. According to the Kingdom’s Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, approximately 82.1 percent of the Kingdom’s total population now lives in urban areas.

This trend is part of a global phenomenon, driven by a host of economic and environmental factors. According to UN-Habitat, around 60 percent of the global population will live in cities by the year 2030.

Current trends indicate that an additional 3 billion people will be living in cities by 2050, increasing the urban share of the world’s population to two-thirds. Some 90 percent of this urban growth is likely to occur in low- and middle-income countries.

In the context of cities like Jeddah, this has meant the rapid growth of densely populated and poorly planned urban districts that have swamped local infrastructure. In the words of Saleh Al-Turki, mayor of Jeddah since 2018: “Mistakes were made, ignored, and corruption occurred.”

According to an October 2017 paper published by Dr. Hisham Mortada, a professor of architecture at the College of Environmental Design at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, the city’s rapid population growth began in the 1970s during the Kingdom’s oil boom.




While Jeddah's substandard housing in some communities have provided an affordable starting point for many new arrivals, they are also seen as a breeding ground for criminality. (Supplied)

The paper, titled “Analytical conception of slums of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,” traces the growth of the city’s slums to the demolition of the old city walls in 1947, which led to the creation of Al-Suhaifa, Al-Hindawiya, and Al-Sabeel.

“The districts later became an extension of old Jeddah and slums since they were built with poor construction materials and techniques and without planning,” the report said.

Other reasons given for the spread of Jeddah’s slums include an absence of state funding, a significant increase in property prices against falling incomes, and mass immigration, which by 1978 caused the city’s population to balloon to 1 million people — 53 percent of whom were foreign migrants.

Four decades later, with Jeddah’s population swelling to around 4 million, the old slum districts that had grown around the south and center of the city have expanded northwards.

Determined to address the problem, the municipality announced plans late last year to demolish 64 districts across the city, including several associated with high crime rates and where illegal migrants had come to reside in densely packed communities.




Jeddah's Al-Kandarah district is one of the 26 districts considered undeveloped. (Supplied)

To date, the Jeddah Governorate’s Undeveloped Neighborhoods Committee has begun demolition work in 26 districts covering an area of 18.5 million square meters.

Eight of these districts are located within the lands of the King Abdulaziz Endowment for Al-Ain Al-Aziziyah, a charitable project established in 1948 to transport water to the city.

Municipal officials say the demolition work is due for completion by mid-November.

“The conditions in these areas are unfavorable,” Jeddah mayor Al-Turki told Rotana Khalijiya’s “Al-Soora” TV host Abdullah Al-Mudaifer in February. “It lacks security, there are no blueprints, its infrastructure is nearly non-existent, it is a den of crime. These are all facts.”

Those residents who hold the title deeds to their properties are being provided with free housing and compensation, Al-Turki said. To date, more than 550 families have been resettled, with 4,781 housing units to be allocated by the end of the year.

One of the municipality’s prime motivations for clearing these districts is the poor road access and the fire risk posed by the density of buildings.




While Jeddah's substandard housing in some communities have provided an affordable starting point for many new arrivals, they are also seen as a breeding ground for criminality. (Supplied)

“Given the tight spaces, it is difficult for vehicles to enter, never mind fire trucks, and today, the main concern to civil defense in Jeddah is the slums,” said Al-Turki. “If any fire erupts, it’s difficult to get through.”

Another motivation was the desire to clamp down on criminal activities. “The slums were a haven for human trafficking, a source of crime, and a place for thefts,” Maj. Gen. Saleh Al-Jabri, director of Makkah Region Police, said in the same TV interview.

“We’ve seized large quantities of drugs in a very short time. More than 218 kilograms was seized in these neighborhoods. These neighborhoods became central selling points for drug dealers. In some areas, they (are) publicly sold on these streets.”

Al-Jabri said drug dealers and human trafficking syndicates have long operated under the radar within the labyrinth of ramshackle neighborhoods. Crystal meth, a highly addictive drug known locally as Al-Shbo, is the most common narcotic sold in the slums.

In one recent bust, Al-Jabri said authorities were able to seize SR60 million ($15.9 million) in cash and more than 100 kilograms in gold worth SR50 million ($13.3 million) ready to be smuggled out of the Kingdom.




Jeddah's old slum districts have expanded northwards, such as in Al-Ammariyah, as the population swelled to around 4 million these past years. (Supplied) 

Slums are extremely damaging to natural ecosystems and greatly increase the transmissibility of airborne, waterborne, and vector-borne diseases. Today, dengue fever, a prevalent vector-borne illness in Jeddah, costs the municipality SR150 million ($40 million) annually.

The issue was further highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated social distancing and self-isolation for those infected — measures that are near impossible to implement in overcrowded settlements.

Despite the clear benefits, slum clearance does carry negative social consequences. Thousands of people across several generations have long called these informal settlements home, establishing close-knit social networks with their neighbors that are not easily replaced.

And although housing in these communities is considered substandard, it is also viewed as an affordable starting point for many new arrivals in the Kingdom and those migrating from the countryside.

“Humans go through development phases just like cities,” Maha Al-Qattan, a Saudi sociologist, told Arab News.

“The closeness and ties between the people living within the slums are no different. People change, and it’s not like it was before when they would visit each other or call on one another. Today these slums are a convenience more so than a living place.”

Nevertheless, the socially corrosive effects of criminality in the slums has left authorities with little choice but to redevelop them from scratch. “They harbor dangers to society within the walls and outside,” Al-Qattan said.




With development work in full swing, Jeddah's numerous slum areas — such as Al-Jabeel — are expected to be transformed soon into vibrant economic and cultural hubs. (Supplied)

“Crimes will never cease, but it is essential to curb them by extracting the cancer that imposes pressure on communities and governments.

“These are ticking time bombs. The longer you keep them, the more difficult it will be to achieve the standards to upgrade the quality of life in cities.”

The decision to clear these areas is motivated by the desire to improve overall quality of life in the Kingdom’s cities, transforming them into vibrant economic and cultural hubs that are inviting to investors and tourists. It is also motivated by environmental concerns and the push towards greater sustainability.   

The first studies on the condition of slums and their effect on the city’s development began in 1972, but plans to deal with them were repeatedly put off in favor of less disruptive initiatives to improve existing infrastructure, according to Al-Turki.   

Now, thanks to the Saudi government’s commitment to raising overall quality of life in the Kingdom, under the umbrella of its economic and social reform agenda Vision 2030, urban redevelopment is back on track and far more ambitious in scope.   

“Vision 2030 placed pressure on the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing to elevate the quality of life, increase green spaces,” said Al-Turki.   

“A green Riyadh, a green Jeddah, a green Middle East. All this would not happen in a city with weak infrastructure.”


MWL chief receives Pakistani National Assembly speaker

Updated 59 min 40 sec ago
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MWL chief receives Pakistani National Assembly speaker

  • Sadiq praised the Islamic and international efforts of the league

MAKKAH: Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, received Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan.

During the recent meeting at the league’s headquarters in Makkah, the two sides discussed a number of issues of mutual interest.

Sadiq praised the Islamic and international efforts of the league, including its endeavors to promote Islamic unity, serve Muslim minorities, combat Islamophobia, address the issue of girls’ education in Muslim communities and represent the Islamic world commendably in international forums.

During his tour of the Kingdom, the Pakistani speaker held meetings with Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar, Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan, Shoura Council Speaker Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh and Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh.


Hollywood pioneer to inspire filmmakers in Jeddah

Updated 26 April 2025
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Hollywood pioneer to inspire filmmakers in Jeddah

  • Red Sea Labs Directors’ Program to mark ‘bold step’ with Spike Lee at its helm

JEDDAH: A new Directors’ Program by Red Sea Labs led by acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee will begin in Jeddah on Tuesday.

Held until May 3, the program will bring together 15 emerging filmmakers from the Kingdom, the Arab world, Asia and Africa.

Lee is known for his bold vision and storytelling that tackles critical social issues with artistic depth. Under his mentorship, the filmmakers will dive deep into the art of directing through masterclasses, workshops and personalized sessions.

The program will also connect them directly with world-renowned figures in the industry and equip them with the skills to elevate their careers.

Shivani Pandya Malhotra, managing director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said: “Welcoming Spike Lee back to Jeddah to lead the first edition of our Directors’ Program is a groundbreaking moment.

“It’s an extraordinary opportunity for emerging filmmakers and writers to be inspired, challenged and guided by one of the greatest cinematic minds of our time.”

Ryan Ashore, head of Red Sea Labs, added: “The Directors’ Program marks a bold step in our mission to nurture regional talent and link them to the global filmmaking community.

“Having Spike Lee lead this program sets a powerful precedent — offering participants direct access to the craft, passion and conviction that define great cinema.”

Red Sea Labs also runs three other programs such as the Lodge, an intensive training initiative in partnership with Torino Film Lab and sponsored by Film AlUla, guiding Saudi, Arab, Asian and African filmmakers from ideas to finished projects.

The Music and Sound Program offers hands-on training in film scoring and sound design with guidance from world-renowned experts.

SeriesLab, in partnership with Film Independent, supports 14 emerging creators in developing and pitching TV series pilots, including a two-week residency in Los Angeles. The program concludes at the Red Sea Souk, offering creators a chance to pitch to top international buyers, studios and producers.

Previous initiatives have included programs like the Short Film Klinik, the Middle East Media Initiative and the Music for Film workshop, all part of Red Sea Labs’ mission “to shape the next generation of global storytellers in Saudi Arabia and the world.”


Sydney to host Saudi orchestra concert

Updated 26 April 2025
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Sydney to host Saudi orchestra concert

  • The concert marks the seventh stop on the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir’s global tour

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission will host the “Marvels of Saudi Orchestra” concert on May 12 at the iconic Sydney Opera House in Australia.

It will be held under the patronage of Culture Minister and Music Commission Chairman Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan.

The concert marks the seventh stop on the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir’s global tour, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It will showcase works highlighting the rich musical heritage and artistic diversity of Saudi Arabia.

Australia’s Metropolitan Orchestra will join the performance with Australian compositions, while a special collaborative piece will blend elements from both nations’ musical traditions.

The Theater and Performing Arts Commission will also contribute several performance pieces to the program.

Previous performances have taken place at prestigious venues in Paris, Mexico City, New York, London, Tokyo, and Riyadh. These concerts have received critical acclaim worldwide, demonstrating Saudi music’s growing influence on the international stage.

The “Saudi Orchestra Masterpieces” series aims to deliver extraordinary musical experiences that celebrate Saudi cultural heritage while exploring new creative territories.

Each performance takes audiences on a journey through traditional Saudi musical expressions, presenting the Kingdom’s diverse artistic landscape through harmonious musical narratives.

This Sydney performance continues the commission’s broader initiative to elevate Saudi musical compositions in global cultural conversations and celebrate the authentic melodies that define the Kingdom's musical identity.


Kingdom arrests 19,328 illegals in one week

Updated 26 April 2025
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Kingdom arrests 19,328 illegals in one week

RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 19,328 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

A total of 11,245 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 4,297 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,786 for labor-related issues.

The report showed that among the 1,360 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 54 percent were Ethiopian, 44 percent Yemeni, and 2 percent were of other nationalities.

A further 79 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 22 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators, the SPA reported.

The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.

Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.


How Saudi forestry supports biodiversity and mitigates the effects of climate change

Updated 26 April 2025
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How Saudi forestry supports biodiversity and mitigates the effects of climate change

  • Despite its arid climate, Saudi Arabia is home to diverse forest types, from mountain woodlands to coastal mangroves
  • The Kingdom is expanding its green cover by planting millions of trees and restoring degraded forest areas

RIYADH: It is easy to think of Saudi Arabia as a land dominated by endless dunes and sun-scorched plains. But beyond the sweeping deserts lies an unexpectedly rich tapestry of ecosystems — forests that climb mountains, shade winding valleys, and line the coastal edges of the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf.

While forests cover just 1.1 percent of the Kingdom’s landmass, they play an outsized role in preserving biodiversity, storing carbon, and improving food security. Their ecological importance — and their fragility — has placed them at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s green transformation.

“The forest area in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is estimated to 2.7 million hectares, representing 1.1 percent of the Kingdom’s area,” Najeeb Alsubhi, head of the Valley Forests Department at the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, told Arab News.

“This includes mountain forests spread across the southern and southwestern parts of the Kingdom, distinguished by juniper trees, as well as the atam (wild olive) tree, in addition to groups of acacia trees.”

Mountain forests trace the high ridgelines from Taif down to Jazan, while valley forests — dotted with sidr and acacia — stretch through much of the country’s interior. Along the coastlines, clusters of mangroves thrive in tidal wetlands, providing critical habitat and natural coastal defenses.

Despite their modest footprint, these forests are ecological powerhouses. Globally, forests are known to contribute more than 80 percent of biodiversity, regulate climate, limit desertification, and provide essential products from honey to medicinal plants.

In Saudi Arabia, they are also a buffer against desert creep and climate shocks — an increasingly vital role as the Kingdom confronts environmental challenges.

Among the plant species that are found in the Kingdom's valley forests are Acacia and Sidr trees. (NCVC photo)

To protect and expand this natural wealth, Saudi Arabia has launched a forest conservation and rehabilitation drive, led by the NCVC. The center is planting more than 3.5 million trees and working to protect native species by mapping and restoring perennial tree habitats.

Recognizing the growing threat of wildfires, the NCVC has also established dedicated forest and fire monitoring systems, alongside research centers and public education initiatives aimed at long-term forest sustainability.

Among the most significant of these efforts is a new project to assess the health and changes in forest cover across five key regions: Al-Bahah, Jazan, Asir, Najran, and Taif.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Saudi forests are home to 97 species of tree and cover 2.7 million hectares of the Kingdom’s territory.

• Healthy forests contribute more than 80 percent of the biodiversity found in the natural environment.

• Although predominantly desert, Saudi Arabia also has mountain forests, valley forests, and mangroves.

This initiative, part of the National Forest Inventory Program, is a collaboration between the NCVC and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. The project is designed to support sustainable forest management while meeting international environmental reporting obligations related to biodiversity, climate change, and land use.

Strategies include data collection, identifying key forest locations, and using precision tools like digital hypsometers to measure tree height and forest structure.

Strategies by NCVC to conserve plantation areas in Saudi Arabia included determining confinement points, collecting data, and using a digital hypsometer to measure the height of trees. (NCVC photo)

Together, these efforts reflect a growing awareness of the vital role Saudi Arabia’s forests play — not only as ecological assets but as symbols of renewal in a land long known for its arid extremes.

As the Kingdom pushes ahead with its broader climate and environmental goals, these green sanctuaries, hidden among the peaks and valleys, may prove to be among its most valuable treasures.