MEED's 4th Middle East Rail Projects Conference 2007 will take place on Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 October at the Park Hyatt, Dubai.
The two day event will bring together regional and international leaders to share the latest industry trends and provide fresh intelligence on integrating urban and inter-urban rail networks.
In the past three years the MENA region has experienced an unprecedented rail boom with over $30 billion being invested, as rapid population growth and increasing road-traffic congestion have encouraged governments to take a serious look at light and mass transportation.
In the last 12 months alone, construction on the Dubai Light Rail project - also known as the Dubai Metro - has really gathered pace, tenders for the Saudi Land bridge project have been issued and awards have been made on the multi-billion-dollar minerals railway, also in the Kingdom.
The two day event will bring together regional and international leaders to share the latest industry trends and provide fresh intelligence on integrating urban and inter-urban rail networks.
In the past three years the MENA region has experienced an unprecedented rail boom with over $30 billion being invested, as rapid population growth and increasing road-traffic congestion have encouraged governments to take a serious look at light and mass transportation.
In the last 12 months alone, construction on the Dubai Light Rail project - also known as the Dubai Metro - has really gathered pace, tenders for the Saudi Land bridge project have been issued and awards have been made on the multi-billion-dollar minerals railway, also in the Kingdom.
Edmund O'Sullivan, MEED Events Chairman, says: "Funding is key.
Finding a reliable source of finance has always been the main challenge in the development of rail projects, not just to cover the capital construction cost but also for the day-to-day running of the systems. Rising oil and gas prices mean that governments now have the liquidity to finance these huge infrastructure projects.
'Having this stream of finance in place, combined with an unprecedented willingness to invest in rail-based transport systems, heralds a new era for rail in the region. At Middle East Rail Projects 2007 we will look at the big picture of how best to develop an integrated process in regional rail systems, and allow our international delegates and speakers to meet one another face-to-face to forge new and effective working relationships.' The event, sponsored by the leading international legal practice Herbert Smith, and now in its fourth successful year, will feature keynote speakers including Eng. Mourhaf Sabhouni, Director General of Arab Union of Railways, providing a comprehensive overview of existing and planned railways in the Middle East, Sultan Al-Ghanim, Director of Transport, GCC - Secretariat General, who will provide a status report on the region's most ambitious rail project, the planned GCC Railway, and Abdulredha Abu Al-Hassan, Director of Planning, RTA DUBAI on the Dubai Metro project. Source
Finding a reliable source of finance has always been the main challenge in the development of rail projects, not just to cover the capital construction cost but also for the day-to-day running of the systems. Rising oil and gas prices mean that governments now have the liquidity to finance these huge infrastructure projects.
'Having this stream of finance in place, combined with an unprecedented willingness to invest in rail-based transport systems, heralds a new era for rail in the region. At Middle East Rail Projects 2007 we will look at the big picture of how best to develop an integrated process in regional rail systems, and allow our international delegates and speakers to meet one another face-to-face to forge new and effective working relationships.' The event, sponsored by the leading international legal practice Herbert Smith, and now in its fourth successful year, will feature keynote speakers including Eng. Mourhaf Sabhouni, Director General of Arab Union of Railways, providing a comprehensive overview of existing and planned railways in the Middle East, Sultan Al-Ghanim, Director of Transport, GCC - Secretariat General, who will provide a status report on the region's most ambitious rail project, the planned GCC Railway, and Abdulredha Abu Al-Hassan, Director of Planning, RTA DUBAI on the Dubai Metro project. Source
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