His Highness the Prince: Dr. Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf Al-Miqrin

Your Excellencies, Heads of Municipalities

Your Excellencies, the Speakers and Participants

Mr. Scott Rajsdal, Founder and President of Naseba group

Your excellencies

Assalamu Alaykum

It is with pleasure and honour that I welcome you all to this conference “Kingdom Expansion 2009”.  This is a good opportunity for meeting the prominent figures: heads of municipalities, city leaders, experts, specialists, representatives of the private sector, and those responsible for the urban development in the MENA region, with the objective of exchanging ideas, expertise and knowledge, in the field of urban development, expansion of cities, and to explore investment opportunities, development projects and city priorities.

Within this framework, AUDI assures the importance of dealing with the city as a living creature that grows and has its identity, with future requirements for physical expansion that considers the population increase along with their current and future needs.  Here appears the importance of joining efforts of all partners concerned with city expansion and development, to achieve the higher goal for this gathering.  We are here to exchange ideas and hopes, explore opportunities and seek solutions for challenges and look forward to achieve the goals of our Arab Cities, on scientific and applicable bases that maintain the contemporary and future needs.

In light of the global financial crises, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia proved for all, that its economy is stable and its leadership is wise; and that it is still one of the most growing and investment attractive countries, especially in the field of real estate, where six economical cities are under construction around the Kingdom.  This happens along with the increasing demand for houses in the major cities.  All this will lead to changes in the feature of Saudi cities, and will be reflected on the infrastructure, social services and on the model of city management and the role of municipalities in the Kingdom.

AUDI as a specialized research institution in the field of city development, and will work on the authentication of the successful Saudi experience in the field of construction of new cities and the expansion of the existing ones.  It will also work on the dissemination of such knowledge and expertise to other Arab Cities, because it relies on a previous rich experience in various fields related to the comprehensive and sustainable urban development.

Efforts of AUDI, together with its international and regional partners, continued in disseminating and exchanging knowledge, on the aspects of sustainable comprehensive development in Arab cities, through a range of symposia and conferences, with the aim of encouraging scientific research and exchange of knowledge and successful experiences.  AUDI established several specialized development Arab city oriented programs.  Some of these programs are: City Development Strategies (CDS), in collaboration with the World Bank and City Alliance organization, and Child Protection Initiative (CPI) in the MENA region, which was launched in 2003, in partnership with the World Bank.  It is still providing its services to Arab Cities.  Also the Urban Observatories Program which worked on establishing several urban observatories in Arab Cities.

AUDI made wide strides with the World Bank and some donator institutions on emphasizing the social dimension and human development, which became a base in Arab city development adopted by Arab municipalities and city mayors.  AUDI worked with several international and regional specialized institutions, to develop programs for youth issues.  The most important of them is the establishment of social security networks in Arab Cities, the programs of youth employment and their inclusion in the work market, as AUDI is content that the youth are the development flag holders.

AUDI has wide relationships.  In addition to the above mentioned AUDI works as a medium among many international and regional organizations, governmental and non-governmental.  An example is NASEBA, our partner in this international conference; and between the Arab Cities and organizations concerned with development affairs.  AUDI receives in approximately daily bases, information on scientific symposia and conferences which it circulates to Arab cities, Universities and other related institutions.

We hope for this conference which includes workshops and panels, and round table discussions for networks with city leaders, as well as providing excel awards, which will lead to outputs that contribute to tackling the challenges that face city expansion and development, and we hope also for this conference to become a core for a bright future for cities and investment.

May Allah guide you for the prosperity of the Arab Cities, citizens and all residents.

Thank You