His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, affirmed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has established an advanced model for sustainable urban development , moving from the planning and policy-making stage to the implementation and impact stage, based on the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which has made quality of life, housing, municipal development, and sustainability as key pillars of national transformation.
This was stated during the Kingdom’s address delivered by His Excellency at the High-Level General Assembly Meeting on the Urban Agenda in New York City.
His Excellency explained that the Kingdom submitted its updated National Report for 2026 to the United Nations-Habitat program, which documents the urban transformation the Kingdom has undergone in recent years, and highlights the transition from establishing frameworks and policies to expanding implementation and achieving tangible results on the ground. His Excellency reviewed the most notable indicators achieved by the Kingdom, noting that the home ownership rate among Saudi households rose from 47% in 2016 to 66.24% by the end of 2025, approaching the 2030 target of 70%, while more than 25% Saudi households benefited from housing support services under housing programs between 2018 and 2025.
Accelerated Urban Development
He noted that urban development has seen rapid growth, with per capita public space increasing from 5.2 square meters to 6.9 square meters, while the Bahja program added more than 12 million square meters of community spaces, and the Riyadh Metro recorded more than 100 million passengers during its first nine months of operation, and the number of intra-city bus riders exceeded 96.8 million in 2025, reflecting the development of the
urban transportation system and improvements in quality of life.
His Excellency emphasized that the Kingdom’s urban transformation has extended to social aspects, as women’s labor force participation rate rose from 22.8% to 36%, and the employment rate for people with disabilities has doubled, while the number of nonprofit organizations has exceeded 7,213, achieving growth of more than 341%, indicating the expansion of community participation in the development process.
Developing the Urban Governance System
He explained that the Kingdom continues to develop its urban governance system by strengthening the financial independence of municipalities, integrating urban data, and incorporating climate risk assessments into urban planning, in addition to continuing the implementation of the Saudi Green Initiative and the National Renewable Energy Program, thereby enhancing the sustainability of cities and their ability to address future challenges.
His Excellency noted that partnerships and investments have been a key pillar of this transformation, as the Kingdom has signed more than 56 partnership agreements with the private sector to support infrastructure projects and municipal services, in addition to signing a strategic cooperation agreement with UN-Habitat and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for the period 2024–2027, The Kingdom also issued green bonds and sustainable sukuk worth $9.1 billion in 2024, in addition to the Public Investment Fund’s green financing framework, whose commitments will exceed $10 billion by 2026.
In concluding his remarks, His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to continuing to support the goals of the New Urban Agenda, strengthening international cooperation, and expanding access to sustainable financing, thereby contributing to the development of more inclusive and sustainable cities and enhancing the quality of life for future generations.
«Al-Haqil» Highlights the Kingdom's Progress in Urban Development at the United Nations
New York’s Minister of Municipalities and Housing reviewed indicators related to housing, transportation, and sustainability, emphasizing the Kingdom’s transition toward tangible urban development.
