Riyadh—Amlak
From April 7–10 (7–10 Jumada al-Akhira), the city of Riyadh will host the 7th International Exhibition for Iron and Metal Industries, which is the largest exhibition of its kind in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, under the patronage of Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, Minister of Commerce and Industry. Commenting on the exhibition, Engineer Osama Al-Kurdi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ilaqat Exhibitions and Conferences—the event’s organizer—stated that the Kingdom currently has % 33 projects underway in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, confirming that it has approved a budget to spend nearly $400 billion on massive infrastructure projects over the next five years, which will increase demand for steel in the country, with iron and steel consumption reaching 26 million metric tons in 2015. He noted that the significance of this exhibition—the first of its kind in the Gulf—lies in its alignment with Saudi Arabia’s status as one of the world’s top 10 fastest-growing economies, He noted that the steel industry in Saudi Arabia is experiencing significant growth, with an annual growth rate expected to reach approximately 11.7% during the period from 2013 to 2017 as a result of the country’s economic growth.