Riyadh Hosts International Road Conference with Significant Regional and International Participation

– The conference featured 300 papers and more than 1,500 experts
– Participants discussed innovative solutions to challenges in the roads and transportation sector

Riyadh-Amlak
Riyadh hosted the 17th International Road Federation Conference and Exhibition at the King Faisal Ballroom of the InterContinental Hotel in Riyadh. Attended by a large crowd of officials, specialists, and stakeholders in the road and transportation sector from within and outside the Kingdom, the conference was opened by Minister of Transportation Dr. Jabara bin Eid Al-Suraiseri on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

Large Turnout
At the ceremony held for this occasion, the CEO of the International Road Federation, Mr. Patrick Sanki, delivered a speech in which he reviewed the Federation’s history, the stages it has gone through, and the achievements made over the past years of the Federation’s existence, Mr. Sanki spoke about the importance of roads in civilizational development and praised the Kingdom’s significant efforts in preparing and organizing this global event.
Afterward, His Excellency Engineer Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Al-Mubarak, Secretary of the Riyadh Region and President of the International Road Federation, delivered a speech in which he expressed his thanks, gratitude, and appreciation to the patron of progress and the King of Humanity, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – for his patronage of this important conference, as well as to His Royal Highness the Trustworthy Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Second Deputy Prime Minister. He also welcomed all participants and attendees, wishing them success and prosperity.
Engineer Al-Mubarak explained that Riyadh was chosen to host this important international conference—the first time it has been held outside the Americas, Europe, and East Asia—because the committee was convinced that this conference is one of the largest and most significant of its kind in this era, Riyadh was selected as the host city, having received the support and patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques—may God preserve him.
300 papers
Engineer Al-Mubarak noted that this conference serves as a unique global platform for showcasing the latest technologies and best practices in the transportation and roads sector worldwide, where participants exchange knowledge, expertise, and diverse experiences that they bring back to their countries to serve their communities. It also provides an opportunity to learn about the latest developments in projects in the Kingdom through field visits to select flagship projects.
Engineer Al-Mubarak revealed that the conference received more than 500 scientific papers, of which 300 were accepted, from more than 92 countries around the world. The papers address the conference’s various themes and propose innovative solutions to the challenges facing the roads and transportation sector. More than 1,500 experts and specialists in this field from outside the Kingdom are also attending, and more than 1,000 participants from within the Kingdom, in addition to more than 12 ministers, deputy ministers, mayors, and senior officials from international institutions, organizations, and agencies from around the world.
Following this, Ms. Anger Anderson, Vice President of the World Bank for the Middle East and North Africa, delivered a speech in which she thanked the Kingdom for hosting the event and commended the efforts made in preparing for the conference, She highlighted the importance of roads in the growth and development of societies and reviewed the United Nations’ efforts to support urban development over the years.
Afterward, the Minister of Transportation and Secretary of the Riyadh Region presented the Federation Award to World Bank Vice President Ms. Anger Anderson, and Mr. Oscar De Boeun was presented with the Third Dr. Mino Award for Excellence.
Then, the Minister of Transportation, Dr. Jabara Al-Suraiseri, delivered a speech in which he expressed his pleasure and honor at representing the patron of the ceremony, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques —may God support him—in opening the event, conveying to the participants the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and His Royal Highness the Second Deputy Prime Minister, as well as their wishes—may God protect them—for the success of the conference and the achievement of its desired objectives. Dr. Al-Suraiseri expressed his gratitude to His Excellency the Governor of Riyadh Region, President of the International Road Federation, and Chairman of the Conference’s Supreme Organizing Committee, Engineer Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Al-Mubarak, as well as to all those involved in the organization, commending the efforts made to ensure the conference’s thorough preparation. He noted that the conference provides participants with an opportunity to witness the comprehensive development boom the Kingdom is experiencing amid the implementation of major, wide-ranging projects across all sectors
transportation and development
Al-Suraiseri emphasized that transportation is the backbone of development and the vital nerve of the economic and social fabric, as it serves as the effective means of ensuring continuous connectivity between economic and productive processes, listing the challenges facing the transportation sector, including the continuous population growth, high demand for transportation services, increasing international economic pressures, and the rising cost of developing transportation services and maintaining existing ones.
The Minister of Transportation estimated the total length of the transportation network—including highways, expressways, dual-lane roads, and single-lane roads—at more than 60,300 kilometers, in addition to projects to improve the efficiency of existing roads and convert single-lane roads to dual-lane roads and dual-lane roads to expressways, noting that the total length of roads currently under construction in various regions and provinces of the Kingdom exceeds 22,250 kilometers, at a cost of 48 billion riyals, in addition to thousands of kilometers of roads constructed by city municipalities and local authorities.
The Minister of Transportation emphasized that Riyadh’s hosting of this global conference reflects the international community’s appreciation and respect for the Kingdom’s standing, noting that the expertise and discussions will have a positive impact on professionals in the Kingdom’s road and transportation sector, enabling them to make the most of these opportunities to serve and develop one of the most important sectors of development in thecivilized societies. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Minister of Transportation inaugurated the exhibition accompanying the conference and toured its exhibits with the attendees.