Saudi Customs and the National Program to Support the Management of Projects in Public Entities (Mashroat) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) appointing Mashroat as the enabling arm to support infrastructure projects. Mashroat will provide consultancy services and technical support to manage the Saudi Customs' construction projects and facilities, including 19 land ports, administrative facilities, seaports and other related facilities, on a built-up area of about 25 million square meters. According to the MoU, Mashroat will support Saudi Customs to enhance the efficiency of its operations, maintenance and quality of its infrastructure and facilities based on the highest standards. This is a step toward building sustainable economic growth and creating an advanced and interactive government model that improves transparency in the facility management, operations and maintenance. The MoU was signed by the Director-General of Mashroat, Ahmed bin Mutair Al-Balawi and the Deputy Governor of Saudi Land Ports, Abdulrahman bin Nasser Al-Khuzaim, in the presence of Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Haqbani, Saudi Customs Governor. On this occasion, the Deputy Governor of Saudi Land Ports Abdulrahman bin Nasser Al-Khuzaim said: "This second joint cooperation of Saudi Customs and Mashroat, after they signed another memorandum to develop standards and methodologies of the efficient and effective project implementation. By signing this memorandum, we seek to enhance the joint cooperation with Mashroat in the operation and maintenance fields. We would benefit from the basic enabling support provided by Mashroat as well as its evaluation criteria in terms of procedure, system, mechanism development, a model of project implementation of facility management operations." Ahmed Bin Mutair Al-Balawi said "Mashroat seeks to apply the effective transformation in the government agencies' project management and facility management offices and adopt a strategy to promote our practices in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 by applying best practices in the project and facility management. We are pleased to sign this memo with Saudi Customs. This step aims to develop Saudi Customs' systems and capabilities to manage its ports. The memo will contribute to enhance the Kingdom's position as a logistics hub in the world". The MoU is an implementation of the Council of Ministers' resolution stating that public entities shall establish project management offices in cooperation with Mashroat to follow up, coordinate and manage their projects and ensure their delivery. — SG
