The GCC countries will invest over $119.6 billion in infrastructure projects over the next ten years, of which rail projects account for over 90 percent of the investment. “Regional government policy and spending over the next ten years will define the region's transport infrastructure. The amount allocated for investment in rail projects clearly demonstrates the region's strategy for mass transit,” said Richard Pavitt, exhibition director of the Roadex-Railex exhibition. The biennial Roadex-Railex event, the largest exhibition for the road, rail and public transport sectors in the Middle East, takes place in Abu Dhabi this year. Transport infrastructure specialist from all over the world will converge on the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on Nov. 28-30, 2010 to participate in the event which focuses this year on road and rail infrastructure, public transport and parking. Leading the Gulf in terms of investment, Saudi Arabia is spending $25 billion on its rail network adding 3,900 kilometers of track through three major projects. The first of which is the Saudi Landbridge project, a 950 kilometre railway which will connect Jeddah and Dammam. Secondly the 450 kilometer Haramain high-speed which will connect Makkah and Madina via Jeddah and finally the North South Railway which joins the northern mineral belt with Riyadh and the industrial city of Jubail. The UAE has already committed $7.6 billion in Dubai on the Metro (red and green lines) and another $3.26 billion on several major road projects which is addition to a public-private partnership (PPP) with Italian construction and infrastructure company Salini Costruttori, to overhaul sections of the UAE-Saudi Arabia Highway.
