Saudi cabinet greenlights GCC railway plans

The cabinet approved the Kingdom’s accession to the GCC railway agreement in a session held yesterday, state news agency SPA reports. The decision moves the long-discussed Gulf rail network — first floated more than a decade ago — closer to execution.

REFRESHER- The project is a 2.1k-km railway that aims to link the six GCC member states. Numerous delays have long stalled the railway, which was projected to cost some USD 15 bn back in 2023.

The war seems to have put some urgency on the project. Saudi Arabia Railways launched a tender for design consultancy services for its portion of the railway last week, and Kuwait approved the right-of-way and land allocation for the rail link connecting Kuwait to Saudi Arabia as part of the project.

ALSO FROM THE SESSION- Security messaging stays firm: The cabinet reiterated that Saudi Arabia “will not hesitate” to take whatever steps are needed to protect its security and residents. Ministers also backed the outcomes of the emergency GCC interior ministers’ meeting held in Riyadh, which reaffirmed that Gulf security is “indivisible” and called for tighter coordination on regional challenges.

AND- Whistleblower protections finalized: The cabinet approved the executive regulations for the system protecting whistleblowers, witnesses, experts, and victims.