Details for privatization of 38 Saudi govt authorities in 24 months set

JEDDAH — The amended rules and regulations for the work bylaws of the supervisory committees for the sectors targeted for privatization have revealed that 38 government authorities will be prepared within two years (24 months) for their privatization, in addition to the education universities and specialist hospitals, according to Okaz, which went through these amended rules.

The government authorities to be privatized include 13 ministries that cover these domains: the environment, water and agriculture, transport, energy, industry and mineral resources, housing, education, health, municipal and rural affairs, Hajj and Umrah, communications and information technology, media, and sports.

The process will also cover the privatization of other government agencies, including “The Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), the Irrigation Corporation, Saudi Grains Organization, the Center for Waste Management, the National Center for Meteorology, the Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification, the Wildlife Development Center, the Environmental Compliance Control Center.

It also includes the National Water Company, General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Transport Authority, Ports Authority, Airlines Corporation, Railways Corporation, King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, and the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON).

The other agencies are Industrial Development Center, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), Health Council, Saudi Post, E-government Program (Yesser), the Radio and Television Authority, the Audiovisual Media Authority, and Saudi Press Agency (SPA), in addition to science universities and specialist hospitals.

The ministry or the government agency concerned with the sector will coordinate with the National Center for Privatization within a period not exceeding two years to prepare a privatization plan.

The plan will include “the objectives of privatization projects in the sector, a list of proposed privatization projects, priorities for their implementation, proposed timelines for their implementation, review of the regulatory environment organizing the sector and coming up with proposals for developing the sectors in a way that stimulates the private sector to attract investments and achieve the goals of privatization.”