Saudi projects shrug off tough climate

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A rose-coloured gate capped by domed towers and arches marks the entrance to King Abdullah Economic City, a monumental project under construction by the Red Sea, north of Jeddah.

The $27bn scheme, which will eventually reach the size of Washington DC, is the flagship of four huge economic projects that Saudi Arabia’s government has scheduled for completion by 2020.

The plan is to turn this 168m square metre city, designed primarily by a Singaporean team, into a business centre with industrial and residential areas and a port linked by rail and road to elsewhere in the kingdom.