Saudi Arabia to privatize education, health sectors within 2 years: official

Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Privatization and PPP is planning to privatize the education, health, as well as part of the energy sectors by 2020, Mohammed Al-Shaalan, deputy CEO, told Argaam.

“Selling the assets of the four flour mills to the private sector is expected to be finalized by mid-2019,” he said, also adding that the tender will be launched soon.

“Over 30 local and international investors applied for the project, some of which formed consortiums,” he further said.

Meanwhile, the center also signed the contract of the sanitation water treatment project in Dammam earlier his week. The SAR 400 million project will be 72 percent financed by foreign banks.

“The contracts of several water treatment and production stations will be signed in the coming weeks, as part of the six water projects the Saudi cabinet has approved in September 2018,” Al-Shaalan noted.

According to data compiled by Argaam, the Council of Economic and Development affairs approved in April 2018 the implementation plan of the privatization center, which has 23 initiatives, including projects in the water sector.