1.6 Billion Dinars Allocated for 70 Developmental Projects in the First Half of the 2026–2027 Plan

Data from the first half of the 2026–2027 annual development plan revealed the allocation of financial appropriations worth 1.6 billion dinars for 70 development projects, distributed across nine programs. This comes amid an improvement in compliance indicators with timelines compared to the previous two plans, alongside the persistence of certain administrative and technical challenges facing the implementation of several projects.

A document reviewed by Al-Qabas showed that 63% of the projects have entered the implementation phase, with actual spending reaching 86.8 million dinars by last September. This reflects continued efforts to implement projects included in the plan, although there are disparities in the levels of achievement and adherence to specified deadlines. The plan includes 66 ongoing projects and four new ones, while one project remains yet to begin implementation, according to the data in the document.

The 70 development projects are distributed across nine programs. Program 6, “Construction of a cohesive infrastructure,” accounted for the largest share with 21 projects, making it the program hosting the most projects within the plan. Conversely, both Program 1, “Establishment of a special international economic zone,” and Program 2, “General allocation,” each included only one project.

The projects included vary between those implemented directly by government entities and others executed through public-private partnerships, reflecting the diversity of mechanisms for implementing development initiatives. Plan data showed that the percentage of projects aligned with timelines rose to 60% during the first half of 2026–2027, compared to 28% in the 2025–2026 plan and the same percentage in the 2024–2025 plan. Conversely, the percentage of projects delayed beyond their timelines dropped to 31%, down from 70% in the previous plan and 71% in the 2024–2025 plan, indicating a relative improvement in compliance with implementation schedules.

However, some programs still face implementation delays. The “Construction of a cohesive infrastructure” program topped the list of programs in terms of the number of delayed projects, with seven projects lagging. The document clarified that measuring actual project completion percentages relies on relative weights that vary according to the nature and stage of the project, whether construction, development, or part of partnerships and joint-stock companies.

For construction projects, relative weights are distributed as 20% for the preparatory phase, 70% for implementation phases, and 10% for the delivery phase. For development projects, the preparatory phase accounts for 30%, while implementation phases account for 70%. Regarding partnership and joint-stock company projects, the calculation method relies on a single preparatory phase, which carries a relative weight of 100%.

The document recorded 474 challenges since the start of the plan, with approximately 86% of them overcome. Administrative challenges led the list at 48.7%, followed by technical challenges at 28.5%, then challenges related to financial entities at 9.9%. Legislative challenges came last, accounting for 4.6% of the total recorded challenges. These data highlight the importance of addressing administrative and technical obstacles, as they constitute the largest component of challenges facing projects, thereby contributing to accelerating implementation and enhancing adherence to specified timelines.

◄ Priority for projects with added value: In a related development, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to Al-Qabas that the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development has directives issued by the Council of Ministers emphasizing the necessity of alerting government entities to the importance of including projects that generate added value for the national economy.

He clarified that priority has shifted to production and operational projects, as well as those that deliver social, financial, and economic returns, thereby enhancing the impact of development spending and supporting the state’s economic objectives.