He has been serving as the minister since October 2017 Al-Amoudi attained a doctorate in law from Harvard Law School, US, in 2001 JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is undergoing unprecedented socioeconomic reforms. The National Transformation Program 2020 and Saudi Vision 2030 encompass almost all facets of Saudi life. The transport sector of any country plays a crucial role in its economic development and the Saudi authorities are making efforts to revolutionize this sector as well. Dr. Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Amoudi is Saudi Arabia’s transport minister. He has been serving as the minister since October 2017. Prior to becoming the transport minister, he served as the chairman of the General Authority of Ports, chairman of Aramco Services Company in Houston, Texas, chairman of Aramco Refining Company, acting director for long-term planning department, a senior consultant in the legal department and operations engineer at Saudi Aramco. Al-Amoudi attained a doctorate in law from Harvard Law School, US, in 2001, and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Stanford University, US, in 1995. At the two-day Makkah Economic Forum held in Jeddah on May 6 and 7, the transport minister announced that the Haramain railway, which links Makkah to Madinah, will become operational in the third quarter of this year. “Transportation is a main pillar of the national economy and a key driver of the economic renaissance that will take place under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy,” he said. The railway will be able to carry 60 million passengers a year by the time it is fully operational at the beginning of 2019, Al-Amoudi added. Al-Amoudi said that aside from the Makkah-Madinah railway, the other major transport project is the new airport in Jeddah. It will begin operations this month.