The summer months across the Middle East proved to be extremely hot and humid and the cooling temperatures as we approach the winter months are most welcome. The renewal of the branch licence was successfully completed in May with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism following the change of licensing process previously undertaken by the Dubai Association Centre.
The branch was well represented at The IFSJ Leaders in Fire & Safety Conference held on 8 May 2024 in Dubai and the Fire Middle East Conference in Riyadh on 15 May 2024. Both events provided a unique opportunity to connect with regional and international senior fire and safety professionals to share knowledge and thoughts on some of the key areas impacting the fire and safety industry. The next key event in the region is Intersec Saudi Arabia 2024 which is being held at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center (RICEC) on 1–3 October 2024 and Intersec 2025 is quickly approaching on the horizon.
Market update
The Middle East construction sector continues to show resilience and growth despite various economic challenges. Some key updates and trends for 2024 include:
1. Saudi Arabia remains the largest construction market in the Middle East, with projects valued at around $1.06 trillion. This continues to be driven largely by the ambitious Vision 2030 initiative, which includes mega-projects like NEOM, a $500 billion futuristic city, and the Red Sea Project, a luxury tourism destination. The construction sector in Saudi Arabia is expected to see a significant increase in costs of 5–7% in 2024, following a 7% rise in 2023. This is due to inflationary pressures and supply-chain disruptions.
2. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a substantial pipeline of construction projects, valued at $288 billion. Key sectors include residential, commercial and infrastructure projects. The market is highly competitive with significant international participation. Major projects include the construction of The Island, a 26-acre development that will feature the region’s first legal gaming facilities and a 1,400-room hotel complex. Construction costs in the UAE are expected to rise by 2–3% in 2024, reflecting broader regional trends.
3. Qatar’s construction market is primarily driven by its ambitious plans to expand LNG production by 64% by 2027. In 2023, the country saw $16.8 billion worth of project awards, with significant investments in gas production and chemical projects.
4. Kuwait has seen positive developments with $5 billion worth of project awards. Notable projects include the South Saad Al-Abdullah Residential City and the expansion of Kuwait International Airport.
5. Oman awarded $2.5 billion in projects in 2023, focusing on renewable energy projects such as the Manah I and II Solar IPPs. Bahrain, although seeing minimal project awards in 2023, has promising prospects with its $30 billion Strategic Projects Plan and the King Hamad Causeway project.
Overall, the Middle East construction sector is marked by large-scale investments and ambitious projects, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The region continues to attract significant international investment and expertise, driving growth despite challenges such as rising costs and economic volatility. The overall economic outlook for the region reflects a mix of resilience and ongoing challenges. The region’s growth is projected to be modest, with a forecast of around 2.7% in 2024, up from 1.9% in 2023. This growth, however, is uneven across the region due to varying economic conditions, geopolitical tensions and sectoral dependencies.
IFE HQ update
The IFE is inviting candidates to stand for the role of International President. The International President is currently a Trustee of the IFE and takes an active Board role in shaping the future of the fire profession. Hayley Burgess, who is the current International President, will step down at this year’s AGM which will be held on 24 October. In preparation of this, nominations are now open for the International President 2024–25.
On 10 June 2024, HQ announced the launch of its Early Careers Networking Group (ECNG), a new initiative designed to support budding talent in the field of fire engineering. The group aims to offer young professionals and students a comprehensive insight into the wide range of vocations available within fire engineering, encouraging interest in the sector. Hosted on LinkedIn, the IFE ECNG’s mission is to foster a supportive community where early-career individuals can thrive and find their path in fire engineering. The launch comes at a crucial time following the publication of The Science Education Tracker 2023 by Engineering UK, which raised concerns about the future workforce in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields. The group serves as an open forum for asking questions and seeking career advice, while also hosting events and soon offering mentoring opportunities.
HQ has also launched a recruitment drive for volunteers to support competency frameworks, as required in section 156(4) of the Building Safety Act (BSA) 2022 and the new British Standard for Fire Risk Assessor competence. The fire-risk assessor space is moving towards a system of Conformity Assessment and certification schemes are central to this. The IFE is making way for further opportunities to shape the industry’s standards and practices at a most challenging time.
Recruiting volunteers with diverse backgrounds and skills is critical to achieving the IFE’s mission in ensuring a comprehensive approach to advancing fire-safety standards globally and ensuring visibility of competency levels across the sector. Voluntary roles are the beating heart of the IFE and vary from assessing competency levels for membership, drafting exam papers that shape the fire-safety workforce and helping pave the way for a journey to Engineering Council registration. IFE Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are dedicated to developing expertise in various areas of fire safety, from heritage buildings and transport to emerging trends and electric vehicles. As we await the Grenfell inquiry report publication and forthcoming legislation changes in the UK, the evolving landscape of fire-safety emphasises the increasing need for specialised expertise in the growing premise of safety subject areas.
The call for volunteers comes at a pivotal moment for the fire-safety sector, with the Industry Benchmark Standard from the Fire Sector Federation emphasising the importance of maintaining a suitable record of learning and development. IFE members interested in becoming a volunteer can visit the IFE website for further information and submit an application. Those interested in being party to helping navigate the changes ahead and helping the workforce demonstrate and align competencies in fire-risk assessment will find this a most vital time for the industry. Find out more about volunteering opportunities at www.ife.org.uk/volunteering.
International General Assembly (IGA) update
At the IGA meeting and workshop held on 25 June 2024 the IGA Leader, Jacob Derrick, provided an update on the key areas that the IGA has been addressing including:
- meetings with the new IFE chair of the board, Paul Stollard, following his appointment
- participation in the IFE strategy review
- attendance at open meetings regarding the horizon scanning tool and providing feedback to HQ.
- working on finalizing the IGA proposed terms of reference document, which has been submitted to the board for approval
- attending nominations committee meetings to review board member applications.
An update was also provided on the IFE Strategy as the current strategy for 2020–24 comes to an end. The new strategy is aimed to ensure it aligns with the current operating environment. As part of the strategy development there were over 1,000 responses from IFE members with 35% of the responses coming from international members and 32 different branches. The strategy will focus on four main areas, looking at the organization structure, operating process, strategic objectives and smart strategic initiatives. The strategy will embrace the IFE organizational values, ethics, mission and operating context gained from its membership. There are eight strategic statements presented to the board with 27 objectives split between partnerships and organizational initiatives.
IFE AGM and Fire Conference 2024
As mentioned in the last update, the annual FIRE Conference will take place on Thursday 24 October 2024 at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Savoy Place, London, UK Head Office building. The conference will be a hybrid event offering a series of seminars and workshops delivered by industry experts who will address the scope of meeting building safety expectations and keeping pace with legislative change and sustainable developments in fire safety. Details of the AGM will be posted in due course.
Examinations October 2024
We look forward to welcoming examination candidates on Monday 7 October 2024 to the Dubai Examination Center and wish all candidates the best of luck for the exams.
About the Author
Branch President, GCC Branch – The Institution of Fire Engineers.
