Public Services Strategy in Riyadh
Public Services Strategy in Riyadh
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) approved the Riyadh City Public Services Provision and Coordination Program (Riyadh City Public Services Program), a strategic planning framework designed to coordinate public service delivery across participating government agencies. The program addresses Riyadh’s rapid population growth and urban expansion by supporting the planning and provision of services in key sectors, including healthcare, education, IT, and socio-economic development. By integrating these evolving needs into the capital’s public service planning and implementation, the program contributes to enhancing service quality and supporting sustainable urban growth in line with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to place three Saudi cities among the world’s top 100.
In collaboration with participating entities, RCRC developed advanced planning standards for public services, establishing a unified reference framework for land-use planning and the spatial distribution of public services across Riyadh. RCRC also launched the Riyadh Public Services Portal, a digital platform that monitors, manages, and continuously updates public service data to support informed planning and decision-making.
Program Objectives
The Riyadh City Public Services Program establishes a comprehensive operational framework for coordinating, monitoring, and continuously updating the planning and development of public services across the city. The program covers a wide range of utilities, including mosques, educational, healthcare, security, cultural, and recreational facilities. By assessing current service availability, forecasting future demand, and identifying suitable vacant land, the program develops a comprehensive spatial distribution model for public services. Collectively, these efforts help meet the growing demand for public services, optimize resource allocation, and enhance the quality of life for Riyadh’s residents.
Program Phases
The program has progressed through several key phases. It began with the first Executive Plan for the Coordination and Provision of Public Services in Riyadh City, which was prepared in 2008 and approved by RCRC in 2012. This phase resulted in the development of an integrated database that consolidated public service information from participating entities across the city. The second Executive Plan was launched in 2015 and included a comprehensive field survey to verify the geographic locations and attributes of approximately 11,000 public service facilities. It also enhanced the service-level analytical model through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies. By evaluating service availability and spatial distribution, the plan supported the identification of optimal sites for future public service facilities, ensuring compliance with the highest planning standards while addressing both current and future needs.
The program entered a new phase in 2019 following RCRC’s approval of a series of enhancements. This phase included updating the public services database and further developing the analytical model, digital applications, service atlases, and the program’s implementation framework.
Launched in mid-2022, the current phase focuses on updating the database in collaboration with participating entities while further enhancing the analytical model, digital applications, and analytical tools used to assess and evaluate public services across Riyadh.
Technical Committee
A technical committee comprising 23 participating entities was established, including 18 public service providers and five entities whose mandates support the program’s objectives. The committee held a series of workshops and coordination meetings to introduce the program, align participating entities’ plans and priorities, and establish a unified mechanism for updating public service data. The participating entities include:
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Education
- Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance
- Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development
- Ministry of Justice
- Ministry of Culture
- Ministry of Sport
- Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services
- Riyadh Municipality
- General Entertainment Authority
- General Authority for Statistics
- State Properties General Authority
- Saudi Red Crescent Authority
- Civil Affairs – Riyadh Region
- Riyadh Region Police
- Riyadh Region Traffic Department
- Civil Defense – Riyadh Region
- Passports Department – Riyadh Region
- Security Capabilities – Ministry of Interior
- Technical and Vocational Training Corporation
- Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Quality of Life Program
- National Center for Performance Measurement (Adaa)
Public Service Categories in Riyadh
The program evaluates public services provided by both the public and private sectors across Riyadh. Its scope covers a broad range of services and facilities, including mosques; educational institutions at all levels, from kindergartens and public schools to colleges, universities, and technical training institutes; security services, including police, traffic, civil defense, passport, and civil affairs centers; and healthcare services, such as primary healthcare centers, public and specialized hospitals, medical cities, clinics, pharmacies, and Red Crescent facilities.
The program also assesses recreational facilities, including playgrounds, neighborhood parks, municipal plazas, and public parks, as well as cultural institutions such as libraries, museums, and theaters. In addition, it encompasses social services, including charities, cooperative societies, and social development committees, together with administrative services such as municipalities, labor offices, courts, notary public offices, and chambers of commerce. Postal services and commercial entertainment facilities are also included within the program’s scope.
Program Deliverables
The program yields several deliverables supported by a continuously updated geographic database of public services. These deliverables include:
- The upgraded analytical model for public service levels
- Digital platforms and applications, including the Public Services Portal, performance dashboard, and mobile application
- A public services land bank
- Atlases mapping current and future service distributions
