RIYADH – MEED has announced this year’s finalists of the only recognition scheme honoring completed projects in the Gulf region. A total of 94 projects from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are competing for honors in 16 different categories of the annual MEED Projects Awards, in association with Mashreq. Saudi Arabia has 12 finalists this year, two more than the previous edition of the awards, in the following categories: Education Project of the Year, Healthcare Project of the Year, Hotel Project of the Year, Leisure & Tourism Project of the Year, Mixed Use Project of the Year, Oil & Gas Project of the Year, Small Project of the Year, Water Project of the Year and Sustainable Project of the Year, in association with Al Sahel Contracting. KSA-based projects dominated the Power Project of the Year category with three finalists. “Across the region, contractors, consultants and suppliers alike are expecting a better year ahead due to improved oil prices and government reforms. As headline sponsor of the MEED Projects Awards, Mashreq is very proud to support the construction sector’s key stakeholders in being recognized for quality and success in their projects. We congratulate all the finalists for delivering and contributing towards the growth and sustainability of the industry,” said Mohammad Khader Al Shouli, senior vice president, Mashreq Bank. “The 2018 awards programme saw a 24 per cent increase in short-listed organizations compared to the 2017 edition, a testament to the quality of completed projects being delivered across the GCC,” said Becky Crayman, program director, MEED. After the initial round of reviews, where judges selected the finalists out of hundreds of entries, the GCC winners will be announced on 2 May 2018 at the Westin Mina Seyahi in Dubai at a gathering of the industry’s top leaders to celebrate the success and signification contributions of the region’s top-quality projects. The full list of finalists is online at www.projects-awards.meed.com. – SG