HAMBURG: Rumaih bin Mohammed Al-Rumaih, Acting President of the Transport General Authority (TGA), has been elected Chair of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Division of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) until 2028.
The election took place during the UITP MENA Conference in Hamburg, Germany, where Al-Rumaih received the highest number of votes. The event was attended by transport leaders and officials from across the region.
Al-Rumaih’s election was attributed to his longstanding leadership in developing modern transport systems, his role in major national projects, his commitment to sustainability, and his representation of Saudi Arabia in global transport forums.
Speaking at the conference, Al-Rumaih expressed gratitude for the confidence shown in him and emphasized the importance of collaboration, innovation, and sustainability in shaping the future of public transport. He noted that public transport goes beyond infrastructure, representing values such as accessibility, equity, and user experience.
He highlighted key insights from the 2025 MENA Transport Report, which showcases growing investments in rail, rapid transit, electric buses, and integrated mobility solutions, while addressing sector challenges like service quality and system integration.
Al-Rumaih also spotlighted the Riyadh Metro, describing it as one of the world’s largest public transport systems launched in a single phase. Since its debut, the metro has seen high daily ridership and significant shifts in urban mobility patterns.
He concluded by emphasizing the need for inclusive partnerships among governments, operators, private stakeholders, and civil society to achieve sustainable, human-centered transport systems, and praised UITP’s role in fostering such collaboration.
