The terms and phrases listed below - wherever they appear in these arrangements - shall have the meanings specified next to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:
Arrangements: The organizational arrangements of the Strategic Office for the Development of the Northern Borders Region.
The Office: The Strategic Office for the Development of the Northern Borders Region.
The Committee: The Supervisory Committee of the Office.
The President: The President of the Committee.
The Chief Executive Officer: The Chief Executive Officer of the Office.

1- The office enjoys legal personality and financial and administrative independence.
2- The office is headquartered in the city of Arar, and it may establish branches as needed.

The office aims to plan and comprehensively develop the Northern Borders Region in the fields of urban, demographic, economic, developmental, social, cultural, environmental, transportation, infrastructure, and digital infrastructure, and to provide the region's needs for public services and facilities.
In order to achieve this – without prejudice to the competencies of other relevant authorities – it undertakes the following tasks and responsibilities:
1- Formulating general policies for the development and growth of the region.
2- Preparing comprehensive plans, studies, and strategic frameworks for the region and its executive programs.
3- Developing the vision and strategic direction for the region.
4- Directly supervising the planning, design, and implementation of strategic programs and projects, along with related operational and maintenance activities.
5- Reviewing development plans, programs, and projects – related to the office's work – prepared by government agencies and public institutions in the region, ensuring balanced development in the region.
6- Following up on the planning of infrastructure projects in coordination with the relevant authorities.
7- Prioritizing the implementation of programs and projects in the region in accordance with development plans.
8- Monitoring the implementation of programs and projects in the region, taking necessary actions to ensure their execution, in coordination with the relevant authorities, and applying indicators for improving and measuring urban performance based on the objectives of the approved development plans.
9- Proposing the expropriation of certain real estate for the development of the region, in coordination with the region's secretariat and relevant authorities, in preparation for completing the legal procedures regarding it.
10- Supervising the rehabilitation of existing urban neighborhoods – including historical neighborhoods – improving them, addressing informal settlements, and developing them to enhance their urban, social, economic, security, and environmental conditions, and taking necessary actions to ensure this is implemented.
11- Preparing building regulations and land use that contribute to the implementation of development plans for the region.
12- Reviewing land subdivision plans.
13- Coordinating and organizing efforts among the relevant authorities for the development and growth of the region, in accordance with the approved plans, programs, and projects.
14- Establishing programs, foundations, and procedures necessary and incentivizing ways for private sector participation in achieving development goals and implementing projects and services in the region, and supervising them.
15- Creating and managing a database and urban information systems, serving as a unified platform and a primary reference for the information relied upon by the relevant authorities for the development and growth of the region.
To achieve its tasks and responsibilities, the office may seek assistance from necessary governmental bodies and others, including consulting firms and specialized personnel, both within and outside the Kingdom.

The office shall have a supervisory committee chaired by the Emir of the Northern Borders Region, with members appointed by a decree from the President of the Council of Ministers. This committee shall be the authority responsible for managing the affairs of the office and conducting its matters. It has the authority, within the limits of the arrangements, to take whatever decisions and procedures it deems appropriate to achieve its objectives, and it has, in particular, the following:
1- Approval of the vision and strategic direction for the region.
2- Approval of comprehensive strategic plans, studies, and schemes for the region, along with their executive programs.
3- Approval of programs and projects related to the office's competencies and tasks.
4- Approval of the office's policies, plans, and executive programs.
5- Approval of building regulations and land uses that contribute to the implementation of the region's development plans and its growth.
6- Approval of land subdivision plans.
7- Approval of the office's organizational structure.
8- Approval of the office's budget project, final account, auditor's report, and annual report, in preparation for submission according to the legal procedures.
9- Approval of accepting donations, gifts, endowments, bequests, and grants, in accordance with the governing provisions.
10- Approval of investing the office's funds in a manner that achieves its objectives, in accordance with the relevant laws, regulations, and mechanisms.
11- Appointment of an external certified auditor (or more) and an internal financial controller.
12- Approval of development plans, programs, and projects related to the office's work prepared by government agencies and public authorities and institutions.
13- Review of the annual report submitted by the CEO regarding the office's operations.
The committee may delegate some of its competencies to the president or to any member it deems appropriate. It may also form permanent or temporary committees from among its members or others, assigning them tasks it sees fit, specifying in the formation decision of each committee its president, members, and competencies.

1- The Committee meetings are held at the office headquarters, chaired by the President or a member designated by him. If necessary, they may be held at another location within the region.
2- The Committee holds its meetings periodically at least four times a year, and the President may call the Committee to meet whenever necessary, or whenever at least one-third of the members request it. The invitation must be accompanied by an agenda for the meeting.
3- The meeting is valid if attended by the majority of the members, including the President or his designee, and decisions are made by a majority of the votes of those present at a minimum. In the event of a tie, the side that the President of the meeting voted for shall prevail.
4- A member of the Committee may not abstain from voting nor delegate another member to vote on their behalf in their absence. The dissenting member has the right to record their objection and the reasons for the objection in the minutes of the meeting.
5- The discussions and decisions of the Committee are documented in minutes signed by the President of the meeting and the attending members.
6- If necessary and in urgent cases, as deemed appropriate by the President, meetings may be held and votes may be cast remotely using technological means. Decisions may be made by circulation among the members, and they must be signed to indicate that all members have been informed of them. Decisions made in this manner are not considered valid unless they are circulated to all members, voted on by all members, and receive a majority of their votes.
7- The Committee may invite specialists and consultants it deems necessary to attend its meetings, without them having the right to vote.

The office shall have an Executive President who is appointed and dismissed by a decision of the Committee, which specifies his salary and other financial and functional benefits. He is considered the executive responsible for managing the office's affairs, and his responsibilities are limited to the arrangements and decisions issued under it. He has, in particular, the following powers:
1- Supervising the office's staff in accordance with the powers granted to him and as determined by the administrative and financial regulations.
2- Overseeing the office's technical, administrative, and financial operations through the approved regulations and policies in accordance with the arrangements.
3- Following up on the implementation of the decisions issued by the Committee.
4- Representing the office before the judiciary, government agencies, and institutions within the Kingdom, as well as related bodies outside the Kingdom, after obtaining the Committee's approval or according to the powers granted to him, and he may delegate others in this regard.
5- Preparing the draft budget of the office, the final account, the auditor's report, and the annual report, in preparation for submitting them to the Committee for approval.
6- Proposing the organizational structure of the office and submitting it to the Committee for approval.
7- Proposing the vision and strategic direction for the region.
8- Proposing comprehensive strategic plans, studies, and programs for the region and its executive programs, and submitting them to the Committee for approval.
9- Proposing the office's policies, plans, and executive programs, and submitting them to the Committee for approval.
10- Concluding agreements and contracts after the Committee's approval, or according to the powers granted to him, in accordance with the applicable legal procedures.
11- Appointing the office's staff in accordance with the administrative and financial regulations.
12- Submitting proposals to the Committee regarding matters within its jurisdiction.
13- Preparing an annual report on the achievements of the office, the challenges it faced, and any suggestions for overcoming them, and submitting it to the Committee for consideration.
14- Contracting with local and international experts and consultants.
15- Any other task assigned to him by the Committee or the President.
The Executive President, after obtaining the Committee's approval, may delegate some of his powers to others whom he deems appropriate among the office's staff.

• 1- The resources of the office consist of the following:

  • A- The allocations provided to it from the financial appropriations in the state’s general Budget.

  • B- Donations, grants, gifts, and bequests, in accordance with the applicable legal procedures.

  • C- The revenues from its endowments according to the rules established by the Committee.

  • D- The income obtained from its investment returns.

  • E- Any other resource approved by the Committee, provided it does not violate the laws and regulations.

• 2- The revenues of the office are deposited in the current account of the Ministry of Finance at the Saudi Central Bank.

• 3- The office shall open an account for itself at the Saudi Central Bank, and it may open other accounts at any of the banks licensed to operate in the Kingdom, and expenditures shall be made from them according to the approved budget of the office.

1- The office shall have an independent annual budget, which is prepared and issued in accordance with the arrangements for issuing the state's general budget.
2- The financial year of the office is the same as the financial year of the state.

The office shall submit its final account to the Council of Ministers within (ninety) days from the end of the fiscal year, and shall provide the General Court of Audit with a copy of it.

The provisions stated in the arrangements do not affect the competencies of other relevant authorities.