The following words and phrases shall have the meanings indicated next to each, unless the context requires otherwise:
1- The Authority: The Authority for the Development of Al-Ahsa.
2- The Arrangements: The organizational arrangements of the Authority.
3- The Administrative Regulation: The Administrative Regulation for the Development Authorities of Regions and Cities.
4- The Financial Regulation: The Financial Regulation for the Development Authorities of Regions and Cities.
5- The Regulations: The Administrative Regulation and the Financial Regulation.
6- The Council: The Board of Directors of the Authority.
7- The Supervisory Scope: The geographical area in which the Authority exercises its powers, including the Governorate of Al-Ahsa and the centers affiliated with the Governorate of Al-Ahsa that are added to this scope.

The authority enjoys legal personality and financial and administrative independence, and is organizationally linked to the Prime Minister. Its headquarters is located in the Al-Ahsa Governorate, and it has the authority to establish offices as needed.

The Authority aims - without prejudice to the competencies of other relevant agencies and within the supervisory scope - to comprehensive planning and development in the fields of urban, demographic, economic, developmental, social, cultural, environmental, transportation, infrastructure, and digital infrastructure, and also aims to provide the needs for public services and facilities. In order to achieve this, the Authority undertakes the following tasks and competencies within the supervisory scope:
1- Drawing up general policies for development and growth.
2- Preparing comprehensive strategic plans, studies, and schemes along with their executive programs, approving them, and updating them as necessary.
3- Direct supervision over the planning, design, and implementation of strategic programs and projects, along with related operational and maintenance activities.
4- Reviewing development plans, programs, and projects - related to the Authority's work - prepared by government agencies, public authorities, institutions, associations, and non-profit organizations, ensuring balanced development, and approving them.
5- Following up on the planning of infrastructure projects in coordination with the relevant agencies.
6- Prioritizing the implementation of programs and projects in accordance with development plans.
7- Monitoring the implementation of programs and projects, taking necessary actions to ensure their execution, in coordination with the relevant agencies, and applying indicators for improving and measuring urban performance based on the objectives of the approved development plans.
8- Proposing the expropriation of certain real estate properties according to development needs, in coordination with the relevant secretariat within the supervisory scope and related agencies, in preparation for completing the legal procedures regarding them.
9- Supervising the rehabilitation of existing urban neighborhoods - including historical neighborhoods - improving them, addressing and developing informal settlements, and enhancing them urbanistically, socially, economically, security-wise, and environmentally, and taking necessary actions to ensure the implementation of this.
10- Preparing building regulations and land use that contribute to the implementation of development and growth plans, and approving them.
11- Reviewing land subdivision plans and approving them.
12- Establishing 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 agencies in development and growth.
13- Coordinating and organizing efforts among the relevant agencies in development and growth, according to the approved studies and plans.
14- Establishing programs, foundations, procedures, and motivating means for private sector participation in achieving development goals and implementing projects and services, and supervising them.
The Authority, in order to achieve its tasks and competencies, may seek assistance from necessary governmental agencies and others, including consulting firms and specialized personnel, both within and outside the Kingdom.

The authority shall have a Board of Directors, whose Chairman and members are appointed by a decree from the Prime Minister. The term of membership in the Board shall be three (3) years, renewable once.

1- The meetings of the Council are held at the headquarters of the Authority, chaired by the President of the Council or a member designated by him. The President of the Council may, by decision, hold them in another location.
2- The Council holds its meetings periodically four times a year, and the President of the Council may call for a meeting whenever necessary. The invitation to the meeting is sent by the Chief Executive Officer - in writing - with the approval of the President of the Council, at least seven days prior to the meeting date, and the invitation must include the agenda. A meeting of the Council is not considered valid unless attended by at least the majority of its members, including the President of the Council or a member designated by him, and decisions are made with the approval of the majority of the attending members; in the event of a tie, the side that the meeting's President voted with prevails.
3- The Council may invite any officials or experts it deems appropriate to attend its meetings to provide any information and clarifications they have, without having the right to vote.
4- The Authority shall notify the relevant agencies of the Council's decisions after being signed by the President of the Council and the attending members, taking into account the completion of the legal procedures for decisions that require it.
5- The Council may issue its decisions by circulation, in accordance with a regulation issued by the Council to organize its work.

The Authority shall have a Chief Executive Officer appointed and dismissed by a Decision of the Council, which specifies his salary and other financial and job benefits. He shall be the executive responsible for managing the Authority's affairs, and his responsibilities shall be confined to the arrangements and the two regulations. He shall specifically exercise the following powers and responsibilities:
1- Supervising the Authority's staff in accordance with the powers granted to him and as defined by the two regulations.
2- Overseeing the Authority's technical, administrative, and financial operations in accordance with the two regulations and based on the approved policies in accordance with the arrangements.
3- Following up on the implementation of the Decisions issued by the Council.
4- Representing the Authority before the Judiciary, government agencies, and institutions within the Kingdom, and relevant bodies outside the Kingdom, with the authority to delegate others in this regard.
5- Preparing the Authority's draft budget, final accounts, auditor's report, and annual report, and submitting them to the Council for approval.
6- Preparing reports related to the implementation of the Authority's plans, programs, and studies, and presenting them to the Council.
7- Supervising the preparation for Council meetings, preparing its agenda, and presenting it to the Council for approval.
8- Appointing the Authority's staff in accordance with the two regulations.
9- Contracting with local and international experts and consultants.
10- Any other task assigned to him by the Council or its Chairman.
The Chief Executive Officer may delegate some of his powers to other staff members of the Authority.

The resources of the authority consist of the following:
1- The financial allocations designated for it in the public Budget of the state.
2- Donations, grants, gifts, and bequests.
3- Revenues from its endowments in accordance with the rules established by the Council.
4- Income obtained from its investment returns.
5- Any other resource approved by the Council, provided it does not violate the regulations and instructions.

1- The revenues of the Authority shall be deposited in the current account of the Ministry of Finance at the Saudi Central Bank.
2- The Authority 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 withdrawals shall be made within the limits of the approved budget of the Authority and in accordance with the budget of the Authority and the financial regulation.

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