The Saudi Arabian government has approved the establishment of a special body intended to speed up construction projects stalled by bureaucracy or a lack of coordination.

The Saudi Association for Contractors is expected to handle matters related to contractors’ business including the issue of permits and visas.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the country’s Trade Minister has been tasked with creating the association’s first board. The news came during a brief announcement made during a weekly cabinet meeting.

Local media added that board members would be named within 60 days of the announcement, and that the association would constitute the official umbrella of the contractors sector in the Kingdom.

It is likely that the board will be made up of business executives, engineers and a representative from the trade ministry.

Saudi Arabia has faced a number of issues around land allocation and regulations around the employment of foreign workers in recent years, which have stalled programmes like its housing scheme for Saudi nationals.