However, the recent award of the High Speed Mecca - Jeddah - Medina project to the Hispanic-Saudi consortium Al Shoula Group,
participated by a series of public and private Spanish companies such as RENFE, ADIF, TALGO, OHL, COPASA, COBRA, CONSULTRANS, IMATHIA, INABENSA and GINOVART, DI- METRONIC and INDRA, in October 2011, amounting to 7,000 million euro.[citation needed]
The contract, signed in Riyadh, in January 2012, involves the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the line and trains
over a period of twelve years. The line will be 450 km long and will serve more than 160,000 pilgrims a day.[5]
Good economic relations between the two countries, in particular the sale of weapons, has generated criticism due to the extremely conservative nature of Saudi Arabia and its involvement in wars in countries of the Arab environment such as Yemeni Civil War.[6]