Ali bin Nasser Al-Ghafis

Ali bin Nasser Al-Ghafis, minister of labor and social development, said Saudization is one of the most important issues affecting the labor market because it is directly linked to economic growth and sustainable national development.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 9th Social Dialogue Forum, which brought together government representatives, workers and employers, Al-Ghafis said: “The Saudization we seek is a productive one, seeking to increase employment opportunities for male and female citizens in the private sector, boost their capacity and efficiency, and re-qualify them, if needed, in order to enable them to work and the country to rely on them as the most important pillars of construction and development. At the same time, this will help the country reduce dependence on foreign labor.”

Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Muammar, secretary general of the King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue (KACND), said the forum contributes directly to the dissemination of a culture of dialogue among all segments of society.

He said that “bringing the three components of the production sector under the umbrella of the KACND helps achieve a homogeneous vision, diagnose market challenges and eventually achieve a sustainable and productive Saudization.”

Forum participants also discussed the mechanism for selecting priority sectors for Saudization and the role of the public-private sectors partnerships in encouraging and supporting Saudis entering the labor market.

Forum participants also discussed the challenges that may face the Saudization process, proposed solutions, the expected economic and social impact of the program and procedures to be taken to achieve Saudization.

Employers’ representative Mansour Al-Shatri said, “The ministry was keen to hold continuous communication with the business sector to overcome all the obstacles to Saudization, and that it is performing continuous inspections to help maintain the success of the experiment.”

Workers’ representative Nidal Radwan said the dialogue among the parties involved in production is not a luxury, but an urgent requirement for the society, economic growth, and stability.