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Saudi Arabia Aims to Raise Private Sector’s Contribution to Health Industry to 50%

Ministers speak at the Global Health Forum 2023. (SPA)
Ministers speak at the Global Health Forum 2023. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Aims to Raise Private Sector’s Contribution to Health Industry to 50%

Ministers speak at the Global Health Forum 2023. (SPA)
Ministers speak at the Global Health Forum 2023. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia announced that one of the goals of the health sector transformation program was to increase the private sector’s contribution to 50 percent, from the current 11 percent.

Saudi Minister of Health Fahd Al-Jalajel inaugurated on Sunday the “nphies” platform, which aims to facilitate the exchange of beneficiary health information with healthcare providers.

The platform was announced on the sidelines of the Global Health Forum 2023 in Riyadh, with the participation of Minister of Investment Eng. Khaled Al-Falih, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef, and Governor of the Digital Government Authority Eng. Ahmed Alsuwaiyan.

In his opening speech, Al-Jalajel revealed the launch of the Saudi Center for Proton Therapy, the first of its kind in the region, which provides patients with an advanced and promising technology and contributes significantly to promoting medical tourism in Saudi Arabia.

The minister noted that the average coverage of health services in the Kingdom increased from 81 to 94 percent, pointing to the establishment of three specialized companies that help restructure the health sector in the country.

Healthcare is one of the main components of Vision 2030, as Saudi Arabia seeks to develop the pharmaceutical industry in particular and various health services. In June, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) established a new entity to attract pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to invest in the development of pharmaceutical products, including insulin, vaccines and plasma treatments.

Al-Jalajel spoke about increasing the health sector’s contribution to the GDP from SAR 199 billion to SAR 318 billion in 2030, of which the private sector’s share will constitute about SAR 145 billion.

For his part, Al-Falih said 15 percent of the value of government investments was directed to the health sector, expecting increased spending on medical prevention.

During a session entitled, “Investing in Health in the Kingdom”, he stressed that the pharmaceutical industries represented promising opportunities to contribute to the health sector, and to fulfill Saudi Arabia’s aspirations to promote the citizens’ quality of life.

Alkhorayef announced that Sudair City will become a hub for the pharmaceutical industry in the Kingdom, as it now encompasses 40 factories operating in this field. He also revealed two new agreements that will contribute to the localization of the pharmaceutical insulin industry by 80-90 percent.

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COP 16 Launches Monday in Riyadh: Advancing a World Free of Desertification

Riyadh is hosting this Monday the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Riyadh is hosting this Monday the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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COP 16 Launches Monday in Riyadh: Advancing a World Free of Desertification

Riyadh is hosting this Monday the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Riyadh is hosting this Monday the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16). (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Global attention turns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as it hosts the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16) under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The event seeks to address environmental challenges threatening the planet, intensify efforts to combat land degradation, and reduce the impact of drought.
From December 2 to 13, Riyadh will host representatives from 197 countries, signatories to the UNCCD, to collaborate on effective solutions for rehabilitating millions of hectares of degraded land and building resilience against drought. The conference aims to support policymakers while engaging the private sector and civil society in protecting the environment and conserving natural resources.
COP 16 is the largest meeting in the history of the UNCCD and the first to be held in the Middle East. It also represents Saudi Arabia’s largest-ever multilateral conference and coincides with the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD, established alongside the Rio Conventions on climate change and biodiversity in 1992.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted the significance of COP 16 as a potential turning point, renewing global commitment to accelerating investments in land restoration and drought resilience. He described it as the largest UN conference on land to date and a landmark event for the Middle East and North Africa.
Saudi Arabia is a key supporter of global environmental efforts. The Crown Prince’s Saudi Green Initiative aims to rehabilitate 49 billion square meters of land. This initiative has gained regional and international support, with Gulf nations already undertaking reforestation and coastal protection projects.
The Conference Program
The conference features an innovative dual-track approach, combining formal negotiations with an action-oriented agenda, according to the COP 16 presidency. This approach aims to address urgent global crises, including desertification, land degradation, and drought, through practical and implementable decisions.
The action agenda will focus on showcasing voluntary initiatives, innovative solutions, and discussions on key topics such as artificial intelligence, sustainable land management, and the social and economic impacts of land degradation. High-level ministerial sessions will explore critical issues, including drought resilience, financing, and the relationship between land degradation, forced migration, and security.
Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment and advisor to COP 16, emphasized the pivotal role of the conference in tackling global challenges related to land degradation and drought. He noted that Saudi Arabia has introduced the first-ever Green Zone in COP history. This zone aims to engage scientists, businesses, financial institutions, NGOs, and the public in collaborative efforts to drive lasting change.
The COP 16 agenda includes thematic days to focus discussions and accelerate outcomes: December 4: Earth Day, December 5: Food Systems Day, December 6: Governance Day, December 7: Peoples’ Day, December 9: Science, Technology, and Innovation Day, December 10: Capacity Building Day, and December 11: Finance Day.
Saudi Green Initiative Forum
In parallel with COP 16, Riyadh will host the 4th annual Saudi Green Initiative Forum on December 3–4 under the theme “Inspired by Nature”. The forum will gather policymakers, business leaders, and experts from around the world to share best practices, explore innovative solutions, and review progress toward the initiative’s sustainability goals.
Land degradation currently affects approximately 40% of the Earth’s surface, impacting the lives of 3.2 billion people worldwide, according to the UNCCD. Each year, nearly 100 million hectares of land deteriorate, while drought intensity and frequency have risen by one-third since 2000.
Despite the urgent need for action, restoration and resilience efforts remain significantly underfunded. COP 16 aims to prioritize mobilizing public and private financing to accelerate land restoration and enhance global resilience, building a sustainable future for both people and the planet.