Non-Profit Sector in Saudi Arabia Witnesses Rapid Growth in Early 2024

Non-Profit Sector in Saudi Arabia Witnesses Rapid Growth in Early 2024
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Non-Profit Sector in Saudi Arabia Witnesses Rapid Growth in Early 2024

Non-Profit Sector in Saudi Arabia Witnesses Rapid Growth in Early 2024

The National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector in Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday the latest developments in the growth of the non-profit sector for February 2024.

The sector witnessed the registration of 56 private associations, eight private institutions, and 21 family funds in various priority development areas and several regions across the Kingdom.

The total number of registered non-profit entities in the Kingdom is now 4,656. The number of volunteers in 2024 has also reached over 113,000 in various fields, with over 4 million volunteer hours and 43,000 volunteer opportunities.

The center highlighted the continuous growth of the non-profit sector in terms of the number of non-profit entities, the number of volunteers, and the increase in the number of technical supervisory units in government agencies.

The center pointed to the progress achieved through the collaboration of all entities in the non-profit sector system and the development observed in the governance of non-profit entities, which achieved advanced levels of governance in 2023. This confirms the commitment of the sector's entities to comply with the targeted development roles.

As part of its supervisory and regulatory role, the center has issued decisions against several non-profit entities and individuals since the beginning of 2024. They included 11 warnings to civil associations, two decisions to dismiss the board of directors of a civil association, two decisions to reform the interim board of directors, the dissolution of two civil associations, and the start of their liquidation, and the referral of four civil associations to the Public Prosecution.

The center emphasizes the importance of non-profit entities' commitment to the rules and regulations, guidelines, and procedures governing the non-profit sector. It invites all non-profit entities to communicate through customer care channels via the unified call center 19918, its website, and its social media accounts.

The center stresses the need for integration between it and non-profit entities to contribute to the development of the non-profit sector and maximize the social and economic impact of the sector to achieve the desired national goals.

The National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector aims to organize and activate the role of non-profit sector entities, expand them in development areas, and work on integrating government efforts in providing licensing services to these entities, financial and administrative supervision of the sector, and increasing coordination and support.



China Mulls Draft Law to Promote Private Sector Development

A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
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China Mulls Draft Law to Promote Private Sector Development

A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)

Chinese lawmakers are deliberating a draft of the country's first basic law specifically focused on the development of the private sector, the country’s Xinhua news agency reported.

“The law will be conducive to creating a law-based environment that is favorable to the growth of all economic sectors, including the private sector,” said Justice Minister He Rong, while explaining the draft on Saturday during the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the national legislature.

The draft private sector promotion law covers areas such as fair competition, investment and financing environments, scientific and technological innovation, regulatory guidance, service support, rights and interests protection and legal liabilities.

The draft has incorporated suggestions solicited from representatives of the private sector, experts, scholars and the general public, the minister said.

China left its benchmark lending rates unchanged as expected at the monthly fixing on Friday.

Persistent deflationary pressure and tepid credit demand call for more stimulus to aid the broad economy, but narrowing interest margin on the back of fast falling yields and a weakening yuan limit the scope for immediate monetary easing.

The one-year loan prime rate (LPR) was kept at 3.10%, while the five-year LPR was unchanged at 3.60%.

In a Reuters poll of 27 market participants conducted this week, all respondents expected both rates to stay unchanged.

Morgan Stanley said in a note that the 2025 budget deficit and mix are more positive than expected and suggest Beijing is willing to set a high growth target and record fiscal budget to boost market confidence, but further policy details are unlikely before March.

Last Friday, data released by the country's central bank said total assets of China's financial institutions had risen to 489.15 trillion yuan (about $68.03 trillion) by the end of third quarter this year.

The figure represented a year-on-year increase of 8%, said the People's Bank of China.

Of the total, the assets of the banking sector reached 439.52 trillion yuan, up 7.3% year on year, while the assets of securities institutions rose 8.7% year on year to 14.64 trillion yuan.

The insurance sector's assets jumped 18.3% year on year to 35 trillion yuan, the data showed.

The liabilities of the financial institutions totaled 446.51 trillion yuan, up 8% year on year, according to the central bank.

Separately, data released by the National Energy Administration on Thursday showed that China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, rose by 7.1% year on year in the first 11months of the year.

During the period, power consumption of the country's primary industries increased by 6.8% year on year, while that of its secondary and tertiary sectors rose by 5.3% and 10.4%, respectively.

Residential power usage saw strong growth of 11.6% during this period, the administration said.

In November alone, power usage climbed 2.8% from one year earlier, according to the data.