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Saudi Women in 2024: Lower Unemployment, Higher Economic Participation

Female unemployment saw a sharp decline, falling to 11.9 percent in Q4 2024 (SPA)
Female unemployment saw a sharp decline, falling to 11.9 percent in Q4 2024 (SPA)
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Saudi Women in 2024: Lower Unemployment, Higher Economic Participation

Female unemployment saw a sharp decline, falling to 11.9 percent in Q4 2024 (SPA)
Female unemployment saw a sharp decline, falling to 11.9 percent in Q4 2024 (SPA)

Saudi Arabia is witnessing a historic transformation in women’s empowerment, with their growing participation across sectors becoming a cornerstone of Vision 2030. The year 2024 reflects this continuing trajectory, as Saudi women emerge as active partners in decision-making and agents of change.

According to the latest figures released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the number of Saudi females surpassed 9.8 million in 2024. The employment-to-population ratio for women rose to 31.8 percent, while female labor force participation reached 36 percent.

At the same time, female unemployment saw a sharp decline, falling to 11.9 percent in Q4 2024, compared with 13.9 percent in the same quarter of 2023 and 15.7 percent in 2022.

Saudi women also achieved notable milestones in education, innovation, and sports. More than 35 percent of Saudi women aged 25 and above hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, 22 women were granted patents in 2024, and athletes won 1,956 local and international sports awards.

The “Saudi Women Report 2024,” issued by GASTAT, highlights a wide range of statistical indicators covering women aged 15 and above, spanning education, health, employment, culture, and leisure.

The report draws on survey data, administrative records, and population estimates to provide a comprehensive overview of women’s status across social, economic, and cultural dimensions.

Employment figures reveal expanding opportunities. Around 997,000 Saudi women work in the private sector, 506,000 in government, and 157,600 in the broader public sector.

On average, Saudi women work 39 hours per week. Monthly wages vary by age group: SAR4,832 for women aged 15-24, SAR8,328 for those aged 25-54, and SAR10,739 for women 55 and older.

The report emphasizes how falling unemployment has coincided with rising economic participation, reflecting the success of policies aimed at empowering women in the workforce.

By tracking sectoral distribution, wage levels, and working hours, the report provides essential data for policymakers and decision-makers to shape gender equality and diversity strategies, while also enabling international and domestic comparisons.

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EU-US Trade Deal to Take Effect Before Trump Deadline

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs the EU Commission's weekly College meeting in Brussels, Belgium, 24 June 2026. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs the EU Commission's weekly College meeting in Brussels, Belgium, 24 June 2026. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS
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EU-US Trade Deal to Take Effect Before Trump Deadline

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs the EU Commission's weekly College meeting in Brussels, Belgium, 24 June 2026. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs the EU Commission's weekly College meeting in Brussels, Belgium, 24 June 2026. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS

EU states gave their final approval Thursday to a year-old tariff deal with the United States, allowing it to enter into force ahead of a July 4 deadline set by President Donald Trump.

Struck between Trump and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen in July 2025, the deal sets levies of 15 percent on most of EU exports to the United States, and zero tariffs for US industrial goods coming into the 27-nation bloc.

But the EU had yet to fulfil its side of the accord -- after Trump's threats to Greenland and a US Supreme Court decision striking down many of his tariffs fueled months of delay.

The sign-off by member states -- who had already agreed the deal in substance -- clears the final legislative hurdle on the EU side, following parliament's approval earlier this month.

The deal's approval "confirms the EU's commitment to a stable, predictable and mutually beneficial transatlantic trade relationship, while preserving the necessary guardrails to protect European economic interests," AFP quoted an EU statement as saying.

Lawmakers added a series of safeguards, including giving the European Commission power to suspend the pact if the US side fails to meet its commitments or acts to disrupt trade and investment.

Parliament also introduced an expiration date of end-2029, unless the agreement is renewed by then.

"Openness must go hand in hand with safeguarding our interests," said Michael Damianos, the commerce minister for Cyprus which holds the EU's rotating presidency.

"These measures achieve both, supporting stable and predictable trade flows with the US while ensuring the EU can respond swiftly and proportionately when the deal is not respected or its interests are at stake," he said.

The two texts enacting the EU side of the accord -- removing duties on US industrial goods and introducing preferential access for certain seafood and farm products -- will formally take effect a day after publication in the EU's official journal.

Business

Hormuz Disruptions Drive Saudi Re-Exports to Historic High

King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia (SPA)
King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia (SPA)
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Hormuz Disruptions Drive Saudi Re-Exports to Historic High

King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia (SPA)
King Fahd Industrial Port in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia (SPA)

Preliminary data released by the General Authority for Statistics on Thursday revealed a remarkable positive shift in Saudi Arabia's international merchandise trade during April 2026.

The merchandise trade surplus doubled by 100.8 percent compared to the same month last year, reaching 25.4 billion riyals (approximately $6.77 billion), driven by an increase in total merchandise exports and a decrease in spending on imports.

According to the official bulletin, total merchandise exports grew by 9.3 percent to reach 101 billion riyals (approximately $26.93 billion), compared to 93 billion riyals in April 2025.

This growth was primarily driven by an 11.7 percent rise in oil exports, reaching a value of 69.6 billion riyals (approximately $18.56 billion), compared to about 62.7 billion riyals (approximately $16.72 billion) in the previous year, alongside a 4.5 percent growth in non-oil exports (including re-exports), reaching 31.4 billion riyals (approximately $8.37 billion). Among these, the "re-exports" item alone saw a historic jump of 20.4 percent, reaching 15.5 billion riyals (approximately $4.13 billion).

Conversely, a 5.2 percent decline in total merchandise imports, decreasing from 80 billion riyals (approximately $21.33 billion) to 76 billion riyals (approximately $20.26 billion), contributed to the Kingdom's trade balance gains; the merchandise trade surplus doubled by 100.8 percent, rising from approximately 13 billion riyals (approximately $3.47 billion) in April 2025 to expand to 25.4 billion riyals (approximately $6.77 billion) in April 2026.

Logistical Resilience

The re-export movement in the Kingdom recorded unprecedented historic performance; the value of re-exported goods jumped by 20.4 percent to reach a record level of 15.5 billion riyals (approximately $4.13 billion), which is the highest monthly level recorded by statistical data since 2017.

This strong performance was bolstered by a 74.0 percent increase in exports from the "machinery, electrical appliances, and equipment and their parts" sector, which alone accounted for 53.5 percent of total re-exported goods.

This intensive logistical activity occurred as the Kingdom benefited from diverting part of the regional shipping traffic to avoid navigation disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which accompanied the Iranian war.

Saudi Arabia enhanced the role of its ports as alternative routes by diverting shipping to Red Sea ports (Jeddah and Yanbu), while raising the readiness of eastern and western ports and activating the "East-West" pipeline to ensure the continuous flow of oil and goods. These efforts culminated in a rise in the ratio of non-oil exports (including re-exports) to imports, reaching 41.6 percent compared to 37.8 percent in April 2025.

Goods Structure and Trade Partners

Regarding non-oil trade details, "machinery, electrical appliances, and equipment" topped the list of non-oil exports with a share of 28.1 percent, followed by "plastics, rubber, and their products" at 17.1 percent. As for imports, the same group (machinery and electrical equipment) led the imported goods with a share of 33.3 percent, followed by transport equipment and parts at 10.2 percent.

In terms of international partners, China maintained its position as the Kingdom's main trading partner, accounting for 15.2 percent of total Saudi merchandise exports, followed by the UAE at 10.6 percent, and then South Korea at 9.7 percent. China also ranked first in the Kingdom's import list with 29.4 percent, followed by the UAE at 7.9 percent, and the United States of America third at 7.2 percent.

Jeddah Islamic Port played a pivotal role during this period, topping customs ports as the most important gateway through which 33.7 percent of imported goods passed, and also ranking first as the most important port for the Kingdom's non-oil exports with 23.3 percent.

Business

SIRC: Waste Management to Add $32 Billion to Saudi Economy by 2040

SIRC headquarters in Saudi Arabia (company website)
SIRC headquarters in Saudi Arabia (company website)
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SIRC: Waste Management to Add $32 Billion to Saudi Economy by 2040

SIRC headquarters in Saudi Arabia (company website)
SIRC headquarters in Saudi Arabia (company website)

Saudi Arabia’s waste-management sector is set to evolve from a routine environmental service into an independent industrial and economic engine, potentially adding more than SAR120 billion ($32 billion) to the Kingdom’s GDP by 2040, according to Alwaleed Alzahrani, Business Development Manager at the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC).

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of Riyadh International Industry Week 2026, Alzahrani projected the sector will create more than 77,000 quality jobs and cut carbon emissions by 73 million tons annually.

Waste in Saudi Arabia, he noted, is no longer merely an environmental challenge linked to urban expansion but an emerging economic and industrial pillar that recycles resources and transforms waste into productive inputs, reducing reliance on oil.

SIRC, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund and established in 2017, is the main driver of Saudi Arabia’s waste-management sector. It serves as a platform to empower the private sector and develop the infrastructure needed to meet Vision 2030 sustainability and economic diversification goals.

Alzahrani described the shift as a fundamental move from the traditional service-based model of waste treatment to a standalone industrial sector built on circular-economy principles.

SIRC functions as a national arm and strategic investor, working with government entities and the private sector to build an integrated system for sorting, treating, recycling, and converting waste into value-added industrial resources.

The sector aims to divert 90 percent of waste away from landfills by 2040 while helping save more than 60 million barrels of crude oil through waste-to-energy and alternative fuel production.

The strategy, he added, goes beyond addressing a growing environmental challenge by creating a new industrial sector capable of generating added value, strengthening local content, and positioning Saudi Arabia among the world’s leading circular economies.

Investment opportunities extend beyond recycling plants to the entire value chain, including collection, sorting, digital solutions, logistics, and the development of stable markets for recycled materials.

These opportunities span municipal waste, construction and demolition debris, plastics, metals, and electronic and industrial waste.

According to Alzahrani, SIRC’s central role is to transform these opportunities into commercially viable projects by “reducing investment ambiguity,” providing accurate market data, ensuring stable supplies and economic feasibility, and creating a regulatory environment attractive to domestic and international investors.

On the broader economic impact, he explained that returning recovered materials to the production cycle keeps value within the national economy for longer. It also gives local manufacturers greater resilience against global market volatility and raw-material price swings by enabling them to rely on high-quality recycled domestic resources available in stable commercial quantities, while reducing environmental impacts and carbon emissions.

Official data from the General Authority for Statistics show total recorded waste in Saudi Arabia rose to 135.1 million tons in 2024, up from 111.4 million tons in 2023. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing generated the largest share at 46.9 million tons, followed by construction (32.2 million tons), households (20.5 million tons), and industry (26.7 million tons), with manufacturing accounting for 68.6 percent of industrial waste.

By material type, organic waste represented the largest share at 45.7 percent (about 61.7 million tons), followed by construction materials (22.8 percent) and plastics (5.8 percent).