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Saudi Ministry of Labor Aims for 3 Mn Job Opportunities

10th Social Dialogue Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
10th Social Dialogue Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Ministry of Labor Aims for 3 Mn Job Opportunities

10th Social Dialogue Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
10th Social Dialogue Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Around 3 million new jobs could be created in the future, the Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development has estimated.

Minister of Labor and Social Development Ahmed al-Rajhi admitted that some may consider the figure  exaggerated or unrealistic, but through the experiences of some countries, many of the traditional jobs and patterns have disappeared and were replaced by professions linked to future labor.

He stressed that the future of self-employment is going through many stages and developments, and is closely linked to the technological revolution, which requires the rehabilitation of many of the current workforce.

Speaking at the 10th Social Dialogue Forum organized by the Ministry of Labor, Rajhi announced that the goal is to increase the efficiency of the labor market and investment in human capabilities.

He explained that this can be achieved among others through talent management and development, and ways to create human resources. He pointed out that companies need to proactively rebuild their workforce and consider skills and manpower an investment.

Asked about the technological revolution and artificial intelligence, Rajhi pointed out that automating jobs does not necessarily mean high unemployment rate.

He explained that if companies or institutions prepared their employees for the change through rehabilitation programs, automation and investment can boost GDP growth.

This, the Minister, believes would increase productivity of both workers and companies that employ them.

Rajhi added that through this forum, the ministry aims to discuss labor issues and develop its mechanisms.

Labor Policy Deputy at the Ministry of Labor Ahmed al-Zahrani told Asharq Al-Awsat that the most important challenges of future jobs are that their descriptions are still unclear.

Zahrani explained that the ministry worked through “labor and social development” system to establish an entity named “Future Company” to consider this issue in terms of definitions, data, policies, and legislation, as well as the incentive programs of the private sector and its labor force.

The Forum, which ran under the slogan “The future of labor in the Kingdom,” discussed talent management and development, as well as rights and responsibilities of employees and employers.

It is one of the Saudi national initiatives aimed at providing the main mechanisms needed to form a successful labor market and achieve social development by increasing community participation. 

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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has made history by uniting the 193 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to adopt the Riyadh Treaty on Design Law. This landmark achievement, realized after two decades of deliberation, underscores the Kingdom’s leadership in enhancing the global intellectual property system.

The announcement came at the conclusion of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty, a rare event for WIPO, which has not held a diplomatic conference outside Geneva for more than a decade. It was also the first such event hosted in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, representing the final stage of negotiations to establish an agreement aimed at simplifying and standardizing design protection procedures across member states.

Over the past two weeks, intensive discussions and negotiations among member states culminated in the adoption of the Riyadh Treaty, which commits signatory nations to a unified set of requirements for registering designs, ensuring consistent and streamlined procedures worldwide. The agreement is expected to have a significant positive impact on designers, enabling them to protect their creations more effectively and uniformly across international markets.

At a press conference held on Friday to mark the event’s conclusion, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem highlighted the economic potential of the new protocol.

Responding to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Suwailem noted the substantial contributions of young Saudi men and women in creative design. He explained that the agreement will enable their designs to be formally protected, allowing them to enter markets as valuable, tradable assets.

He also emphasized the symbolic importance of naming the convention the Riyadh Treaty, stating that it reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a bridge between cultures and a global center for innovative initiatives.

The treaty lays critical legal foundations to support designers and drive innovation worldwide, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of promoting international collaboration in the creative industries and underscoring its leadership in building a sustainable future for innovators.

The agreement also advances global efforts to enhance creativity, protect intellectual property, and stimulate innovation on a broader scale.

This achievement further strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for groundbreaking initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to nurturing creativity, safeguarding designers’ rights, and driving the development of creative industries on an international scale.

The Riyadh Diplomatic Conference, held from November 11 to 22, was hosted by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and attracted high-ranking officials and decision-makers from WIPO member states.