Agreement Signed to Advance Saudi Contracting Sector

The agreement is signed between the Federation of Saudi Chambers and Saudi Contractors Authority in Riyadh on Monday, June 27, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The agreement is signed between the Federation of Saudi Chambers and Saudi Contractors Authority in Riyadh on Monday, June 27, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Agreement Signed to Advance Saudi Contracting Sector

The agreement is signed between the Federation of Saudi Chambers and Saudi Contractors Authority in Riyadh on Monday, June 27, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The agreement is signed between the Federation of Saudi Chambers and Saudi Contractors Authority in Riyadh on Monday, June 27, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

President of the Saudi Contractors Authority (SCA) Zakaria al-Abdul Qader revealed that the number of workers in the contracting sector has reached three million in various professions.

He revealed that 165,000 companies operate in the contracting sector in the Kingdom, ranging from small, to medium, and large enterprises.

He said many jobs have been localized and work is underway with legislatures to localize more.

He made his remarks during an event organized by the Federation of Saudi Chambers to discuss prospects for cooperation and the Authority's initiatives and services to organize and develop the contracting sector.

During the event, the Federation of Saudi Chambers and SCA signed an agreement to expand the scope of cooperation between them, lay the foundations and standards for organizing and developing the sector, and activate relevant regulations and decisions.

The agreement will allow national facilities to undertake building and construction projects, improving their working conditions, providing technical advice to companies, identifying challenges and obstacles, providing proposals and solutions, and enhancing the participation of sector facilities in construction programs in accordance with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Secretary-General of the Federation Hussein al-Abdul Qader and Secretary-General of the SCA Eng. Thabet bin Mubarak al-Suwaid signed the agreement.

Meanwhile, head of the National Committee for Contractors in the Federation of Saudi Chambers Hamad al-Hammad said the value of projects in the contracting sector during the past five years amounted to SAR20 trillion ($1.3 trillion).

This reflects the importance of the sector, its vitality and its developmental role, he stressed, adding that the contracting sector is yet to recover fully from the repercussion of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, he stressed that the sector is gradually improving and the localization of Saudis in this sector is constantly growing.

Hammad further noted that many initiatives have been launched to increase the number of Saudi workers.



Berlin Eyes Partnership with Riyadh in Expo 2030, Climate Cooperation, Hydrogen Initiatives

Saudi and German flags fluttering - File Photo/Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi and German flags fluttering - File Photo/Asharq Al-Awsat
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Berlin Eyes Partnership with Riyadh in Expo 2030, Climate Cooperation, Hydrogen Initiatives

Saudi and German flags fluttering - File Photo/Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi and German flags fluttering - File Photo/Asharq Al-Awsat

A senior German official affirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Saudi Arabia across various fields, noting that bilateral trade relations continue to grow steadily, with trade volume reaching around 7 billion Euros.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Kindsgrab said: “The sectors driving this growth—chemicals, machinery, and transport—reflect the strong industrial connections we share. These are areas where German expertise is making a real difference in Saudi Arabia’s development.”

He added: “Looking ahead, there is much to be excited about. Expo 2030 is an incredible opportunity for us to further deepen our collaboration, showcase the best of what both Saudi Arabia and Germany have to offer, and inspire future generations to continue building on this remarkable partnership.”

German Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Michael Kindsgrab - Asharq Al-Awsat

Renewable Energy

On climate cooperation, the official said: “As for climate cooperation, we have just launched a relevant study on the Saudi labor market in the renewable energy sector, which was reviewed by the National Labor Observatory and discussed with experts of KAPSARC, KaCare and PSU. This is a great example of our close and meaningful partnership, tackling the challenges of today with an eye on the future.”

Blossoming Relations

Kindsgrab noted that Saudi-German relations are truly blossoming, saying: "I am proud to see our partnership becoming deeper and stronger across so many areas. From a personal perspective, it is inspiring to witness the growing bonds between our two countries. These ties span a wide range of sectors, including energy, transport, architecture, health, education and culture—creating a solid foundation for the future.”

“One of the most exciting aspects of our cooperation is in the area of energy transition. German innovation is at the heart of NEOM’s green hydrogen projects, with Thyssenkrupp Nucera playing a key technological role in making the vision of decarbonization of industry a reality,” he affirmed.

“Beyond energy, we’re also seeing significant progress in transport, where Siemens’ delivery of metro wagons helped to shape the modern infrastructure of Saudi cities. And let’s not forget the impact of German architecture in megaprojects such as King Salman Park or the design of Expo 2030, which I believe will be a landmark event for both our countries, ” added Kindsgrab.

“In the health sector, the collaboration with Charité in Berlin is another example of how our nations are working together to improve lives.”

Accelerated Cultural Cooperation

“And now, I am particularly excited to see the acceleration of cultural cooperation, such as the recently launched museum initiative between the Saudi Museums Commission and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation of Germany,” the German ambassador stressed.

“This cooperation emerged as part of our shared efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties and will play an enriching role for the cultural relations, as it includes a loan program for artworks, joint curatorship and training programs to support talent development,” he concluded.