Saudi Database to Boost Women Participation in Economic Sectors

The Saudi government issued several decisions and legislation to enable women to participate in all economic sectors (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi government issued several decisions and legislation to enable women to participate in all economic sectors (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Database to Boost Women Participation in Economic Sectors

The Saudi government issued several decisions and legislation to enable women to participate in all economic sectors (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi government issued several decisions and legislation to enable women to participate in all economic sectors (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the Council of Saudi Chambers intends to involve businesswomen in various economic sectors, issues, training and qualification programs, initiatives, and investment opportunities.

It will do so by building a database for directing invitations to enable women to enter appropriate projects.

At the Council of Saudi Chambers, a Women Empowerment Coordination Council (WECC) was established in accordance with a Cabinet decision.

The decision stipulated the formation of a women’s committee with experience and competence to coordinate with the relevant authorities to encourage private sector establishments to find activities and fields of work for Saudi women.

Furthermore, the WECC issued a circular asking all Saudi chambers to collect the required data to be able to send invitations to the programs and initiatives offered.

The WECC aims to increase the participation of Saudi women in the national labor market as it seeks to ensure the localization of the female labor force, the provision of new opportunities, and the development of capabilities.

Overall, the council looks to activate the role of Saudi Women in the field of economic development. It also wants to remove obstacles inhibiting their participation in various fields of work.

Saudi Arabia, according to its national strategic objectives, is pursuing the empowerment of Saudi women, as the number of establishments owned by women reached more than 174,000 in 2021.

Among the efforts spent by the Council Saudi Chambers in terms of women empowerment is Saudi women being given representation on the boards of directors of chambers. They have also been given a chance to chair several national committees and business councils and attained membership in those committees and commissions.

The empowerment of Saudi Arabian women is at the heart of the Kingdom's 'Vision 2030' reform program with the stated aim of increasing women participation in the job market from 22 % to 30 %.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development worked to empower women, raising their participation in the labor market by the end of the third quarter of 2022 to 37%, exceeding the country's vision goals of 30%.



Trump Pushes EU to Cut Tariffs or Face Extra Duties

US President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for Paul Atkins as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on 22 April 2025. (EPA)
US President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for Paul Atkins as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on 22 April 2025. (EPA)
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Trump Pushes EU to Cut Tariffs or Face Extra Duties

US President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for Paul Atkins as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on 22 April 2025. (EPA)
US President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for Paul Atkins as Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on 22 April 2025. (EPA)

US President Donald Trump's trade negotiators are pushing the EU to make unilateral tariff reductions on US goods, saying without concessions the bloc will not progress in talks to avoid additional 20% "reciprocal" duties, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is preparing to tell European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic on Friday that a recent "explanatory note" shared by Brussels for the talks falls short of US expectations, the newspaper said citing unnamed sources.

The FT added that the European Union has been pushing for a jointly agreed framework text for the talks but the two sides remain too far apart.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify the report. The European Commission and Office of the United States Trade Representative did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The US imposed 25% tariffs on EU cars, steel and aluminium in March and 20% tariffs on other EU goods in April. It then halved the 20% rate until July 8, setting a 90-day window for talks to reach a more comprehensive tariff deal.

In response, the 27-nation EU suspended its own plans to impose retaliatory tariffs on some US goods and proposed zero duties for all industrial goods on both sides.