Saudi Arabia Joins WEF Jobs Consortium

General view of Riyadh city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 7, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
General view of Riyadh city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 7, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
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Saudi Arabia Joins WEF Jobs Consortium

General view of Riyadh city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 7, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
General view of Riyadh city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 7, 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri

Saudi Arabia has joined the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Jobs Consortium, it was announced at the organization’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Davos.

The Jobs Consortium is a coalition of CEOs, ministers, and other leaders with a common aim to promote a better future of work for all by enabling job creation and job transitions, the Saudi Press Agency said.

The community of leaders works to boost foresight on labor market trends, support high job quality and fair wages, and identify investments in key sectors leading to good job creation, SPA added.

The Kingdom’s membership in the Jobs Consortium aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 and its commitment to building a thriving, vibrant economy that creates new sectors, hundreds of thousands of new jobs, and cross-cutting innovation.

"People are the key driver of any successful transformation and the sustainability of its outcome. Everything we do is focused on empowering our people by equipping them with the evolving set of tools and skills, and creating the opportunities for them to capture, grow, and flourish," said Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim.

Members of the Jobs Consortium met in Davos at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting this week to exchange views and agree on priority areas for action to build a better future of work, SPA said.

In the coming months, members will develop case studies to showcase pathways to achieve the consortium’s vision. They will also seek to implement the vision through scaling country and industry-level action, it added.



Lockheed Martin Completes First Saudi Produced THAAD Components

A recent meeting at Arabian International Co. for Steel Structures (AIC) in Jeddah to announce the First Saudi Produced THAAD Components 
A recent meeting at Arabian International Co. for Steel Structures (AIC) in Jeddah to announce the First Saudi Produced THAAD Components 
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Lockheed Martin Completes First Saudi Produced THAAD Components

A recent meeting at Arabian International Co. for Steel Structures (AIC) in Jeddah to announce the First Saudi Produced THAAD Components 
A recent meeting at Arabian International Co. for Steel Structures (AIC) in Jeddah to announce the First Saudi Produced THAAD Components 

The US Lockheed Martin company announced on Sunday that Saudi Arabia has completed the first domestically manufactured components for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system launcher in Jeddah, marking a significant step forward in the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to localize its defense industry.

The THAAD deal was a core part of the weapons sale offering presented by US President Donald Trump during his May 20 visit to Saudi Arabia in 2017.

The announcement was made during a recent meeting at Arabian International Co. for Steel Structures (AIC) in Jeddah, attended by Tim Cahill, president of missiles and fire control at Lockheed Martin, General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) Assistant Deputy Nawaf Albawardi, and Wasim Attieh, president of AIC.

The milestone reflects a growing collaboration between AIC and Lockheed Martin, aimed at advancing Saudi Arabia’s defense manufacturing capabilities. The locally produced components were developed through precision welding and advanced manufacturing techniques, reinforcing both the Kingdom’s defense industrial base and the US supply chain by establishing a second source of production.

“This is a tremendous milestone for the United States of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as our nations work to fulfill the Kingdom’s THAAD procurement,” said Tim Cahill. “Through this program, we're not only supporting Saudi Vision 2030 and enhancing regional defense capacity, but we’re also generating high-quality manufacturing jobs in the United States and strengthening the American defense industrial base.”

AIC Steel President Wasim Attieh praised the collaboration, saying, “Lockheed Martin has been an excellent partner in providing the tools and training necessary to prepare and ultimately advance the localized production of such a major component of the THAAD Weapon System.”

He added, “I look forward to working together to ensure a more secure future for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

THAAD is a combat-proven missile defense system designed to intercept short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles both inside and outside the earth’s atmosphere. Its operational readiness, flight test success, and proven performance continue to draw international interest.