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Saudization in Operation and Maintenance Sector Reaches 34%

The Technical, Operational, and Maintenance Agency, headed by the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, tests the reliability of the electrical supply to the Grand Mosque. (SPA)
The Technical, Operational, and Maintenance Agency, headed by the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, tests the reliability of the electrical supply to the Grand Mosque. (SPA)
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Saudization in Operation and Maintenance Sector Reaches 34%

The Technical, Operational, and Maintenance Agency, headed by the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, tests the reliability of the electrical supply to the Grand Mosque. (SPA)
The Technical, Operational, and Maintenance Agency, headed by the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, tests the reliability of the electrical supply to the Grand Mosque. (SPA)

Saudi nationals’ participation in the workforce continues to increase, with Saudization in the operation and maintenance sector reaching 34 percent.

Since its inception from 2019 to 2023, the Labor Localization and Maintenance Contracts service initiative has resulted in the employment of over 160,000 Saudi natives in the sector.

In a recent report, the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources highlighted the operation and maintenance sector as a pivotal and promising domain within the Kingdom, offering diverse employment opportunities.

The initiative aims to create enticing job prospects for national talent across administrative, engineering, supervisory, technical, and craft professions.

It further seeks to implement various support and qualification programs and incentives to enhance the work environment.

The overarching goal is to attract skilled individuals to the sector, fuel its growth, amplify its role in economic development, and align with the objectives outlined in Saudi Vision 2030.

An integral part of the initiative is an effort to elevate Saudization levels, foster job creation, and nurture the potential of Saudi nationals through specialized development and qualification programs.

Simultaneously, the initiative aims to retain existing employees in the sector, providing upskilling opportunities and bolstering efficiency in the operation and maintenance domain.

The localization guide for operation and maintenance contracts has been applied to contracts across government bodies.

Key elements of this guide include job levels and categories, target Saudization percentages, minimum salary benchmarks for each job level, provisions for training and development, job security through employee transfers to subsequent contracts, performance monitoring, penalties for non-compliance, and measures to enhance overall efficiency in the operation and maintenance sector.

Six governmental entities are actively involved in implementing this initiative: the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Ministry of Finance, the Expenditure & Projects Efficiency Authority, the Human Resources Development Fund, the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, and the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority.

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Business

Georgieva from AlUla: Growth Still Lacks Pre-pandemic Levels

Kristalina Georgieva speaking to attendees at the second edition of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Kristalina Georgieva speaking to attendees at the second edition of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Georgieva from AlUla: Growth Still Lacks Pre-pandemic Levels

Kristalina Georgieva speaking to attendees at the second edition of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Kristalina Georgieva speaking to attendees at the second edition of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat)

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Sunday that world growth still lacks pre-pandemic levels, expressing concern as she expected more shocks amid high spending and rising debt levels in many countries.

Georgieva spoke at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Finance and the IMF in AlUla.

The two-day conference brings together a select group of ministers and central bank governors, leaders of international organizations, leading investors and academics to deliberate on policies to global stability, prosperity, and multilateral collaboration.

Georgieva said that the conference was launched last year in recognition of the growing role of emerging market economies in a world of sweeping transformations.

“I came out of this gathering .... With a sense of hope for the pragmatic attitude and determination to pursue good policies and build strong institutions,” she said.

Georgieva stressed that “good policies pay off,” and said that growth rates across emerging economies reached four percent this year, exceeding by a large margin those of advanced economies that are around 1.5 percent.

Business

Saudi Arabia’s flynas, Syrian Civil Aviation Authority Partner to Launch 'flynas Syria'

The new airline will operate commercial air transport services in accordance with approved regulations and standards (flynas)
The new airline will operate commercial air transport services in accordance with approved regulations and standards (flynas)
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Saudi Arabia’s flynas, Syrian Civil Aviation Authority Partner to Launch 'flynas Syria'

The new airline will operate commercial air transport services in accordance with approved regulations and standards (flynas)
The new airline will operate commercial air transport services in accordance with approved regulations and standards (flynas)

Saudi budget carrier flynas has signed an agreement with the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport to establish a new commercial airline under the name "flynas Syria," with operations scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Saturday’s agreement comes within the framework of bilateral cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Syria, as well as the strategic investment agreements between the two countries, coordinated with the Saudi Ministry of Investment and the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport.

The new airline will operate commercial air transport services in accordance with approved regulations and standards, meeting the highest safety and aviation security requirements. All licensing and operational procedures will be completed in coordination with the relevant authorities.

The carrier will be established as a joint venture, with 51% ownership held by the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport and 49% by flynas.

The new airline will operate flights to several destinations across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. This expansion aims to bolster air traffic to and from Syria, enhance regional and international connectivity, and meet growing demand for air travel.

"This step is part of our commitment to supporting high-quality cross-border investments. The aviation sector is a key enabler of economic development, and the establishment of 'flynas Syria' serves as a model for constructive investment cooperation,” said Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih.

“This partnership enhances economic integration and market connectivity and supports development goals by advancing air transport infrastructure, ultimately serving the mutual interests of both nations and promoting regional economic stability,” he added.

President of the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport Omar Hosari also stated that the establishment of flynas Syria represents a strategic step within a comprehensive national vision aimed at rebuilding and developing Syria's civil aviation sector on modern economic and regulatory foundations.

“This will be achieved while balancing safety requirements, operational sustainability, investment stimulation, and passenger services. The partnership reflects the state's orientation toward smart cooperation models with trusted regional partners, ensuring the transfer of expertise, the development of national capabilities, and the enhancement of Syria's air connectivity with regional and international destinations, in line with global best practices in the air transport industry."

flynas Chairman Ayed Al-Jeaid stated that the company continues to pursue strategies aimed at growth and international expansion, describing the agreement as a historic milestone in the company's journey and a promising investment model in partnership with Syria.

flynas CEO Bander Al-mohanna said the step represents a qualitative leap in the company's strategy and financial performance, highlighting the transfer of the company's low-cost aviation experience to the Syrian market to support regional and international air connectivity.

flynas currently operates 23 weekly flights from Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam to Damascus, including two daily direct flights from Riyadh, one daily flight from Jeddah, and two weekly flights from Dammam.

The airline made history on June 5, 2025, by adding the Syrian capital to its network, becoming the first Saudi carrier to resume scheduled flights to Damascus.

Business

Egypt to Establish Middle East’s 1st Sodium Cyanide Plant for Gold Extraction

CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) Mohamed el-Gawsaky, received a delegation from DrasChem Specialty Chemicals (Egyptian Cabinet)
CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) Mohamed el-Gawsaky, received a delegation from DrasChem Specialty Chemicals (Egyptian Cabinet)
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Egypt to Establish Middle East’s 1st Sodium Cyanide Plant for Gold Extraction

CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) Mohamed el-Gawsaky, received a delegation from DrasChem Specialty Chemicals (Egyptian Cabinet)
CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) Mohamed el-Gawsaky, received a delegation from DrasChem Specialty Chemicals (Egyptian Cabinet)

The Egyptian government has announced the establishment of the first sodium cyanide production plant in the Middle East in Alexandria Governorate on the Mediterranean coast, with an annual production capacity of 50,000 tons and investments of $200 million in the first phase.

In a statement, the cabinet said on Saturday that CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) Mohamed el-Gawsaky met with a delegation from DrasChem Specialty Chemicals, a Private Free Zone company, to discuss the steps required to establish the company’s sodium cyanide production facility at the Sidi Kerir Petrochemicals Complex in Alexandria.

The DrasChem project plans to begin production in 2028 following the completion of the facility’s first phase, with initial investments estimated at $200 million. This phase targets the production and export of 50,000 tons of sodium cyanide annually, a key input in gold extraction.

The second phase will focus on either doubling production capacity or manufacturing additional sodium cyanide derivatives, while a third phase will target the production of sodium-ion battery components.

El-Gawsaky said the project aligns with the country’s developmental priorities, particularly those related to increasing exports, transferring and localizing advanced technology, deepening local manufacturing and creating sustainable job opportunities.

The CEO also noted that the plant would benefit from the results of Egypt's economic reform program, which has caused significant improvements in investment, trade, and logistics indicators.

El-Gawsaky urged Egyptian companies, including DrasChem, to adopt integrated, export-oriented industrial strategies, with a particular focus on African markets.

He said the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade aims to increase exports by $4 billion. The focus will be on sectors with high competitive advantages, particularly the chemicals sector.

He also highlighted that DrasChem’s sodium cyanide products are of strategic importance to gold mines in Africa, which account for about a quarter of global gold production.

Bassem El-Shemmy, Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at Austria-based Petrochemical Holding GmbH, the largest shareholder in DrasChem, said project partner Draslovka of the Czech Republic will, for the first time, transfer its proprietary technology - developed at its facilities in the US - to Africa and the Middle East.

This move, he said, will help position Egypt as a regional hub for gold extraction technologies and sodium-ion battery manufacturing, a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

For his part, Andrey Yurkevich, Deputy Managing Director for Strategy and Business Development at Petrochemical Holding GmbH, said the DrasChem facility will create up to 500 direct jobs and generate approximately $120 million in annual foreign-currency revenues.

He said that the project will enhance the stability and sustainability of local supply chains and strengthen Egypt’s regional standing as home to the first sodium cyanide production facility in both Egypt and the Middle East.