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Unemployment Down, Number of Women up in Saudi Labor Market in 2023

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)
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Unemployment Down, Number of Women up in Saudi Labor Market in 2023

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)

The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development unveiled a series of impressive achievements in the pursuit of a more efficient and effective labor market.

The achievements align with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and show that priority was given to achieve several key goals: protect workers’ rights, ensure safe and healthy workplaces, nurture national talent, and achieve a sustainable balance in the labor market. To achieve these goals, the ministry has in place appropriate laws and regulations, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

The year 2023 witnessed significant progress. Over 1,000 government employees received training at international agencies, which helped improve their work effectiveness. The job engagement index for civil servants surpassed the 2022 target, reflecting a more engaged public sector workforce.

The National Training Campaign (Waad) incentivized the private sector to train workers, with over 16,000 trainees benefiting in various sectors. The skills accelerator program focused on boosting the efficiency of Saudi employees in the private sector, targeting industries with the greatest impact on the national economy.

More than 10,000 individuals benefitted from programs fostering self-employment and specialized skills development. Over 500 people with disabilities were integrated into the workforce in 2023, encouraging them to participate in and contribute to the economy.

The launch of a comprehensive program for reporting work-related accidents underlines the ministry's commitment to workers’ well-being.

The "On Time" campaign has been promoting timely wage payment, with over 700,000 establishments complying with the wage protection system for more than nine million private sector employees.

The ministry's efforts have yielded significant results. The unemployment rate dropped from 12.8% in 2017 to 8.6% in the third quarter of 2023. Working conditions for expatriate workers saw a 73% improvement in 2023 compared to 2020.

The percentage of establishments implementing safety and health measures soared from a mere 15% in 2019 to 71.27% in 2023. Compliance with the wage protection system rose significantly, from 50% in 2017 to 86.9% in the third quarter of 2023.

The percentage of employed individuals with disabilities increased from 7.7% in 2016 to 12.6% in the first half of 2024.

The ministry actively supports working women through dedicated programs. The Wusool transportation program has provided transportation to 234,344 women employed in the private sector.

The Qurrah program, establishing centers for children of working women, has enabled 26,363 women to access childcare services through accredited centers.

Over 25,000 women trainees participated in programs designed to equip them with the skills needed to thrive in the job market.

These initiatives have demonstrably increased women’s participation in the labor market. By the third quarter of 2023, the share of women in the labor market has risen to 34.2%, compared to just 21.2% in 2017. Moreover, the number of women in senior and middle management positions has also seen a significant rise, jumping from 28.6% in 2017 to 43.7% by the third quarter of 2023.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development’s commitment to a more efficient and inclusive labor market is fostering positive change in Saudi Arabia. As these efforts continue, they are expected to have an even greater impact on the Kingdom's workforce and overall economic progress.

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IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
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IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference on Emerging Market Economies (EME) to enhance cooperation between the two institutions.

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki, SPA reported.

The agreement aims to strengthen coordination in economic and financial policy areas, including surveillance and lending activities, data and analytical exchange, capacity building, and the provision of technical assistance, in support of regional financial and economic stability.

Both sides affirmed that the MoU represents an important step toward deepening their strategic partnership and strengthening the regional financial safety net, serving member countries and enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.

Business

Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
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Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

The Federation of Saudi Chambers announced the formation of the first joint Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council for its inaugural term (1447–1451 AH) and the election of Salman bin Hassan Al-Oqayel as its chairman.

Al-Oqayel said the council’s formation marks a pivotal milestone in economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, reflecting a practical approach to enabling the business sectors in both countries to capitalize on promising investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade and investment partnerships, SPA reported.

He noted that trade between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reached approximately SAR9.5 billion by the end of November 2025, including SAR8 billion in Saudi exports and SAR1.5 billion in Kuwaiti imports.

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Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).

Harvard University economics professor Pol Antràs said Saudi Arabia represents an exceptional model in the shifting global trade landscape, differing fundamentally from traditional emerging-market frameworks. He also stressed that globalization has not ended but has instead re-formed into what he describes as fragmented integration.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, Antràs said Saudi Arabia’s Vision-driven structural reforms position the Kingdom to benefit from the ongoing phase of fragmented integration, adding that the country’s strategic focus on logistics transformation and artificial intelligence constitutes a key engine for sustainable growth that extends beyond the volatility of global crises.

Antràs, the Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is one of the leading contemporary theorists of international trade. His research, which reshaped understanding of global value chains, focuses on how firms organize cross-border production and how regulation and technological change influence global trade flows and corporate decision-making.

He said conventional classifications of economies often obscure important structural differences, noting that the term emerging markets groups together countries with widely divergent industrial bases. Economies that depend heavily on manufacturing exports rely critically on market access and trade integration and therefore face stronger competitive pressures from Chinese exports that are increasingly shifting toward alternative markets.

Saudi Arabia, by contrast, exports extensively while facing limited direct competition from China in its primary export commodity, a situation that creates a strategic opportunity. The current environment allows the Kingdom to obtain imports from China at lower cost and access a broader range of goods that previously flowed largely toward the United States market.

Addressing how emerging economies should respond to dumping pressures and rising competition, Antràs said countries should minimize protectionist tendencies and instead position themselves as committed participants in the multilateral trading system, allowing foreign producers to access domestic markets while encouraging domestic firms to expand internationally.

He noted that although Chinese dumping presents concerns for countries with manufacturing sectors that compete directly with Chinese production, the risk is lower for Saudi Arabia because it does not maintain a large manufacturing base that overlaps directly with Chinese exports. Lower-cost imports could benefit Saudi consumers, while targeted policy tools such as credit programs, subsidies, and support for firms seeking to redesign and upgrade business models represent more effective responses than broad protectionist measures.

Globalization has not ended

Antràs said globalization continues but through more complex structures, with trade agreements increasingly negotiated through diverse arrangements rather than relying primarily on multilateral negotiations. Trade deals will continue to be concluded, but they are likely to become more complex, with uncertainty remaining a defining feature of the global trading environment.

Interest rates and artificial intelligence

According to Antràs, high global interest rates, combined with the additional risk premiums faced by emerging markets, are constraining investment, particularly in sectors that require export financing, capital expenditure, and continuous quality upgrading.

However, he noted that elevated interest rates partly reflect expectations of stronger long-term growth driven by artificial intelligence and broader technological transformation.

He also said if those growth expectations materialize, productivity gains could enable small and medium-sized enterprises to forecast demand more accurately and identify previously untapped markets, partially offsetting the negative effects of higher borrowing costs.

Employment concerns and the role of government

The Harvard professor warned that labor markets face a dual challenge stemming from intensified Chinese export competition and accelerating job automation driven by artificial intelligence, developments that could lead to significant disruptions, particularly among younger workers. He said governments must adopt proactive strategies requiring substantial fiscal resources to mitigate near-term labor-market shocks.

According to Antràs, productivity growth remains the central condition for success: if new technologies deliver the anticipated productivity gains, governments will gain the fiscal space needed to compensate affected groups and retrain the workforce, achieving a balance between addressing short-term disruptions and investing in long-term strategic gains.