Press News

Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Hossam bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, the Governor of Al-Baha region, Dr. Abdulmuneim bin Yasin Al-Shahri, the Deputy Governor of Al-Baha region, inaugurated the activities of the "Al-Baha Meetings 2024" forum on Monday evening. The forum is organized by the Human Resources Development Fund at the headquarters of Al-Baha University, in the presence of the Director-General of the Human Resources Development Fund, Mr. Turki bin Abdullah Al-Juaeeni, and a number of dignitaries, interested parties, and specialists in the labor market.

The attendees toured the exhibition accompanying the forum's activities and events, familiarizing themselves with the support and incentive programs directed towards national cadres and private sector establishments. Everyone also watched a visual presentation narrating the journey of the Al-Baha Meetings and its objectives in developing human capital and its role in promoting localization and partnership with the private sector, including dialogue sessions, workshops, and guidance services tailored for national cadres of both genders.

On this occasion, His Highness the Governor of Al-Baha region stated, "The citizens in the Al-Baha region are the focus of wise leadership's attention, and we seek to achieve their aspirations and meet their requirements. We are committed to the values that enhance the meaning of administrative work and draw inspiration from the visions of our wise leadership, which prioritizes citizens."

He added, "Our country has taken on the responsibility of developing human capital and working to equip it with the skills, capabilities, and competencies required by the labor market, considering the pace of rapid and successive changes we witness in the market around us."

In his speech, Mr. Turki bin Abdullah Al-Juaeeni, the Director-General of the Human Resources Development Fund, praised the patronage of His Highness the Governor of Al-Baha region for the activities and events of the forum, emphasizing the importance of concerted efforts to achieve the desired goals and objectives.

Al-Juaeeni continued, saying, "The Al-Baha Meetings forum is an extension of previous meetings held in various regions of our beloved kingdom, to provide a package of programs, opportunities, and initiatives for the sons and daughters of the region, and to contribute with partners and relevant entities in their qualification, training, and employment in various fields and activities of the labor market, with our focus on future jobs and professions that the world relies on for sustainability and development."

He added, "At the Fund, we stand at the threshold of a new phase after launching our strategy nearly a year ago, where we have felt its impact, and it has become, thanks to God, a tangible reality in our programs, products, and initiatives aimed at investing in national cadres and equipping them with the skills and experiences necessary to enter the labor market. The number of beneficiaries from individuals and establishments witnessed continuous growth during 2023 compared to 2022."

He said that the Fund contributed to supporting the employment of around 374,000 male and female citizens in private sector establishments during the past year 2023, indicating that the total amount disbursed for training, guidance, and empowerment programs provided by the Fund during that period amounted to 8.7 billion riyals. He added that around 1.9 million citizens, both male and female, benefited from the programs and products, in addition to around 120,000 establishments operating in vital sectors across the Kingdom.

Al-Juaeeni concluded by saying, "We look forward, along with our colleagues and partners at the forum, to achieving a set of gains that contribute to finding practical solutions that align with the directives of our leaders, and are in line with the ambitious vision of the nation in developing national capacities, empowering them, ensuring employment sustainability, and encouraging the private sector to contribute to localization."

Following that, Dr. Abdulmuneim Al-Shahri honored the partners and sponsors of the Al-Baha Meetings forum for their efforts and contributions in supporting the training and qualification paths of national forces to enter the labor market.

Finally, a group photo was taken of the Deputy Governor with the organizers and attendees of the ceremony from the partners and supporters.

It is worth mentioning that the forum includes an accompanying exhibition where participating establishments offer employment opportunities directed towards job seekers, in addition to a variety of counseling and training sessions.

A large number of specialists and stakeholders in human resources development, qualified national cadres, representatives of the private sector, and officials from government agencies related to the labor market participate in the forum, where specific tracks have been allocated for each targeted beneficiary category to provide direct and tailored services for each group.

According to the targeted categories, the forum includes 5 tracks: the job seekers track, the private sector employees track, the students track, the employers track, and the entrepreneurship track.