FORBES´ 

MADE IN SAUDI ARABIA

Special Feature - Forbes China Magazine – December 2023 | https://www.forbeschina.com

INTERVIEW TOPICS

H.E. Eng. Ahmad bin Sulaiman AlRajhi

Minister of Human Resources and Social Development

The Saudi economy entered the COVID-19 pandemic with strong policy buffers and reform momentum.
The authorities responded quickly and decisively to the crisis with a range of fiscal, financial, and
employment support programs that helped cushion the impact of the pandemic on the private sector. What
are the biggest challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in order to achieve the Kingdom’s vision
2030goals?

Empowering women, benefiting business . Women in the Middle East are outperforming men in
many areas including higher education, employee engagement and job satisfaction, civic participation and
even health, life span and general wellbeing. Qatar is good example of this . What support networks and
initiatives are being  put in place to ensure businesses and economies continue to benefit from a diverse,
mixed-gender workforce?

An Overview of the National Skills Strategy

Entrepreneurship: the GCC and Saudi Arabia in particular is embracing innovation and
entrepreneurship, with numerous high profile initiatives in place to help start-ups secure seed capital and
professional guidance. But the biggest challenge continues to be securing finance not only for initial start-
up costs, but also the ongoing investment required to create the right foundation for a successful and
sustainable business. How is the public and private sector working together to develop entrepreneurship ?

Efforts stemming from the Kingdom's commitments to combat forced labor and the roles of national
policies, civil society, workers, employers, and international organizations in this regard. The regulatory
frameworks in the Kingdom that promote decent work and fight against forced labor.

The industrial sector is growing rapidly in Saudi Arabia. This has created an urgent need to provide more
training that can cultivate the skills of the local workforce. Additionally, due to shortages in certain areas in
the industry, small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) also find themselves in need of further training. How
can human resource development initiatives can address the industrial employee skills gap.

Bilateral trade between China and Saudi Arabia reached $68 billion in 2020; Economic relations between
both countries are becoming more diversified. Substantial Chinese investments increasingly position
Saudi Arabia as a “pivot country” in the Belt and Road Initiative. These investments span the
industrial, shipping, and even financial sectors.  Specifically on trade, what is your vision for the role of
Saudi Arabia as a hub and a facilitator for Chinese businesses? What are the investment opportunities
that exist today with China