His Excellency Engineer Ahmed bin Suleiman Al-Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, extended his congratulations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, on the approval of the state's general budget for the fiscal year 1446/1447 AH (2025 AD).
His Excellency highlighted that the approval of the 2025 state budget reaffirms the robustness of the Saudi economy, the efficiency of fiscal policies, and the optimal allocation of resources for the benefit and development of the nation and its citizens in all fields to achieve the goals of Vision 2030. He noted the unlimited support given to the human resources and social development system, which has contributed to achieving numerous historical milestones and advanced global rankings.
His Excellency explained that the Ministry has undertaken legislative developments for policies and systems, and has launched projects and initiatives across all sectors, including the implementation of 8 out of 11 programs under Vision 2030. Additionally, the unemployment rate has decreased from 12% in 2018 to 7.1% currently, which is below the Vision's target of 7%, achieving these six years ahead of schedule. His Excellency affirmed that the Ministry is now aiming to achieve an unemployment rate of 5% by 2030 under the directives of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - may God protect him - to develop and strengthen partnerships with the private sector to empower and motivate it to play its role in achieving economic diversification, enabling the labor market to absorb more Saudi manpower, and creating job opportunities in the labor market to reduce unemployment rates among Saudis. He explained that the Saudi labor market has witnessed remarkable development in all fields, which has positively reflected on the Kingdom's level in international indicators.
His Excellency Al-Rajhi emphasized that the ministry has launched numerous initiatives and programs that have enhanced the credibility and attractiveness of the Saudi labor market, contributing to the achievement of many goals and the implementation of various programs and projects. Among these achievements are a significant increase in women's labor force participation to a high rate of 35.8%, exceeding the Vision's target of 30%. Additionally, the number of Saudi nationals working in the private sector has surpassed 2.4 million, compared to 1.7 million in 2018, representing a net increase of 700,000 during this period. The employment and localization sectors have also experienced growth, thanks to the ministry's launch of the "Jadarah" platform, a qualitative and innovative platform that leverages artificial intelligence technology, enabling employers and job seekers in both the public and private sectors to connect easily. He further explained that qualitative localization initiatives have been implemented, resulting in the employment of 300,000 Saudi men and women in specialized professions such as accounting, engineering, pharmacy, and radiology technicians. He also mentioned the amendment of the labor system through the update of 38 legal articles and the launch of new insurance products, including domestic worker insurance and labor market default insurance.
In the field of skills development,” His Excellency Al-Rajhi highlighted the launch of 12 sectoral skills councils covering agriculture, industry, housing, and real estate. The goal is to identify the skills required in the job market and align educational outcomes accordingly. Moreover, over 1.3 million training opportunities have been provided in collaboration with the private sector through the 'Wa'ad' initiative.
In the social development sector, His Excellency Al-Rajhi explained that the Kingdom's efforts have successfully transformed the social services model from one based on charity and work to a developmental model. This has empowered 120,000 beneficiaries through empowerment pathways and launched 7 empowerment clinics for the first time in the Kingdom to provide comprehensive services to beneficiaries, including employment, health, financial support, and problem-solving. Additionally, the 'Citizen's Account' program disbursed 41 billion riyals in 2024 to support citizens in facing the rising cost of living, while the Social Development Bank injected 8 billion riyals in loans to citizens to support small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employed individuals, benefiting 100,000 citizens.
In the non-profit sector and social responsibility, His Excellency said that the increasing number of non-profit organizations is a testament to the remarkable growth of the non-profit sector in the Kingdom, which has seen a 222% increase in the number of associations. Additionally, the number of volunteers has increased significantly, nearing the realization of the Vision 2030 target of reaching one million volunteers, which is expected to be achieved this year, God willing. He noted that these figures reflect the abundance of goodness among Saudi youth. He further emphasized that 152 support programs, with a total value of 120 billion riyals, have been redesigned to achieve higher efficiency in directing and targeting support for the sector. He also referred to the National Platform for Social Responsibility, through which the Kingdom's Vision target of promoting corporate social responsibility has been achieved.
His Excellency called upon Allah Almighty to protect this nation and its leadership, and to bestow upon it continued security, stability, and prosperity. He affirmed the sector’s continued contributions to the march of progress and development, in line with the aspirations of the wise leadership – may Allah grant them success – to achieve greater prosperity and build a brighter future for generations to come, in order to keep pace with aspirations and developments on all levels.