The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development concluded workshops on implementing the cooperative sector strategy held in King Abdullah Economic City from 16 to 18 December 2024, with the participation of 54 entities and more than 100 participants, attended by the Undersecretary of the Ministry for Community Development, Mr. Ahmed Al-Majed, and several experts from the International Labor Organization, the International Cooperative Alliance, and those interested in the cooperative sector.

This event is the largest of its kind in the sector, aiming to accelerate the activation mechanism of the cooperative sector strategy, define clear implementation directions, raise the level of interest and commitment from relevant entities, and create effective channels for coordination and joint work with related entities.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry for Community Development, Mr. Ahmed Al-Majed, stated that holding these workshops embodies the wise leadership's keenness and support to enhance the cooperative sector in line with Saudi Vision 2030. He added that it represents a crucial milestone in the cooperative sector's transformation journey and a fundamental step in building effective strategic partnerships with relevant entities, emphasizing the need to turn outputs into tangible action plans and continue coordinating efforts to achieve common goals.

During the workshops, the most prominent outputs were reviewed, highlighting the importance of such workshops in building an interconnected system that enables the development of the cooperative sector, ensuring its alignment with various related entities, enhancing the sector's economic and social contribution in the KSA.

The workshops included seven main tracks, with participants identifying around 70 challenges within various aspects of the cooperative sector, classifying more than 60 ideas and solutions based on the sector's priorities and needs, and defining a clear roadmap that includes developing an operational model to achieve the strategic objectives related to the cooperative sector initiatives effectively over the next five years.

It is worth noting that the Ministry, through the cooperative sector strategy launched at the beginning of 2024, aims to enhance, develop, and grow the cooperative sector, increasing its developmental and economic contribution in the KSA in line with Saudi Vision 2030.