As part of the partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia -represented by the National Competitiveness Center- and the World Bank Group, the Center organized today in Riyadh knowledge-exchange sessions within the framework of the World Bank Program for Women's Economic Empowerment for the Arab Mashriq. The sessions were attended by 17 officials from 11 Iraqi government entities, alongside experts from the World Bank Group.
During the opening of the sessions, which highlighted Saudi Arabia's legislative reforms to enhance women's participation in the workforce, H.E. Eiman Al-Mutairi, Vice Minister of Commerce and CEO of the NCC, affirmed that the Vision launched by HRH the Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al- Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister -may God protect him- has driven an unprecedented transformation that strengthened Saudi women's participation in the Kingdom's comprehensive development. H.E. noted that the participation rate of Saudi women in the labor market has reached 36%.
Her Excellency also reviewed the Saudi model for implementing economic and development reforms, mechanisms for engaging the private sector during implementation, and key reforms undertaken to enhance the Kingdom's competitiveness. She highlighted the integration of efforts across 65 Saudi government entities, which has led to the implementation of more than 900 economic reforms and the issuance and updating of 1,200 laws & regulations. These efforts have contributed to positioning Saudi Arabia's business environment as one of the world's leading destinations and among the most supportive of women's participation in economic development.
The sessions also featured a presentation by Dr. Adel bin Hamad Al-Zenaidi, Vice Governor at Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, who discussed expanding employment opportunities and improving labor market outcomes through technical and vocational education and training, developing practical and entrepreneurial skills aligned with labor market needs, as well as enhancing institutional quality, governance, and the efficiency of training systems.
From the Iraqi side, Dr. Yusra Karim, Director General of the National Department for Iraqi Women at the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, and Dr. Khanzad Ahmed, Secretary-General of the High Council of Women Affairs in the Kurdistan Regional Government, addressed national priorities and the enabling framework for Iraqi women through government strategies and legal reforms.
