JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia's labor market strategy has attracted local and global workforce into the Kingdom's job market, said Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Abdullah Bin Nasser Abuthnain. The minister said the strategy, which is part of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and was launched by the human resources ministry last year, will bring about fundamental reforms in the Saudi job market. He made the remarks during the 109th session of the International Labor Conference (ILO), which is being held virtually for the first time due to the global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Abuthnain, who is heading the Kingdom's delegation to the conference, said that Saudi Arabia has launched several initiatives and programs aimed at improving the work environment, including the initiatives to improve the contractual relationship such as the documentation and digitization program for work contracts, the wage protection program, and the launch of the electronic friendly settlement service for labor disputes. The Kingdom also aims to empower women in social and economic development and increase their participation in the labor market, he added. In his speech during the plenary session of the conference, the Saudi noted the coronavirus crisis required all countries in the world to work together to confront it at all levels. He pointed out that the Saudi government was among the first countries that sensed the danger and set out a comprehensive plan to confront the virus and its repercussions. The government took several decisions that contributed to limiting its spread as it placed the safety of citizens and residents living in the country a top priority, Abuthnain added. He pointed out that Saudi Arabia supported global efforts to address this pandemic during its G20 and made a generous contribution of $500 million. The minister also said that Saudi Arabia deposited the instrument of ratification of the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, demonstrating its firm commitment to combating forced labor in all its forms, including human trafficking. It is noteworthy that Saudi Arabia joined the International Labor Organization in 1976 and ratified its first conventions in 1978, out of 18 ratified conventions. The Kingdom's annual participation is an extension of its continuous efforts to strengthen its position on international labor issues, and its continuous endeavor to deepen international and bilateral relations, in addition to activating its distinctive and influential role in the international community.
