RIYADH — The Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF) has contributed in supporting the employing of 96,000 Saudi men and women to work in the private sector's establishments during the first quarter of 2023. This contribution, through HADAF's diverse programs and initiatives, has led to an increase in percentage of hiring the Saudis by more than 26%, compared to the same period in 2022, which have supported during that time about 76,000 Saudi men and women. The Director General of HADAF Turki Aljawini has praised the Saudi leaderships' support and guidance in developing human capital, sustaining employment, and stimulating the private sector to contribute in localization. The Kingdom's leadership has also strengthened the partnership with all the relevant authorities in training, hiring and empowering the local cadres, in addition to increasing their competitiveness in the labor market, he said. Aljawini noted that the new strategy of HADAF has enhanced the number of beneficiaries from the programs and services, both at the same level whether to the individuals and the private sector's establishments. About 836,000 Saudi men and women have benefited from the empowering, training and counseling services within the first 3 month of 2023, with a growth rate of approximately 29%, compared to 646,000 beneficiaries during the same period in 2022. As for the establishments, he said that nearly 73,000 establishments working in all the vital sectors in Saudi Arabia have benefited directly and indirectly from HADAF's programs. This comes with a growth rate of 30%, compared to 56,000 establishments during the same period of the previous years. Aljawini said that the expenditures of the supporting programs amounted to SR2.2 billion in the first quarter of 2023. He affirmed the importance of continuing the efforts and enhancing HADAF's role, in order to keep pace with the changes, requirements and developments of the labor market, as well as to improve its efficiency, and taking into account the needs and priorities that are related to the sectors. It is also important to work in developing the supporting, empowering and counseling programs that are directed to the national cadres in a way that contributes in achieving Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 in developing the human capabilities, and the labor market strategy. Aljawini noted that HADAF is working to enhance the relationship between the various governmental and private sectors, in a way that reflects in stimulating the different sectors and activities to participate in current national development, and to attract further investments that creates qualitative jobs.
