RIYADH: Around 15,000 jobs were offered by 50 employers to young Saudis at the Saudi Job Creation Forum in its first edition and the accompanying job exhibition, organized by the Saudi Management Association (SMA) on Tuesday.
The forum was inaugurated by Labor Minister Mufrej Al-Haqabani on behalf of Prince Saud bin Salman, the honorary president of the SMA.
Addressing the opening ceremony, the minister thanked the SMA for organizing the forum that promotes job creation for Saudi youths to get into rewarding jobs.
The chairman of the SMA, Dr. Nasir Al-Twaim, also addressed the forum, thanking both Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, second deputy premier and defense minister, and Prince Saud bin Salman for their generous support.
He also extended his thanks to other members of the SMA for their generous support of money and time to promote the association. He in particular valued two honorary members of the SMA for their generous contributions to the forum. One was Sheikh Yousuf Al-Ahmadi, a businessman who pledged a 5,000sq.m piece of land in Makkah as an endowment to set up a training and recruitment center for Saudi youths to be run by SMA, in addition to SR1 million to meet the expenses of running the SMA headquarters. The other was Sheikh Abdulrahman Al- Ghammas who also pledged as an endowment a 5,000sq.m piece of land in Madinah to set up another training and recruitment center for young Saudis run by SMA.
A tour by Arab News showed how enthusiastic Saudi youths were in searching for jobs, especially young women who were seen representing almost 50 percent of those who thronged to the exhibition in search of jobs during the two days of the exhibition.
Displayed jobs were by government and private sector employers. They included hospital, IT developers, banks, training providers, consultancy firms, real-estate agencies, marketing companies, and factories.
Speaking to Arab News, Dr. Al-Twaim, who is also professor of management ethics at King Saud University in Riyadh, mentioned that it “was a duty for us to organize this forum which is the first of its kind.”
“Apart from being a duty, this forum comes in line with the government’s move to effectively act to create jobs, especially in light of having almost 11.7 percent unemployment among our work force, mostly of young people,” he said.
“So, we have organized this exhibition on the sidelines of the forum to contribute in fighting unemployment … here we brought around 50 job providers under one roof so job seekers can meet them directly and to know each other face-to-face, and it also eliminates the hassle of commuting for these job seekers,” he added.
“Also, we hope that it will give some insight to Job Creation Commission, which was newly approved by the Cabinet, to generate more jobs for Saudis in this era of transformation led by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, and commissioned by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in which bringing jobs to young Saudi is a top priority,” he further said.
15,000 jobs offered at 1st Saudi Job Creation Forum
15,000 jobs offered at 1st Saudi Job Creation Forum
Authority warns against overuse of ginseng by pregnant women, says no proof of safety
- Adverse effects of the plant-based supplement include insomnia or high blood pressure when used in large doses, warns SFDA
- It stressed that stressed that herbal supplements should be used with caution, like any other medicine
Adverse effects of the plant-based supplement include insomnia or high blood pressure when used in large doses
RIYADH: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has warned against overuse of the herb ginseng due to possible negative side-effects and the lack of evidence of its safety for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Adverse effects of the plant-based supplement include insomnia or high blood pressure when used in large doses, and the SFDA warned that there was no proof of it being safe to use during pregnancy, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
In addition, the herb may interfere with medicines for blood thinners, diabetes, heart conditions, insomnia and schizophrenia, and can interact negatively with caffeine, it said.
Ginseng, known by its scientific name Panax ginseng, is used in alternative medicine for its purported effects on energy levels, concentration and mood.
The recommended average dose is between one and two grams of the root, taken three to four times a day, for between three and four weeks, according to the report.
SFDA further stressed that herbal supplements should be used with caution, like any other medicine.
It added that claims about the safety of such supplements not supported by evidence should be handled with caution, and advised consulting a doctor before using them.
Herbal supplements can also interfere with certain foods, as well as medication, the authority added.
SFDA provides a list of prohibited medicinal plants and cosmetic products on its official website: https://www.sfda.gov.sa/ar/informationlist/66327.
KACST graduates 46 deep-tech startups from Venture Program
- Scheme turns research into marketable products
- Energy, healthcare, renewables sectors represented
RIYADH: Forty-six deep-tech startups graduated from the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology’s Venture Program in a recent ceremony.
The graduating startups come from a diverse range of sectors, including energy, healthcare, renewable resources and emerging technologies.
Notable participants included Glass Earth KSA, which specializes in geospatial technology solutions for environmental monitoring; PainTech Solutions, a company developing innovative approaches to pain management and medical treatments; and EA Systems, focused on advanced engineering solutions for industrial automation and efficiency.
The KACST Venture Program is an initiative designed to support deep-tech startups by providing resources, mentorship, and strategic partnerships to transform research into marketable products and services.
The program was supported by the National Technology Development Program, which also granted technology licenses to a number of private sector firms.
Held at KACST’s The Garage startup incubator in Riyadh, the graduation ceremony brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, researchers and private investors.
Among the dignitaries in attendance was Munir El-Desouki, president of KACST, who praised the initiative’s role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation.
Khalid Al-Dakkan, senior vice president of innovation at KACST, said: “At KACST, we worked to connect emerging companies with the government and private sectors, and investors to develop ideas and innovations, and transform them into marketable products and services to support the national economy.”
Al-Dakkan also pointed to the inclusion of strategic partners in the program’s next phase. “The KVP program, in its new version, includes the inclusion of a number of strategic partners to strengthen the innovation system and support the economy,” he said.
The new iteration will involve partnerships with four Saudi universities to foster a vibrant entrepreneurial culture while targeting fields such as clean energy, artificial intelligence and health technologies.
Ibrahim Neyaz, CEO of NTDP, underscored the program’s importance in driving growth in emerging sectors.
“The KACST program for creating emerging companies aims to support and empower owners of innovative technology projects and encourage national companies to invest in emerging technologies to raise their share in the local market, and provide initiatives that help in developing technologies,” he said.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman receives written message from Senegal president
- The message related to Saudi-Senegalese relations, and was received by the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman received a written message from the President of Senegal Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
The message related to Saudi-Senegalese relations, and was received by the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan during a meeting with Senegal’s Minister of Armed Forces Gen. Birame Diop in Riyadh.
During the meeting, Prince Faisal and Diop discussed topics of common interest and ways to enhance relations between their countries.
Eastern Region’s green initiative shows remarkable progress
- Initiative has focused on introducing climate-appropriate trees and flowers
- Eastern Province Municipality emphasized the project’s collaborative nature
DAMMAM: Significant strides were made by the Eastern Province Municipality last year in its efforts towards vegetation expansion and anti-desertification.
The initiative, designed to counter industrial pollution, improve air quality and move towards environmental sustainability, has focused on introducing climate-appropriate trees and flowers while adhering to scientific afforestation guidelines and controls.
Throughout the year, the municipality launched 87 initiatives involving more than 1,200 volunteers across 60 parks. This included the Dammam Corniche waterfront and its walking trails where some 680,000 trees and shrubs were planted, complemented by 7.7 million flowers, expanding green coverage by 205,000 sq. meters.
Work was also carried out to rehabilitate streets and other spaces, while technical upgrades included maintenance work on 200 pumps and the installation of irrigation networks covering 30 km of streets.
There was also progress for the park investment program, with four parks already under investment management and 400 more designated for future opportunities.
The municipality emphasized the project’s collaborative nature, highlighting the active participation of community members, government bodies and the private sector companies. Its inclusive approach aims to cultivate a lasting environmental consciousness and ensure sustainability practices are passed down to future generations.
Riyadh to host second edition of Model of Care Forum
- Forum aims to introduce the Saudi healthcare model locally and internationally, highlight success stories, and outline future goals and ambitions
- Forum represents the second phase in a four-part strategic process in the healthcare sector’s transformation
RIYADH: Riyadh will host the second edition of the Model of Care Forum under the patronage of Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel.
Organised by the Health Holding Co. on Jan. 28-29, the forum will be held at Malfa Hall in Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City.
The forum aims to introduce the Saudi healthcare model locally and internationally, highlight success stories, and outline future goals and ambitions in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.
It also promotes partnership in healthcare among individuals and their families by taking necessary measures to maintain their health, ensuring the provision of healthcare that meets societal needs according to the highest quality standards.
The forum represents the second phase in a four-part strategic process in the healthcare sector’s transformation, aimed at developing the healthcare model in the Kingdom.
The Health Holding Co. is playing a key role in enabling healthcare delivery through 20 health clusters across Saudi Arabia.
