On behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, and Chairman of the Supreme Commission for Industrial Security, Deputy Minister of the Interior Abdulrahman bin Ali Al-Rabian opened the International Conference and Exhibition on Industrial Security in Riyadh yesterday.
The Importance of Protecting Critical Infrastructure
Dr. Khalid Al-Aqil, Secretary-General of the Supreme Commission for Industrial Security, said in a speech during the opening ceremony that “the General Secretariat, under the guidance of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, and Chairman of the Supreme Commission for Industrial Security, has consistently organized this conference and exhibition every year out of a commitment to keeping abreast of current developments and staying up to date with the latest advancements in the fields of security, safety, and firefighting.”
Al-Aqil emphasized that “the conference and its nine events are held with the aim of enhancing the Kingdom’s experience in providing legislation and practical solutions in the field of industrial security across all its branches.”
Speakers at the opening ceremony unanimously agreed that the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his Crown Prince, as well as those in charge of industrial, petroleum, and other critical facilities in the Kingdom, recognized early on the importance of protecting critical infrastructure and preserving the Kingdom’s capabilities andhuman and natural resources, alongside its commitment to keeping pace with global developments in advanced strategies, technologies, and systems to achieve the highest standards of security, safety, and protection for its citizens and critical infrastructure.
Expanding the Network of Communication Among Manufacturers
A select group of security, government, and executive leaders delivered speeches during the opening ceremony, including Major General Saad bin Hassan Al-Jabari, Commander of the Facility Security Forces; SABIC CEO Engineer Yousef Al-Bunyan; Engineer Badr bin Fahd Al-Qadran, Executive Director of Safety and Industrial Security at Saudi Aramco, and Abdulaziz Al-Harbi, President of Ma’aden Aluminum.
The conference sessions aim to familiarize participants with the strategies, preventive measures, and working methods applied in developed countries regarding industrial security, and to provide an in-depth look at the latest technologies in security, safety, and firefighting management, as well as showcasing the experiences, products, technologies, and modern services offered by participating companies, and providing comprehensive explanations to participants—particularly regarding the Kingdom’s experience in this context—which contributes to expanding the network of communication between manufacturers and facilities; and to enrich knowledge in the fields of industrial security, which have seen steady growth in recent years.
80 Workshops on Industrial Security
Experts from major local companies, as well as from the United States and the United Kingdom, will participate in the conference, which will also feature 80 workshops on various topics, including: security and safety, network protection, technical equipment, firefighting strategies, and workplace safety systems.
A number of relevant government agencies are also participating in the conference and exhibition, such as the Supreme Authority for Industrial Security, the Industrial Security Forces, Civil Defense, Security Patrols, the Saudi Electricity Company, Tadreer Industrial Company, and others. The exhibition will continue until May 23, 2017, corresponding to 27 Sha’ban 1438 AH.
The conference opens up opportunities for employment and investment for those interested in joining or investing in the private civilian security sector in the future, as well as the sector for transporting cash, precious metals, and valuable documents, and industrial security, through attending the launch of (Tahkum Academy) and learning about its activities; given the important role that private civilian security plays in safeguarding the facilities and infrastructure under its protection, and the security services it provides to help maintain security and protect property.
