The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources is organizing three panel discussions today as part of the National Industrial Strategy launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister, with the aim of achieving a competitive, resilient, sustainable, and investment-attractive industrial economy.
The ministry announced in a statement that 15 speakers, including officials from relevant government agencies and leaders of the industrial sector, will participate in the three sessions to be held at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC).
The first session begins at 5:30 p.m. today with a presentation by the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources on the strategy that will increase the number of factories to approximately 36,000 by 2035, and has identified more than 800 investment opportunities worth one trillion riyals, marking a new chapter of sustainable growth for the sector and delivering ambitious economic returns for the Kingdom by 2030, including: tripling the industrial GDP and doubling the value of industrial exports to reach 557 billion riyals.
According to the Ministry, the National Industrial Strategy aims to bring the total value of additional investments in the sector to 1.3 trillion riyals and increase exports of advanced technology products by approximately sixfold, in addition to creating tens of thousands of high-value, specialized jobs.
"Localization of Industry in the Kingdom"
Speaking at the first panel discussion, titled “Localization of Industry in the Kingdom,” will be Eng. Ahmed Al-Awhali, Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries; Dr. Saad Al-Qasabi, Governor of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization; Dr. Hishaj Al-Jadai, CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority; Abdulrahman Al-Samari, CEO of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority; and Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Qurtas, CEO of the National Center for Industrial Development.
"Integration in the Industrial Sector"
The second session was titled “Integration in the Industrial Sector” and featured presentations by Dr. Munir Al-Desouki, President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; Eng. Khalid Al-Mudayfer, Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs; Dr. Ramih Al-Ramih, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Logistics; Eng. Osama Al-Zamil, Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources; and Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Dhakir, CEO of the Saudi Export Development Authority.
"Investment in the Industrial Sector"
In the third session, titled “Investment in the Industrial Sector,” speakers will include Eng. Khalid Al-Salem, President of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu; Abdulaziz Al-Arifi, Advisor at the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers and Acting CEO of the “Sharik” program; Engineer Saad Al-Khalib, CEO of the Saudi Export-Import Bank; Dr. Ibrahim Al-Maajil, CEO of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund; and Engineer Sulaiman Al-Mazroua, CEO of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program.
Following the conclusion of the sessions, the National Industrial Strategy Exhibition will open. Through this strategy, the Kingdom aims to empower the private sector, increase the resilience and competitiveness of the industrial sector, in addition to ensuring continued access to essential goods for the well-being of citizens and the continuity of economic activity, leading regional industrial integration of value chains, capitalizing on the strengths of the Saudi economy, and achieving global leadership in a range of selected goods through investment in promising new technologies.
