Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Several sectors in Makkah, especially tourism and hotels, are to be nationalized soon, Abdullah Al-Tawi, director general of social affairs in Makkah region, has said. The aim is to serve citizens living in Makkah under a joint program between the governorate and the private sector, he said.

Al-Tawi announced this during a visit to the new Nationalization and Saudization Department at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI). The department is tasked with providing training and job opportunities to Saudi youth of both genders in cooperation with private companies and establishments as part of the ambitious Vision 2030 plan.

It is about time to provide training and jobs to females in Makkah, Al-Tawi said adding that they will work on innovative methods and untraditional ways to find jobs for women at different sectors in Makkah.

The goal of their programs, he said, is not just to find jobs but to provide suitable living conditions to residents of Makkah and to support young traders and allow their investments to grow. Among their projects which attract small investors is "Made in Makkah" which aims to export local products and market them internationally. This, said Al-Tawi, aims to serve both traders and the country itself.

The Saudization project should see the light through cooperation between different sectors, he explained and added that Makkah Chamber has allocated a spot that will ease the process of searching for female job-seekers.

Ibrahim Al-Bardisi, secretary general of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted that the MCCI provides training to 5,000 youth in different sectors annually. He added that the planned Makkah Training Academy will provide training in tourism and beauty sectors. The MCCI, he said, will cooperate with Makkah governorate and the Human Resource Development Fund.