Saudi Arabia: Women-only industrial zones sought

By P.K. Abdul Ghafour

JEDDAH: Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil, a Shoura Council member and leading businessman, has called for the establishment of women-only industrial zones as part of efforts to create more job opportunities for Saudi women.

Speaking to Al-Madinah daily, he urged authorities to provide Saudi women industrialists with financial and logistic support. “Many Saudi women are now involved in small-scale industries,” he added.

He said greater participation of women in the industrial sector would contribute to increasing society’s productivity and family income. “Women can play a big role in light industries, such as gold, jewelry and foodstuffs.”

He emphasized that women should be given production areas inside cities and not in far-off places. “We recruit women usually for light industries. Why don’t we develop women-only industrial zones for this purpose?” he asked.

Al-Zamil said the Kingdom’s experience in women-only banks was highly successful. “It created new job opportunities for Saudi women and helped them make important contributions to the banking and financial sector.”

The industrial sector is not only a major employer but also an important revenue earner. Al-Zamil estimated the Kingdom’s nonoil exports at SR122 billion every year. “The amount represents about 20 percent of the value of the total production in different sectors.”

Speaking about Saudization, he said about 16 percent of workers in the sector were Saudis. “Many other sectors cannot claim such Saudization rates.” There are 300,000 new job opportunities in downstream industries. He described industries as a promising sector for the employment of Saudis.

“Saudi national industries were nurtured in a free and open market environment. They face stiff competition from foreign products within the Kingdom,” he said. Saudi industries export 30 percent of their output annually. At present, Saudi products are marketed in 120 countries.

Al-Zamil said Saudi Arabia attained global standards in oil and petrochemical industries. “Figures prove our ability to manage a large number of petrochemical factories,” he said, adding that they attract a largest number of local and foreign investors. There are at least 15 giant petrochemical industries in the Kingdom.

The Shoura Council is currently studying an industrial strategy presented by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Al-Zamil said, adding that the consultative body would pass it shortly.

Al-Zamil urged Saudis to increasingly engage in small-scale and cottage industries. “All major industries in the Kingdom had small beginnings,” he said.

---Arab News