Riyadh: Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Center for Non-Profit Sector Ahmed Al-Rajhi inaugurated the International Non-Profit Forum, organized by the National Center for Non-Profit Sector from December 3 to 5 in Riyadh. The forum opened with wide participation exceeding 2,000 attendees, including leaders, policymakers, experts, specialists, and stakeholders from inside and outside the Kingdom, along with 100 speakers from 20 countries.

According to Saudi Press Agency, in his opening speech, Al-Rajhi stated that the non-profit sector in the Kingdom has grown by 370%, with the number of organizations increasing from 1,700 in 2017 to more than 7,000 in 2025. He highlighted the sector’s long history in the Kingdom, dating back nearly a century to the first official regulation of donations in 1928 during the reign of the founding King Abdulaziz. He affirmed that Saudi Vision 2030 has driven a major transformation in the sector through the establishment of the National Center for Non-Profit Sector as the unified regulatory umbrella, enhancing governance, transparency, capacity-building, and organizational effectiveness. He also reviewed recent achievements, including an increase in the percentage of specialized organizations supporting developmental priorities to more than 92%, and the sector’s contribution to gross domestic product reaching 1.2%, with a target of five percent by 2030.

Volunteerism also saw a significant leap, with Al-Rajhi announcing that the number of volunteers reached 1.5 million in 2025, and the annual number of volunteer opportunities exceeded 500,000. Beneficiary satisfaction with sector services also surpassed 89%.

At the conclusion of his speech, Al-Rajhi expressed his gratitude to the wise leadership for its strong support of the non-profit sector, stressing that the forum will boost the sector’s impact locally and internationally and help build strategic partnerships that advance sustainable development pathways.