Riyadh: As part of the partnership initiative between Saudi Arabia, represented by the National Competitiveness Center, and the World Bank Group, the Saudi Knowledge Hub (K-Hub) launched its first workshop today aimed at fostering international cooperation and promoting a global culture of economic reforms. The event, taking place in Riyadh, brought together 36 government officials specializing in improving business environments from Jordan, Iraq, Zambia, Gambia, and the World Bank Group.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the workshop, titled Knowledge Exchange Workshop on Business Start-Up Reforms, sought to strengthen peer-to-peer learning around business-startup reform experiences. During the event opening, Vice Minister of Commerce and CEO of the National Competitiveness Center Eiman Al-Mutairi highlighted that the vision introduced by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has driven an unprecedented transformation in the Saudi economy.
Al-Mutairi noted that the partnership between the Kingdom and the World Bank Group led to the launch of the pioneering K-Hub initiative, which aims to enhance international cooperation, advance sustainable development in beneficiary countries, and support them in achieving their development goals. She outlined key reforms that have boosted Saudi Arabia’s competitiveness, emphasizing the coordinated efforts of 65 Saudi government entities that have implemented over 900 economic reforms since 2016 across major sectors. Additionally, 1,200 statutes and regulations have been issued or updated, positioning the Kingdom as one of the world’s leading destinations for businesses and investors. Al-Mutairi also highlighted the Saudi Business Center as a global model and a source of inspiration for nations seeking to establish unified, effective, and high-quality government service hubs for the private sector.
The Saudi K-Hub’s three-day workshop was tailored to the needs of participating countries. It showcased proposals, recommendations, and experiences that help strengthen business environments, especially the comprehensive experience of the Saudi Business Center, from implementing reforms to designing a unified platform that streamlines the processes of starting, operating, and closing businesses.
The K-Hub plans to hold a series of additional workshops and activities to meet the needs of beneficiary countries. These initiatives align with the hub’s research, advisory, and analytical functions, as well as its mission to exchange knowledge and build capacity for countries seeking to replicate successful economic reform models. The hub also focuses on developing innovative solutions and policies to enhance competitiveness, especially in areas related to business environment reforms, and to boost productivity, entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprises, and innovation development.
