Eastern Region Governor Launches Women’s Economic Forum 2024

Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, inaugurated the eighth edition of the Women’s Economic Forum 2024 in Dammam on November 19, 2024, in an event organized by the Eastern Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI) through its Women’s Empowerment Center. The forum, held at the Chamber’s headquarters, brought together a broad cross-section of experts, government officials, academics, and business professionals to examine the expanding role of Saudi women in the national economy and to chart practical pathways for deeper participation under Vision 2030. The event was reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Kingdom’s official news authority.

The Women’s Economic Forum has become a fixture on the Eastern Region’s economic calendar, and its eighth edition reflects both continuity and ambition. Over the course of its sessions, participants explored how Saudi women are contributing to the goals of Vision 2030, what opportunities exist within the Kingdom’s fast-growing entrepreneurship ecosystem, how businesses led or staffed by women can achieve long-term sustainability, and why structured training is essential for preparing women for leadership roles. For an international audience, the forum offers a clear window into how Saudi Arabia is translating its national transformation blueprint into tangible economic outcomes at the regional level.

Context and Background

Why does a regional forum on women’s economic participation attract such high-level attention in Saudi Arabia today? The answer lies in the scale and deliberate pace of the Kingdom’s reform agenda. Since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016, Saudi Arabia has pursued a comprehensive program of economic diversification and social modernization, and the increased participation of women in the labor force and in business ownership has been one of its most visible and measurable pillars. Official Saudi channels have consistently framed women’s economic empowerment not as a standalone social initiative but as a core driver of national productivity and competitiveness.

The Eastern Chamber of Commerce and Industry, based in Dammam, has been a key institutional partner in that effort. Through its Women’s Empowerment Center, the Chamber provides training, mentorship, networking, and advocacy designed to help women launch, scale, and sustain enterprises. The Women’s Economic Forum, now in its eighth edition, is the Center’s flagship annual gathering. Its longevity — eight consecutive editions — signals that this is not a one-off gesture but a sustained institutional commitment by the Eastern Region’s business community.

The timing of this year’s forum is also significant. It comes as Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economy continues to expand, as small and medium enterprises play an increasingly central role in job creation, and as the Kingdom positions itself as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation in the broader Middle East. In that context, ensuring that women have full access to capital, training, networks, and leadership opportunities is directly linked to the durability of the Kingdom’s economic transformation.

Key Details from the Forum

What exactly happened at the opening of the Women’s Economic Forum 2024? According to the Saudi Press Agency, Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz inaugurated the forum in Dammam and delivered opening remarks in which he highlighted the Saudi leadership’s commitment to empowering women across various sectors. He emphasized the importance of economic programs designed to enhance women’s contributions to the national economy — a message that aligns the forum’s regional focus with the Kingdom’s national priorities.

During the event, the Governor honoured the forum’s sponsors and supporters and toured the accompanying exhibition. Badr bin Suleiman Al-Rizaiza, Chairman of the ECCI Board of Directors, briefed the Governor on the forum’s objectives and on the key initiatives the Chamber has undertaken to support Saudi women’s empowerment. The presence of senior regional leadership alongside Chamber officials, experts, and academics underscored the collaborative approach that characterizes Saudi Arabia’s economic development efforts.

The forum’s program featured four sessions examining the evolving role of Saudi women under Vision 2030. The sessions addressed women’s contributions to achieving the Vision’s goals, opportunities within the entrepreneurship ecosystem, strategies for ensuring business sustainability, and the significance of training in preparing women for leadership roles. A second day of programming was scheduled to host four workshops covering the Dhahran Techno Valley system and its support for entrepreneurship, tourism entrepreneurship, fostering diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace, and creative leadership as a cornerstone for success in today’s dynamic business environment.

International and Regional Impact

How does a forum in Dammam resonate beyond Saudi Arabia’s borders? For international observers, investors, and partners, the Women’s Economic Forum 2024 serves as a concrete indicator of the direction and depth of Saudi Arabia’s economic reforms. The participation of experts, officials, academics, and professionals from across the business sector demonstrates that women’s economic empowerment in the Kingdom is being approached as a serious, multi-stakeholder undertaking rather than a symbolic exercise. That matters to global companies evaluating the Saudi market, to institutions considering partnerships with Saudi firms, and to analysts assessing the Kingdom’s human capital trajectory.

Regionally, the forum reinforces the Eastern Region’s position as an economic engine of the Kingdom. Dammam and the surrounding Eastern Province are home to major energy, industrial, and logistics assets, and the Chamber’s work to bring more women into entrepreneurship and leadership complements the region’s industrial base. The emphasis on topics such as tourism entrepreneurship also connects to broader Saudi efforts to diversify regional economies and create employment opportunities in new sectors. In this sense, the forum is both a local capacity-building event and a signal of the Kingdom’s integrated approach to economic development.

Economic and Strategic Significance

Why should the international business community pay attention to the specifics of the forum’s agenda? The four sessions and four workshops were not generic; they targeted the practical mechanics of economic participation. Sessions on the entrepreneurship ecosystem and business sustainability address the real challenges that founders face — access to finance, regulatory navigation, market access, and long-term viability. The focus on training for leadership roles speaks to the pipeline question: how to ensure that qualified women are prepared to step into senior positions as the economy grows.

The workshop on the Dhahran Techno Valley system is particularly notable. Dhahran Techno Valley is an established innovation and technology hub in the Eastern Province, and its inclusion in the forum program links women’s entrepreneurship directly to the Kingdom’s science, technology, and innovation ambitions. Similarly, the workshop on tourism entrepreneurship connects to Saudi Arabia’s rapid expansion of its tourism sector, a strategic priority under Vision 2030. By pairing women’s economic empowerment with these high-growth sectors, the forum helps ensure that women are positioned to participate in — and benefit from — the Kingdom’s most dynamic industries.

Vision 2030 Alignment

How does the Women’s Economic Forum 2024 fit into the larger story of Saudi Arabia’s national transformation? Vision 2030 set out ambitious targets for increasing women’s participation in the workforce and expanding the role of small and medium enterprises in the economy. The forum’s agenda — empowerment, entrepreneurship, sustainability, training, and leadership — maps directly onto those objectives. By convening stakeholders at the regional level and focusing on actionable skills and opportunities, the Eastern Chamber of Commerce and Industry is helping to translate national goals into local results.

Looking ahead, the forum’s eighth edition is likely to be remembered as part of a sustained institutional effort rather than an isolated event. The involvement of Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, the participation of senior Chamber leadership such as Badr bin Suleiman Al-Rizaiza, and the breadth of the program all point to a long-term commitment to women’s economic advancement in the Eastern Region and across the Kingdom. For international readers, the takeaway is clear: Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is being implemented through concrete programs, partnerships, and forums that connect national ambition with regional action — and women are central to that effort. As the Kingdom continues its transformation, initiatives like this forum will remain essential to building a diversified, inclusive, and globally competitive economy.

20 Questions

Q1. What was inaugurated in Dammam on November 19, 2024?

A1. The Women’s Economic Forum 2024 was inaugurated in Dammam by Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, marking the eighth edition of the event organized by the Eastern Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Q2. Who organized the Women’s Economic Forum 2024?

A2. The forum was organized by the Eastern Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI) through its Women’s Empowerment Center, reflecting the Chamber’s ongoing commitment to supporting women’s economic participation in the region.

Q3. Where was the forum held?

A3. The event was held at the Chamber’s headquarters in Dammam, the administrative and commercial hub of Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, attracting experts, officials, academics, and business professionals.

Q4. Who inaugurated the forum?

A4. Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, inaugurated the forum and delivered opening remarks emphasizing the Saudi leadership’s commitment to empowering women across various economic sectors.

Q5. What did the Governor emphasize in his opening remarks?

A5. He highlighted the Saudi leadership’s commitment to empowering women and stressed the importance of economic programs designed to enhance women’s contributions to the national economy.

Q6. How many editions of the forum have been held?

A6. The 2024 forum is the eighth edition, demonstrating the event’s sustained institutional backing and its established role in the Eastern Region’s economic calendar over multiple years.

Q7. Who briefed the Governor on the forum’s objectives?

A7. Badr bin Suleiman Al-Rizaiza, Chairman of the ECCI Board of Directors, briefed the Governor on the forum’s objectives and the key initiatives undertaken by the Chamber to support Saudi women’s empowerment.

Q8. What did the Governor do during the event besides speaking?

A8. He honoured the forum’s sponsors and supporters and toured the exhibition, recognizing the contributions of those supporting women’s economic empowerment in the Eastern Region.

Q9. What were the main topics of the forum’s four sessions?

A9. The sessions covered women’s contributions to Vision 2030 goals, opportunities in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, strategies for business sustainability, and the significance of training in preparing women for leadership roles.

Q10. What workshops are scheduled for the second day?

A10. Four workshops will focus on the Dhahran Techno Valley system and entrepreneurship support, tourism entrepreneurship, diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace, and creative leadership for success in dynamic business environments.

Q11. What is the significance of the Dhahran Techno Valley workshop?

A11. It links women’s entrepreneurship directly to Saudi Arabia’s science, technology, and innovation ambitions, positioning women to participate in high-growth sectors supported by the Kingdom’s innovation infrastructure.

Q12. Why is tourism entrepreneurship included in the program?

A12. Tourism is a strategic priority under Vision 2030, and the workshop connects women’s economic empowerment to the Kingdom’s rapid tourism sector expansion, creating new opportunities for female entrepreneurs.

Q13. How does the forum align with Vision 2030?

A13. The forum’s focus on empowerment, entrepreneurship, sustainability, training, and leadership directly supports Vision 2030 targets for increasing women’s workforce participation and expanding the role of SMEs in the economy.

Q14. What role does the ECCI Women’s Empowerment Center play?

A14. The Center provides training, mentorship, networking, and advocacy to help women launch, scale, and sustain enterprises, serving as the institutional engine behind the annual forum and related initiatives.

Q15. Why is the Eastern Region significant for this forum?

A15. The Eastern Province is a major economic engine of Saudi Arabia, home to key energy, industrial, and logistics assets, making it a fitting location for discussions on women’s economic participation and entrepreneurship.

Q16. How does the forum benefit international observers?

A16. It offers concrete evidence of the depth and direction of Saudi Arabia’s economic reforms, helping global investors, partners, and analysts assess the Kingdom’s human capital development and business environment.

Q17. What kind of participants attended the forum?

A17. The forum featured broad participation from experts, officials, academics, and professionals in economic affairs, focusing on the women’s business sector and related opportunities.

Q18. What does the forum’s longevity indicate?

A18. Eight consecutive editions signal a sustained institutional commitment by the Eastern Region’s business community to women’s economic empowerment, rather than a one-time or symbolic effort.

Q19. How does the forum support business sustainability?

A19. One session specifically addressed strategies for ensuring business sustainability, helping women entrepreneurs understand how to build resilient, long-term enterprises that can weather economic changes.

Q20. What is the broader takeaway of the Women’s Economic Forum 2024?

A20. The forum demonstrates that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is being implemented through concrete regional programs, with women’s economic empowerment positioned as a central driver of the Kingdom’s diversified and competitive future economy.

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