RIYADH: Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) is focusing on an integrated program aimed at providing a conducive environment for local and foreign investors in Saudi Arabia and boost national competencies, according to a top official.

Abdul Mohsen Al-Majnooni, CEO for Strategic Initiatives at SAGIA, made this announcement, while commenting on the success of the recent Saudi-US Investment Forum in Washington.

He said that SAGIA is also looking at ways of providing skilled national employees to suit the needs of foreign firms, licensed by the authority.

Al-Majnooni said that interactions with the US companies brought out their interest in SAGIA’s programs and its efforts to localize national competencies in projects affiliated to the authority.

The program will include more than 250 graduates of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Foreign Scholarship scheme currently studying in US universities in its first year in a variety of disciplines that go along with the operations and activities of these international companies.

Al-Majnooni said that the program and its objectives would strengthen the integrated investment scheme announced by the authority recently,

He stressed that the program will include all countries being targeted by the scholarship scheme. Saudi universities are also part of this initiative.

Various localization programs undertaken by several government agencies and major national companies in the Kingdom will also be boosted by SAGIA’s efforts.