DAMMAM, 18 May 2008 — The Saudi government gives top priority to human resource development of its citizens, Prince Jalawi ibn Abdul Aziz ibn Musaed, governor of the Eastern Province, stated yesterday.
“The Kingdom considers its citizens as the be-all and end-all of its development. Without them the development has no meaning,” he said while opening a human resource development forum.
Organized by Asharqia Chamber in association with Saudi Electricity Company and Saudi Human Resources Development Society in Dammam, the forum is being attended by nearly 700 delegates.
“Cultural and educational development of human resources is a major challenge in the Arab world,” the prince said, adding that such development programs must be carried out with a futuristic vision.
The deputy governor stressed the importance of carrying out human resources development programs in an organized and systematic manner.
Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid, chairman of the chamber’s board of directors, spoke about the competition in human resource field caused by the World Trade Organization. “Strategic human resource development is a goal which has no other choice,” he said and urged the private sector to play a vital role in this important venture.
Ahmed Al-Dubaikhi, head of SEC in the province, also emphasized the need to focus on human resource development, saying countries who showed negligence in the area remained backward.
“Investment in human resources is the best investment of nations,” he added.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Sahli, president of the Prize for Best Working Atmosphere, said 10 Saudi companies won the prize last year, adding that effort for human resource development was one of the criteria to win the prize.
“There was 70 percent job satisfaction in companies that contested to win the prize,” he added.
