Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has underscored Pakistan’s potential to export skilled labour to Saudi Arabia, aligning with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 development goals. Speaking at the Emerging Market Economies Conference in AlUla, Aurangzeb highlighted the growing opportunities for Pakistan to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation.
“We see significant potential for exports from Pakistan, particularly in skilled labour, to meet Saudi Arabia’s requirements for executing Vision 2030,” Aurangzeb stated. He added, “There are numerous opportunities for both countries to collaborate and strengthen their partnership.”
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aims to diversify the Kingdom’s economy by reducing its dependence on oil and boosting sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism. This ambitious initiative has created a rising demand for skilled workers, a gap Pakistan aims to fill.
With over two million Pakistanis already employed in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom remains a key source of remittances for Pakistan. While the majority of Pakistani workers in Saudi Arabia are currently engaged in blue-collar jobs, the demand for skilled labour is expected to grow as the Kingdom modernises its economy.
To capitalise on this opportunity, Pakistan’s Ministry of Education and Professional Training is developing a new education policy aimed at training at least one million young people annually in technical skills tailored for employment in the Gulf region, including Saudi Arabia.
In addition, the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has proposed a partnership with the Pakistani government to provide training programmes that equip Pakistani youth with “modern and relevant skills” required by the Saudi job market, according to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office.
This collaboration aligns with both nations’ goals of fostering economic growth and strengthening bilateral ties, while also addressing the evolving needs of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative.
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