Labor policies and localization of jobs among main topics for REF 2013

(MENAFN- Arab News) The 6th Riyadh Economic Forum (REF-2013) will tackle, among other issues, five main topics, including the financial and administrative corruption, its impact and ways of checking it, and labor policies and localization of jobs in the private sector in the Kingdom. The high-profile event, under the aegis of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will be held on Dec. 9-11. It will also discuss "Water as a strategic resource for sustainable development." It will deal with problems in the construction sector and ways to handle it. The forum will explore ways of improving the role of small and medium enterprises (SME) in the national economy. "All these reflect the interest of the national economy and suggest specific mechanisms for their implementation," said Saad Al-Muajjal, chairman of REF's board trustees. At his press conference on Tuesday at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), Al-Muajjal told a media conference that 536 economic experts participated in 46 meetings and 19 panel discussion to come out with 25-30 recommendations. The event was attended by a large number of the RCCI board of directors and REF's trustees in addition to representatives of various media. He said that the last five previous sessions have given a strong impetus to the upcoming forum that would enable it to achieve the national goals and objectives that would also tackle the obstacles and challenges facing the national economy. The event will also discuss ways of restructuring the national economy in line with global developments, which requires us to develop local standards and regulations that are compatible with these new developments, Al-Muajjal observed. He added that the upcoming agenda for the forum is important as it includes the previous forum's recommendations that prompted King Abdullah to forward them to the Supreme Economic Council for discussion. He had also advised the concerned governmental authorities to apply what is needed for implementation. He pointed out that among the most important of those recommendations was with regard to the development of justice systems, transportation and in the field of education making the REF one of the most important centers of economic decision-making support in the Kingdom. Ahmed Al-Shmaimeri, REF secretary general, said that the forum is not an executive body but it is a point of research that places its studies and recommendations before the decision-maker. The forum's concern is to see that issues of public concern are discussed among experts and specialists in various fields before they come out with their recommendations that would be used by the government agencies for study and implementation according to the needs of government agencies. He added: "We are considering recommendations. We do not say that this is the result of the forum; our main objective is to serve our country without propaganda."