Arabic
Arabic
Skip Navigation LinksEnglish Chamber Service Social Responsibility Sector NewsDetails

  • Railways: 28.5 million tons of goods and minerals shipped in 2024

    19/02/2025

    ​Railways: 28.5 million tons of goods and minerals shipped in 2024​

    Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Logistics Committee, organized a meeting with the CEO of the Saudi Railways Company (SAR), Dr. Bashar bin Khalid Al-Malik, who reviewed the most prominent trends and projects of the company during the coming period, in the presence of the First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors Hamad bin Muhammad Al-Bu Ali and Board Member Muhammad bin Ali Al-Majdouie, and the participation of a significant number of business sector and interested parties, at the Chamber's main headquarters.

    Al-Malik stressed in the meeting, which was held on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, and was moderated by the Chairman of the Logistics Committee in the Chamber, Rakan bin Abdulrahman Al-Atishan, the importance of partnership with the private sector in mobilizing the company's projects according to the highest international standards, pointing to the positivity of the business sector in the Eastern Province in dealing with the circumstances of major projects. The meeting discussed the development work of the Eastern Network by working to increase the capacity, by purchasing 10 new passenger trains with the option of adding 10 additional trains, which will reflect in doubling the capacity by more than three times with the completion of the entry of the new trains into service, while the comprehensive development plans during the coming period will contribute to adding seats of up to one hundred thousand seats, which will contribute to improving the experience of beneficiaries of passenger trains, and achieving the goals of the National Strategy for Transport and Services, Logistics and the aspirations of Saudi Vision 2030, and from the development work carried out by the Dammam-Jubail Railway. Regarding the achievements of freight trains during the year 2024, the meeting reviewed the most prominent achievements, as the quantities shipped reached 28.5 million tons of goods and minerals, an increase of 15% compared to the year 2023, including more than 13 million tons of goods that were transported between the ports of the Eastern Region and the Riyadh Dry Port, where more than 876 thousand containers were transported during these works, and these quantities contributed to removing 2 million trucks from the roads in the Kingdom. During the past year, the transport of containers from the Jubail Commercial Port towards the Riyadh Dry Port was activated, in addition to completing the implementation of the project to transfer the freight train route outside the urban area in Al-Ahsa, which allows greater flexibility for freight shipping operations.

    The company’s achievements in terms of infrastructure over the past few years include linking several facilities in Jubail Industrial City to ports through the Jubail internal network, improving and developing the infrastructure of Ras Al Khair railways, and developing the container storage and delivery area in Jubail. These projects, along with other projects currently being implemented, will contribute to raising the transport capacity to 15.7 million tons of goods from the ports of the Eastern Province to the Riyadh Dry Port by 2053. The meeting also discussed the company's expansion projects, as the freight train's railway line was operated outside the urban area of ​​Al-Ahsa Governorate after the completion of its implementation by the end of 2024, and the network's efficiency was raised by operating the signaling and communications system for the internal Jubail network and the railway line linking the northern and eastern networks "Jubail - Dammam", which serves freight trains with SABIC and Sadara companies and increases their capacity during the first quarter of 2025, in addition to operating the railway in King Fahd Industrial Port during the first quarter of this year, establishing a freight station in Jubail Industrial City, and preparing to implement major strategic projects such as the land bridge and the Gulf link to enhance logistical connectivity and achieve the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to make the Kingdom a global logistical center. The meeting presented several investment opportunities in SAR Company, represented in the commercial, industrial, residential, and logistics sectors within the (Build-Operate-Transfer "BOT") model or through direct leasing, which guarantees long-term returns and safe investments. He also pointed out that SAR Company enjoys distinguished locations near ports, industrial and logistics areas, and major transportation hubs, which facilitates business operations and enhances investment opportunities.


  • 3 billion riyals is the size of the venture capital market in the Kingdom

    19/02/2025

    ​

    The venture capital sector in the Kingdom is worth 3 billion Saudi riyals, recording a remarkable growth of 387% in the total venture capital sector in the last five years, and more than 100 investors participated in supporting the entrepreneurship and emerging technologies sector. The Kingdom also ranked first in terms of the number of investment deals with a number exceeding 178 investment deals, accounting for more than 31% of the total volume of deals in the region.

    The venture capital sector works to stimulate digital transformation and economic prosperity in the Kingdom and contributes to creating new technical and digital job opportunities, improving the quality of life of citizens, and increasing local content by adopting technological solutions with an accelerating social and economic impact.

    This comes within a meeting organized by the Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Eastern Province Youth Business Council, on Wednesday evening, February 5, 2025, in its branch in Qatif, under the title “Empowering Entrepreneurship.. The Role of Investment Funds and Banks in Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises” in the presence of several male and female entrepreneurs, and those interested in small and medium enterprises. During the meeting, it hosted representatives from the Small and Medium Enterprises Bank and the Waed Ventures Investment Fund, to highlight the role of entities in empowering entrepreneurs, review the challenges and opportunities in financing small and medium enterprises, and the importance of partnerships between banks and funds in supporting projects.​
    The Small and Medium Enterprises Bank, established by the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha'at), aims to increase financing provided to the small and medium enterprises sector, bridge the financing gap, enhance the contributions of financial institutions in providing innovative financing solutions, and achieve financial stability for this vital sector to be a fundamental pillar of economic development in the Kingdom and an enabler for achieving Vision 2030. The bank is based on a vision that emphasizes being a fundamental enabler of financing solutions for small and medium enterprises and enhancing their role in the Kingdom's economy, and a mission that works to open financing horizons for small and medium enterprises by providing products and services through innovative digital channels in integration with local and international partners to achieve a sustainable business model by the best international practices. The importance of small and medium enterprises in the national economy comes from the fact that they constitute the largest number in terms of classification among other commercial establishments, and they are considered the actual generator of creating new job opportunities in the private sector, and they contribute to the gross domestic product increasingly as a result of the support programs allocated by development agencies to achieve the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. Small and medium enterprises are also considered a fundamental pillar in supporting innovation and innovative sectors through the flexibility of applying and creating these innovations and promising sectors, and they contribute to the diversification of Local economy sectors.

    The portal is characterized by easy access to appropriate financing, which increases the rate of lending, investment, and economic development, saves time and effort, reduces financing costs, expands the customer base, reaches promising areas, and opens the door to competition between financing agencies to provide appropriate financing offers.
    Wa'ed Ventures, Aramco's private investment arm, with a total value of $500 million, aims to invest in the fields of sustainability, manufacturing, industry, digital services, and social innovation. One of the fund's most important goals is to develop the startup ecosystem in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by studying gaps, whether financial or technological. The artificial intelligence sector was identified as one of the promising sectors that need investment and localization, and the fund adopted a strategy that focuses on investing in the entire value chain.

    As a result, the fund recently announced the allocation of $100 million to invest in global startups focused on artificial intelligence. This decision comes within the framework of the fund's strategy aimed at promoting innovation and economic growth in the Kingdom. Wa'ed has previously led investment rounds in advanced sectors such as quantum computing, where it invested in the French company "Pasqal", one of the most important enablers of the artificial intelligence sector in the future. It also announced last year's investment in "Rebellions", a South Korean chip manufacturing company.

    The fund also shared its vision in a previous statement that its investment in AI is not just a strategic move as venture capital investors, but also a commitment to accelerating the Kingdom’s efforts in the global technology and innovation race.



  • "Industrial Sector Incentives" at the Asharqia Chamber Business Incubator

    19/02/2025

    Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Asharqia Chamber Incubator for Entrepreneurship, organized a meeting on Sunday, February 16, 2025, entitled "Services and Incentives for Entrepreneurs Provided by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources", presented by Eng. Raafat Al-Sarir, Director of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources Branch in Dammam, in the presence of several interested parties and entrepreneurs.

    During the meeting, Eng. Al-Sarir discussed the services provided by the Ministry's branch to investors, the steps for applying for a founding license, licensing requirements, upgrading the license, for establishment or production, license renewal requirements, and industrial license cancellation requirements.

    Al-Sarir confirmed that the industrial base in the Kingdom has witnessed a significant expansion over the past four decades, as the sector has jumped and the number of operating factories has increased from 198 factories in 1974 to more than 12,000 factories at present, and the total domestic product of manufacturing industries has increased significantly from 15 billion to more than 296 billion by the end of 2015.

    Al-Sarir explained that the number of factories in the Eastern Province has currently exceeded 1,785 factories, employing more than 300,000 workers, with a capital exceeding 800 billion riyals.

    Al-Sarir pointed out that the industrial sector contributes to the economic output by creating job opportunities for citizens, increasing the gross domestic product, raising the level of productivity, attracting competencies, raising the national economic growth rate, providing resources to replace imports, and the possibility of the Kingdom becoming an exporting country.

    Al-Sarir also stated that the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources offers many incentive programs for investors and entrepreneurs, most notably the Fourth Industrial Revolution Program, which aims to support 4,000 factories to apply the best global practices, reduce production costs, and enhance efficiency and competitiveness, with a focus on strategic sectors. Al-Sarir indicated that licenses in some industries require approvals from other government agencies, according to the department of jurisdiction in the industry, and they can be viewed by visiting the ministry's website.


  • Al-Owaid: The e-commerce market in the Kingdom is attractive and stimulating

    19/02/2025

    ​Entrepreneur Eng. Ahmed Al-Owaid, founder of the "Reefy" brand, stressed that the e-commerce market in Saudi Arabia is huge and promising, and provides opportunities for growth and expansion. He advised entrepreneurs and young people to start their business activities today, taking advantage of the unlimited support and empowerment from various government incentives, in addition to the size of the market in the Kingdom, demand and supply, from various segments of society, and growth and expansion to the Gulf countries and the Arab world, as consumer behavior is considered similar in the Arab world. This was during the Pioneers Dialogue meeting organized by the Asharqia  Chamber, represented by the Eastern Province Youth Business Council, entitled "Growth and Expansion of Pioneering Projects" on Wednesday evening, February 12, 2025, at the Chamber's headquarters, with the attendance of a remarkable number of entrepreneurs and those interested in small and medium enterprises. During the meeting moderated by Ibrahim Al-Qahtani, founder and creative director of Swing Agency, founder of "Reefy", Eng. Ahmed Al-Awaid, pointed out the importance of diversifying sales channels between branches and the online store, which enhances reliability and credibility, increases the brand's market share, and opens up new opportunities, noting that counterfeit products today no longer represent a problem for investors, but rather increase their market power, as such counterfeit goods cannot keep pace with the continuous development of original goods, and emphasize the quality and credibility of products, in addition to the fact that original goods always gain customer satisfaction, and create a kind of connection between the consumer and the producer of the goods. Al-Awaid explained that what contributes to survival in the labor market is due to the importance of continuous improvement and development, which is what we have been adopting today at "Reefy" since its launch in 2014, and until today, where we have relied on product diversity, acquiring other brands, and innovating new brands, which increased our market share, in addition to creating loyalty, attracting new customers, and reaching new markets. Al-Awaid explained to the attending entrepreneurs that creating the identity of any project does not include the form of the trademark, logo, and colors, but rather the most important thing when creating the identity of any project depends on the product itself, and how it is presented to consumers, and to the commercial market, in terms of quality, efficiency, and type of product, indicating that logos and colors are merely luxuries for the project, and the investor or entrepreneur does not have to focus on them greatly, but rather the most important thing is to focus on the product and develop it.

  • ​Tuesday meeting at the Asharqia Chamber: Establishing the largest livestock project in Hafar Al-Batin

    16/02/2025

    ​Tuesday meeting at the Asharqia Chamber: Establishing the largest livestock project in Hafar Al-Batin

    Asharqia Chamber held its monthly Tuesday meeting for the business sector, which hosted the Director of the Agriculture Department at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture branch in the Eastern Region, Eng. Walid bin Khalid Al-Shuwaird, and witnessed a remarkable presence of specialists and interested parties. The meeting was moderated by the Secretary-General of the Chamber, Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al-Wabil. During the meeting, which was held on Tuesday evening, February 11, 2025, Al-Shuwaird reviewed the importance of agriculture in the Eastern Region and its role in supporting the local economy, and the initiatives and programs of the state, represented by the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and its positive impact on the agricultural sector. He said: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and its affiliated entities are working to consolidate the concepts of sustainable development in all its departments and affairs, and its renewed interest in sustainable development is one of its most important goals and basic initiatives, which seek to exploit renewable natural resources in a way that does not lead to their extinction or deterioration, or a decrease in their usefulness for future generations while maintaining a fixed balance of natural resources that are exploited with rational management, and effective and safe methods at the same time. Al-Shuwaird pointed out that the ministry's branch aims to drive development in the field of livestock and plant wealth, preserve the land and marine environment, raise the efficiency of agricultural methods, and improve agricultural practices to make the most of all available resources in the livestock and plant sector through the integration and synergy of these resources. He said that the number of targeted investment opportunities for the year 2025 amounted to 54 investment opportunities, as 14 opportunities were allocated for agricultural activities, 9 for livestock, 4 for fish wealth, 6 opportunities for parks, 5 opportunities for fishing ports, and 18 for water towers, noting that Al-Ahsa Governorate signed 9 investment contracts, Dammam 15 contracts, Al-Khobar 5 contracts, Jubail 8 contracts, Qatif signed 5 investment contracts, and in Hafar Al-Batin, the ministry signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the largest livestock project.

    ​

  • Asharqia Chamber organizes a workshop to review developments in the investment environment in the Kingdom

    11/02/2025

    ​Asharqia Chamber organizes a workshop to review developments in the investment environment in the Kingdom

    Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Investment and Studies Center, in cooperation with the Ministry of Investment and the Premium Residency Center, organized a workshop on Monday, February 10, 2025, entitled: Developments in the Investment Environment in the Kingdom "New Investment System - Procedures and Facilities - Premium Residency", which witnessed remarkable interest from specialists and interested parties. The workshop addressed the aspirations of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and the objectives of the National Investment Strategy and the initiatives and executive programs emanating from it, which aim to enhance the competitiveness of the investment environment in the Kingdom, especially the regulatory and legislative environment through a comprehensive exclusive system that regulates investment activities by adopting a comprehensive objective system that addresses local and foreign investors alike under clear and flexible regulatory provisions, preserving the rights of investors in their investments and properties and responding to their complaints according to clear and transparent procedures with the aim of accelerating investment procedures for local and foreign investors and removing obstacles that they may face in general, as well as providing investment incentives to investors in order to raise the percentage of foreign investments. The participants discussed some of the principles and fundamentals of the new investment system, which are represented in formulating a unified system that combines the rights and duties of the local and foreign investor in line with international practices, canceling the licensing requirement for the foreign investor and allowing him to practice economic activities, reviewing the restrictions on fair activities by emphasizing the non-competition and crowding of the public sector with the private sector, and granting objective and basic rights to the investor such as protection from expropriation and confidential commercial information and facilitating his administrative procedures. The workshop also referred to the Distinguished Residency System, which aims to enhance the business environment in the Kingdom and attract talent and investors from all over the world, as the system allows foreigners to obtain long-term residency without the need for a sponsor, which provides them with more flexibility and freedom in practicing business. The system includes two types of residency: permanent residency and temporary residency, with multiple advantages including the right to work in the public and private sectors, in addition to the possibility of owning real estate. The Premium Residency System works to provide an attractive and innovative investment environment, as it is an important step towards achieving this, by encouraging the attraction of global competencies and contributing to enhancing economic development. It also helps in creating new job opportunities and enhancing the Kingdom’s competitiveness in the global market, and is expected to contribute to attracting foreign direct investment and increasing economic activity. The workshop was addressed by Fahd bin Abdul Latif Al-Harbi, Senior Legal Officer at the Policy and Legislation Development Agency at the Ministry of Investment, Eng. Walid bin Abdullah Al-Shahri, Director of the Major Investor Relations Department at the Ministry, and Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Aqil, Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Premium Residency Center.​



  • Leaders: “Emotional Intelligence” in Business Helps Family Businesses Grow

    09/02/2025

    ​Leaders: “Emotional Intelligence” in Business Helps Family Businesses Grow.​

    Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Women's Empowerment Center, organized a workshop on Thursday, February 6, 2025, as part of the Leadership Initiative and in cooperation with the National Center for Family Businesses within the Women in Family Business Council, targeting female leaders of family businesses entitled "Professional Emotional Intelligence and Its Role in Career Growth and the Growth of Family Businesses", in the presence of Nouf bint Abdulaziz Al-Turki, a member of the Center's Board of Directors, Aghareed bint Ihsan Abduljawad, a member of the Chamber's Board of Directors, and a remarkable number of specialists and interested women. Nouf Al-Turki, a member of the Center's Board of Directors, said that family businesses have many unique features that make them one of the most important tools for achieving economic development goals, including, for example: focusing on long-term investments, compared to some other types of companies such as listed joint-stock companies that are under pressure to achieve quarterly or annual targets to keep pace with the expectations of investors and analysts. Family businesses are more closely linked to their communities, so you find that there is an umbilical cord linking family businesses to the third sector. As these businesses and their owners are among the most prominent financiers of this sector. Historically, family businesses have played a major role in establishing and leading many sectors. For example, families such as Al Rajhi, Al Subaie, Bin Mahfouz, Al Rashid Al Hamid and others played a major role in establishing the financial sector with the presence of government incentives and supportive legislation.​

    For her part, Aghreed Abduljawad, a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, said that Saudi women have received great attention from our wise government over the past years, which has given them the opportunity to play their role more in the development process, and has taken many decisions that have strengthened their role and increased their involvement in economic work. Today, women play an important and growing role in the business community, and are even the most important figure in the equation of construction and the comprehensive development process that our country is undergoing at all levels, and at the level of family companies. With the increased involvement of women in their boards of directors and leadership positions, comes the importance of understanding emotional intelligence skills, which enable understanding feelings, organizing them, and dealing with them positively, and also enable mastery of communication, possessing professional emotional competence, and getting rid of negative feelings. During the workshop, the speakers discussed the types of emotional intelligence, which include the ability to recognize and understand emotions, manage them effectively, and communicate clearly with others. Research has shown that individuals with a high level of emotional intelligence tend to build better relationships and achieve higher results in work environments. They pointed out that developing emotional intelligence can have positive effects on mental health, as it helps individuals manage stress and conflicts better, enhances leadership skills, and increases the ability to work in a team. Emotional intelligence is also a powerful tool that contributes to improving the quality of life and helps individuals achieve their full potential in various aspects of life. The workshop was attended by lawyer and legal advisor Najla Al-Qadi, Dr. Abeer Rashid, Director of the University Guidance Center at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Sharifa Al-Sudairy, Board Member and Deputy General Manager at Nouf Group Fahad Al-Sudairy, Dana Al-Afaleq, Director of Sustainability and Relations at Al-Kifah Company, Engineer Ayla Al-Shadwi, Marketing Manager at Al-Falak Company, Taghreed Haddadi, Managing Partner at Al-Zamil and Haddadi Law Firm, and Nouf Al-Sudairy, Founder and President of Nouf Group Fahad Al-Sudairy.




  • ​Asharqia Chamber organizes a meeting entitled "How to attract investors to your project

    30/01/2025

    ​Asharqia Chamber organizes a meeting entitled "How to attract investors to your project.

    Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Asahqria Chamber Incubator for Entrepreneurship, organized a meeting entitled "How to Attract Investors to Your Project", in which the Chairman of Tadweer Company and Investment Advisor Hisham Al-Jaber spoke.


    Al-Jaber discussed during the meeting, which was held on Wednesday evening, January 29, 2025, the importance of preparing a comprehensive business plan
    in which the vision and goals are defined, clarifying what is wanted to be achieved in the short and long term, and analyzing the market by studying the target market, competitors and trends, in addition to providing added value through innovation where the product or service differs from competitors, and clarifying the project's ability to meet specific needs or address existing problems.

    Al-Jaber reviewed the strengths of the attraction process by building a team that includes members with strong experience and qualifications that are appropriate for the project, to achieve common goals, and said that attracting investors requires good planning, the ability to communicate, and transparency. As you can increase the chances of the project's success in attracting the required funding.

    Al-Jaber also spoke about several axes, most notably the marketing strategy, transparency in providing information, building a professional network, flexibility and communication with potential investors, and provided them with updates on the project, and attractive offers for investment.


  • Asharqia Chamber organizes a lecture on “Accounting Services for Zakat and Tax in Small Projects

    30/01/2025

    Asharqia Chamber organizes a lecture on “Accounting Services for Zakat and Tax in Small Projects

    Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Women's Empowerment Center, in cooperation with the Saudi Organization for Certified Public Accountants, organized a lecture entitled "Accounting Services for Zakat and Tax in Small Projects" presented by the legal accountant Walid Al-Khalidi at the Jubail branch.


    During the meeting, which was held on Wednesday evening, January 29, 2025, and attended by the Chairman of the Jubail Business Council, Saad Al-Subaie, and the Director of the Authority's branch in Dammam, Ahmed Al-Salem, Al-Khalidi reviewed the importance of accounting services in organizing and managing these obligations effectively, as they work to organize financial data to facilitate tracking revenues and expenses, and improve decision-making so that they provide the necessary information to make strategic financial decisions, and help in adhering to tax and zakat requirements.

    Al-Khalidi referred to specialized accounting services, which include advice on how to calculate zakat and its payment dates, assistance in preparing tax returns and tax planning, and preparing periodic reports that help in monitoring financial performance.

    Accounting services are essential to ensuring the success of small projects, especially with regard to zakat and taxes, as good planning helps improve financial performance and avoid violations and fines.
    It is worth noting that the lecture covered several topics, including: assistance in calculating zakat according to the regulations, preparing the zakat declaration, translating the zakat declaration and tables into Arabic, uploading the zakat declaration and submitting it to the Authority, following up to obtain the zakat certificate, and assistance in responding to the Authority’s inquiries.


  • ​More than 3,000 people benefited from the services of the Women Empowerment Center in the Asharqia Chamber during 2024

    27/01/2025

    ​More than 3,000 people benefited from the services of the Women Empowerment Center in the Asharqia Chamber during 2024


    The Women's Empowerment Center of the Asharqia Chamber continued to achieve achievements, keeping pace with economic events and the growing interest in supporting the activities and initiatives of the business sector, in addition to participating in supporting community activities in the Eastern Province.
    During the past year 2024, the center presented innovative programs aimed at developing skills and enhancing capabilities, allowing businesswomen and young women to participate effectively in the economic and social sectors through qualitative initiatives or strategic partnerships, which contributed to developing women's performance and expanding their role in participating in national development, as the center continued its steps in sponsoring and supporting women's economic empowerment in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
    In light of the great economic movement witnessed by the Kingdom in general and the Eastern Province in particular, the center continued its work in an effort to achieve its vision and mission, which stems from the general direction of the chamber to provide supportive and distinguished services and programs for women in the business sector and enable them to exercise their positive role to be an effective partner in economic development, as the number of beneficiaries of the center's services reached: 3,659 interested men and women.
    The year 2024 was also full of achievements, successes and planning for promising future prospects for women’s empowerment. The center was able to achieve the goals of its plan efficiently and competently, by continuing to implement all its activities represented by holding meetings and organizing meetings with many government officials, economic experts, and owners of successful experiences in entrepreneurship, to provide a comprehensive picture of the dimensions and axes of women’s successful participation in the economic work system, as 25 visits, communication meetings and delegations were held for businesswomen, 18 meetings and programs for the Businesswomen Council, in addition to 19 meetings and programs for the Women’s Workshops and Centers Committee.
    The Women's Empowerment Center was able to achieve tangible results that contributed to improving women's empowerment in various fields, as the center implemented 27 activities within the initiatives and programs to empower women leaders, and 43 copies of specialized and general meetings and lectures, and was able to provide 120 information and advisory services and 241 circulars to contribute to raising awareness of the Chamber's members, and organized 24 meetings and workshops within the activities of the Eastern Chamber's Toastmasters Club for Women. The center concluded its achievements by organizing the eighth edition of the Women's Economic Forum 2024, which was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Province, under the title "Empowering Effective Leadership". It shed light on Saudi women in light of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, opportunities and potentials for entrepreneurship, in addition to the pivotal role of Saudi women in economic development, training and its importance in qualifying women leaders. In keeping with global and local participation, the center was able to implement the activities of International Women's Day with the attendance of 153 women, and participate in organizing the closing ceremony of the activities and events of the Asharqia Chamber "Annual Reception for the Business Sector" which is sponsored and honored by His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, Prince of the Eastern Province, with the attendance of 50 women, including businesswomen, government officials and economists. 
    The center also participated in 20 activities within the community participation programs. It is worth noting that the Women's Empowerment Center of the Asharqia Chamber aims to highlight female leaders and experienced women in the Eastern Province, contribute to raising the level of awareness of businesswomen in economic aspects, create an incubating environment that serves female entrepreneurs and businesswomen, contribute to activating women's participation in the labor market and achieving one of the goals of Vision 2030, and support the participation of women in the Eastern Province in local and international forums. Its responsibilities include monitoring and analyzing national indicators, economic variables, decisions and policies affecting women's participation in development, providing information related to procedures for female business owners to practice economic activities, developing relations between female business owners in the Eastern Province and female business owners in other regions, providing consultations to support women's projects, and working to raise women's competitiveness in the labor market. In addition to identifying investment opportunities available to female business owners and encouraging women's investments in various fields, enhancing the role of female business owners and raising their level of participation in economic development, and working to highlight the role of women and their participation in economic work. It is also interested in establishing partnerships with relevant parties with the aim of empowering women economically, working to form committees and councils for female members of the Chamber to care for their interests, contributing to raising the efficiency of female leaders and human cadres in the Eastern Province, organizing specialized programs to qualify, develop and encourage women's investments, organizing lectures and workshops, hosting officials and holding periodic meetings for female investors.
    ​


    ​

  • Specialist: Freelancing increases the efficiency of financial awareness among individuals

    22/01/2025

    ​Specialist: Freelancing increases the efficiency of financial awareness among individuals


    As part of its efforts to enhance and maximize women's participation in economic development, Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Women's Empowerment Center, organized on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, via video call, a workshop entitled "How to Own Your Freelance Business" in cooperation with the Dalni Business Center affiliated with the Social Development Bank, presented by Business Development Consultant Mustafa Al-Mawafi, in the presence of a number of entrepreneurs and those interested in freelance work.

    In which Consultant Al-Mawafi discussed the concepts and terms of freelance work, the skills of freelancers, areas and platforms for empowerment and financing products, in addition to the method of transforming the skills of attendees into successful businesses by providing them with the tools and knowledge necessary to build projects that meet the needs of the local market and achieve financial independence for them.

    Al-Mawafi stressed to the attendees that the way to start the steps of establishing a freelance business is through adequate preparation with the skills and knowledge necessary for the individual regarding the work he wants to start, determining the financial and cognitive value of the field he wants to enter, and moving towards raising experiences through the advice provided by experts and pioneers in the investment field.

    Al-Mawafi added that it is important for a freelancer to have the skill of time management, because it greatly helps in creating organization, commitment to reach the steps of success, and the skill of building a circle of relationships because it is a basic success engine in starting to enter the labor market.

    Counselor Al-Mawafi pointed out that freelance jobs help in financial awareness, which raises the efficiency of saving for the individual through the different experiences that the individual will go through, in addition to increasing income and various investments that start small and then over time turn into a successful investment project.

    Al-Mawafi also reviewed during the meeting the financing products for freelancers provided by the Social Development Bank, in addition to reviewing the advisory and awareness services and programs in the field of enabling individuals to perform their work and start freelance projects.​



  • Asharqia Chamber wins silver level in King Abdulaziz Quality Award

    21/01/2025

    Asharqia Chamber wins silver level in King Abdulaziz Quality Award

    Al-Rizaiza: The Chamber's victory represents a high national honor and appreciation for its continuous efforts to develop performance and enhance operational efficiency

    The Chairman of the Asharqia Chamber, Badr bin Suleiman Al-Rizaiza, praised the Asharqia Chamber's achievement of the "silver" level among private sector establishments in the seventh session of the King Abdulaziz Quality Award, the results of which were announced on Thursday, January 16, and witnessed the victory of 63 establishments from various sectors. He said: (The Chamber's achievement of this advanced level among the award levels represents a high national honor that all members and employees of the Chamber are proud of, and that it came in appreciation of the continuous efforts pursued by the Chamber to develop performance and enhance operational efficiency, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which outlines the features of a bright future for sustainable economic development), stressing that this honour, which is one of the most prominent and prestigious national awards, reflects the Chamber's firm commitment to the highest standards of institutional excellence and quality in providing services, as well as innovation in meeting the needs of the business sector. Al-Raziza dedicated this achievement to His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, Prince of the Eastern Province, and His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Region, who spare no effort in supporting and sponsoring the Chamber's work, and to the Chamber's partners, members and employees who represent the fruits of this achievement with the values of creativity and innovation that are ingrained in them, reaching the highest levels of excellence in performance, noting that (the award is an incentive for all of us in the Asharqia Chamber to continue the path of leadership and innovation and raise the level of quality of performance, and to place the values of excellence in serving the private sector and keeping pace with the goals of our blessed vision at the forefront of our priorities).

     For his part, the Secretary General of the Asharqia Chamber, Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al-Wabil, expressed his pride and honour in the Chamber obtaining the "silver" level in the results of the seventh session of the King Abdulaziz Quality Award. He said that the Chamber's obtaining this level in the award is the result of the combined efforts between the Board of Directors and the Executive Authority, and the hard work to improve services and excellence in performance. He stressed that the Chamber will continue its policy of institutional innovation and the constant endeavour to provide everything new in the service of the national economy and the business sector in the Eastern Province.

     

    ​ 


  • Experts: Modern technology has transformed the accountant into a strategic decision maker

    16/01/2025

    ​

    Accounting specialists have emphasized the positive impact of modern technology in developing the accounting field, pointing out that technology and its specializations in artificial intelligence have not diminished the importance of the accountant’s work, but rather made him a strategic decision-maker after providing him with analytical tools and data that help him make accounting decisions with greater awareness. The specialists said during a symposium organized by the chamber Chamber represented by the Small and Medium Enterprises Center on Tuesday evening, January 14, 2025, entitled "Cloud Accounting: Challenges and Solutions", in the presence of Board Member and Chairman of the Communications and Technology Committee Nasser bin Rashid Al Bajash Al Hajri, and the participation of a number of entrepreneurs, specialists, and interested parties, that technology did not limit the impact of specialization, but rather contributes to its development and the development of its work mechanism through innovative solutions.

    Director of the Direct Tax Unit at the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, Ramzi Al Omran, confirmed during the symposium moderated by academic and accounting consultant Dr. Khaled Al Ahmari, that the value-added tax system has become in dire need of accounting solutions and cloud computing, as the digital transformation process has facilitated dealing with more than one party, starting with the end consumer, legislative bodies, and ending with supply chains, which necessitated the emergence of a different accounting system that achieves effectiveness and efficiency, especially with electronic invoicing.

    The CEO of the VIS system, Jassim Al Haroun, pointed out the most prominent challenge facing Small and medium enterprises, and entrepreneurs' projects, which is controlling accounting operations and ensuring the accuracy of their data, so cloud accounting solutions have a prominent role in the success and sustainability of commercial activity, as it helps in making appropriate decisions.

    The founder and CEO of Qayoud Program, Abdullah Al-Dael, stated that accounting solutions and cloud computing have many advantages, most notably the speed of performing business, as it is an active tool for saving data and returning to it whenever necessary, in addition to its ability to protect data with high efficiency.

    The founding partner and marketing manager of the Foam Program, Noura Al-Nafeh, explained that the digital transformation witnessed by the accounting sector contributed to the development of services and tools used in it, as it contributed to adding precise specialization to the sector's work, which is headed by customer service, as this contributed to providing radical solutions to the most prominent challenges facing business owners.

    Nasser bin Rashid Al Bajash Al Hajri, a member of the Board of Directors of the chamber Chamber and Chairman of the Communications and Technology Committee, said that in light of the digital transformation currently taking place and with the visions and directions of development in the Kingdom through Vision 2030, the technical revolution in the accounting field came to contribute to the automation of operations, raise efficiency in outputs, and help decision-makers in companies to make appropriate decisions with awareness and more accuracy, and contribute to the success of businesses, especially for small and medium enterprises. It is noteworthy that the symposium included presenting several experiences of entrepreneurs from success stories in accounting projects, and the size of the cloud accounting market. The symposium was accompanied by an exhibition that included more than 20 governmental and private entities that provide cloud accounting services, and it also reviewed the most prominent means of support it provides to entrepreneurs.


  • "Cloud Accounting: Challenges and Solutions" Symposium Brings Together Specialists and Interested Persons in the Asharqia Chamber

    12/01/2025

    ​"Cloud Accounting: Challenges and Solutions" Symposium Brings Together Specialists and Interested Persons in the Asharqia  Chamber

    The Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Small and Medium Enterprises Center, is organizing a symposium and exhibition "Cloud Accounting: Challenges and Solutions" to shed light on the future of cloud accounting with innovative solutions, with the participation of entrepreneurs and those interested in medium and micro enterprises on the evening of Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at the Chamber's main headquarters.

    The symposium will discuss the experiences of entrepreneurs from success stories in accounting projects, automation of financial operations and tax compliance, and technology in customer service, with the participation of four speakers who will highlight the challenges and solutions in cloud accounting, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the Social Development Bank, the Saudi Organization for Certified Public Accountants, and the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, for entrepreneurs in an open dialogue in front of the audience, in addition to an accompanying exhibition that includes more than 20 government agencies and emerging companies in the field of cloud accounting.

    The symposium will witness the participation of Ramzi Omran, Director of the Direct Tax Unit at the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, Abdullah Al-Dayel, Founder and CEO of Qoyoud Program, Jassim Al-Haroun, CEO of the VIA System, and Noura Al-Nafeh, Co-Founder and Marketing Director of the Voom Program, and will be managed by academic and accounting consultant Dr. Khaled Al-Ahmari. The "Cloud Accounting: Challenges and Solutions" symposium and exhibition comes within the objectives of the Small and Medium Enterprises Center by transforming small and medium enterprises into large enterprises through systematic programs and activities and encouraging investment through training programs, forums and exhibitions specialized in this field, in addition to developing the spirit of initiative for self-employment among Saudi youth.


  • His Excellency the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development meets the business sector in the Asharqia Chamber

    29/12/2024

    ​His Excellency the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development meets the business sector in the Asharqia Chamber​.

    His Excellency the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Eng. Ahmed bin Suleiman Al-Rajhi, met today, Tuesday, December 24, 2024, with the business sector in the Eastern Province, at the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce in the region, and was received by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Asharqia Chamber, Badr bin Suleiman Al-Rizaiza, where His Excellency listened to the most prominent challenges facing them and the proposals and future opportunities to support the private sector and entrepreneurs. At the beginning of the meeting, His Excellency reviewed the most prominent indicators of the labor market strategy, which consists of 28 initiatives supporting the development of the labor market and enhancing its attractiveness and level of global competitiveness, and the achievements made during the period from 2019 to 2024; The number of Saudis working in the private sector jumped from 1.7 million to 2.4 million, and the economic participation rate of women in the labor market increased from 17% to 35%, exceeding the Saudi Vision 2030 target of 30%, reflecting the efficiency of Saudi women in the labor market, in addition to aligning skills and values ​​with current and future market needs through the launch of 13 sectoral skills councils, as the sectoral skills council recently joined the cybersecurity sector, and His Excellency praised the support of the private sector in promoting development and the labor market strategy. 
    His Excellency Al Rajhi stressed that the Kingdom is witnessing economic and social transformations driven primarily by the Saudi youth element, noting entrepreneurship and the launch of young people in self-employment to manage their own projects, in light of the growth of small and medium enterprises in creative and innovative ways; which enhances competitiveness in the market. Following that, an open dialogue took place between His Excellency the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and the business sector in the region, and the heads of the sectoral committees at the Asharqia Chamber, to raise questions and listen to and discuss the proposed proposals. His Excellency praised the role of the business sector in investing in available economic opportunities, providing more job opportunities for national cadres and investing in their capabilities.
    The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Asharqia Chamber, Badr bin Suleiman Al-Rizaiza, extended his thanks and great gratitude to His Excellency the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Eng. "Ahmed bin Suleiman Al-Rajhi", and the entire Ministry's work team, for the efforts, giving and constructive contributions provided by the Ministry that established a competitive work environment and an attractive labor market.
    He said that achieving comprehensive development is linked in one of its most important aspects to the extent of ensuring the improvement and raising of the efficiency of the work environment and increasing the flexibility and competitiveness of the market and raising its attractiveness in line with the best international practices.
    He pointed out the initiatives and programs provided by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, saying that they contributed to creating an attractive and enabling work environment for establishments and workers alike, which increased their competitiveness and attractiveness regionally and globally, and had the greatest impact in bringing about fundamental changes that reflected positively not only on private sector institutions and their gains, but also on the national economy as a whole. Al-Rizaiza stressed the policies adopted by the state to support and enhance the roles of the business sector, as it has played its roles and confirmed its presence in the sustainable development process, and appreciated the great efforts in this regard made by the state, represented by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.​


    ​

© All Rights Reserved for Asharqia Chamber