Council of Economic and Development Affairs Holds Meeting
The Council of Economic and Development Affairs held a meeting via video conference. At the beginning of the meeting, the council reviewed the Ministry of Economy and Planning's quarterly economic report, which included an analysis of the latest developments in major economies, the outlook for the global economy, a comprehensive overview of the national economy across its various sectors, future projections, and the key assumptions and drivers supporting growth prospects. It noted that the Kingdom's economy continued its strong growth, driven by the positive performance of all economic activities.
The council also reviewed the state budget performance report for the third quarter of the fiscal year 2025, submitted by the Ministry of Finance. This report detailed the financial performance up to the end of the third quarter of the current year, including revenue, expenditure, and public debt indicators. The report's findings confirm the continued support for development and service projects, the implementation of government reforms aimed at achieving fiscal sustainability, and the diversification of income sources within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030.
The council discussed the Ministry of Health's report on progress in the health transformation process, particularly regarding the completion of regulatory and operational requirements and the readiness to begin implementing the second phase of the transformation. This phase aims to empower the Health Holding Company and the Center for National Health Insurance as key pillars in restructuring the health sector. The report reviewed the objectives of the health transformation and the most prominent steps taken to implement it during the past period, including developing the healthcare model and expanding the application of its preventive and curative pathways. This has contributed to improving access to services, raising the quality and efficiency of healthcare, and enhancing prevention against health risks, in line with the objectives of the Health Sector Transformation Program within Saudi Vision 2030.
The progress made in adopting the draft regulations for healthcare institutions joining the Center for National Health Insurance network was also reviewed. These regulations, once finalized, will define the framework for healthcare institutions and clusters to join the network and regulate their relationship with the center. This will enable the center to manage an integrated, results-based healthcare network, ensuring quality healthcare, facilitating access for beneficiaries, increasing their satisfaction, guaranteeing the effectiveness and sustainability of healthcare, and optimizing resource utilization to enhance the efficiency of the healthcare system in the Kingdom.
The council reviewed the joint presentation from the ministries of education, economy and planning, and human resources and social development regarding professional accreditation and a study of professional licenses. The presentation addressed the progress of the professional accreditation program in implementing Cabinet Resolution No. 195, which ensures that expatriate workers possess the qualifications, skills, and practical experience required by the Saudi labor market, both before and after entering the Kingdom through the professional verification track. The aim is to regulate the entry of expatriate workers, improve the quality of labor market data, and enhance the skill level of the workforce. The presentation also included the results of a study on organizing and standardizing professional licensing procedures in the Kingdom, which will improve labor market data and enhance the efficiency and quality of services provided.
The council reviewed the semi-annual presentation submitted by the Human Capability Development Program and the Ministry of Media regarding the progress of the Saudipedia. The presentation addressed the encyclopedia's development since its launch across multiple languages, the growing audience seeking encyclopedic content, and efforts to enhance the user experience through artificial intelligence applications to provide information. It also outlined the encyclopedia's future steps to expand its reach to an international audience and to improve operational efficiency, reflecting the Kingdom's progress across all areas and solidifying its position as a reliable source, thereby strengthening trust between the encyclopedia and its users. The presentation noted a 20% increase in the encyclopedia's visibility on search engines during September and October, compared to July and August, as well as a more than 70% increase in audience engagement with the website, which is 10% higher than the previous period.
The council also reviewed several procedural matters, including the draft law for the National Curriculum Center, the national insurance sector strategy, the Kingdom's objectives for the football system, and the draft document on geographical scopes for non-Saudi property ownership.
The council reviewed other reports and presentations on its agenda, including a study on the feasibility of establishing specialized professional programs in infection prevention and control, the results of a field survey measuring the development of food loss and waste rates in the Kingdom, and a study on implementing cognitive development tests for health programs in the Kingdom.
The council was also briefed on the results of the quarterly report on the real estate price index, the semi-annual reports on government entities' electricity and water consumption, the monthly executive summary of foreign trade, summaries of the monthly consumer price index and wholesale price index reports, and the underlying reports on which these summaries were based.
The council adopted the necessary decisions and recommendations regarding these matters.
