Global Labour Market Leadership Saudi Arabia

The third edition of the Global Labor Market Conference is scheduled in Riyadh on January 26–27 under the theme "Future in Progress." The event highlights Saudi Arabia’s role in the G20 and the region, as the country works to turn labor market challenges into sustainable development opportunities through global dialogue and technical cooperation.

Across two days, the Global Labor Market Conference will examine six major themes. Discussions will address technological change and artificial intelligence, new skill needs, conditions of informal workers, and workforce resilience. Sessions will also look at how labour markets can keep pace with continuous progress across diverse economies and social contexts worldwide.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development aims to shift the Global Labor Market Conference from a yearly meeting into a continuous action platform. The ministry follows up on recommendations, tracks the execution of outcomes, and coordinates with local and international partners, ensuring that conference decisions connect with actual labour policies and programmes.

The Global Labor Market Conference also acts as a platform for joint reports and initiatives with United Nations agencies, including the World Bank Group. These collaborations work on shared views about youth economic empowerment and on "promoting professional inclusion for target groups," while offering frameworks that guide young people towards qualification and employment programmes suited to different economic and social realities.

A major outcome of the Global Labor Market Conference is the Global Labor Market Academy, which operates as a training and development arm. The academy strengthens the competitiveness of national talent and prepares individuals for regional and international opportunities through specialised learning tracks delivered with technical partners and global experts connected to the conference agenda.

The Global Labor Market Academy is one of the conference’s leading initiatives. Its first edition was launched in January 2025, followed by a second edition in January 2026, with participation from 50 countries to date. The academy is delivered through a strategic partnership between the Global Labor Market Conference, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the World Bank, and Takamol Holding, and aims to reach more than 75 countries between 2025 and 2028. With more than 200 international speakers and 40 ministers expected at the Global Labor Market Conference, representing governments and major international and economic organisations, organisers expect the third edition, beginning on January 26, to provide broader backing for these initiatives and add further policy focus on labour market resilience and inclusion.

With inputs from SPA