GLMC 2026: First Day Witnesses Over 45 Agreements And High-Level International Participation

Riyadh: The first day of the third edition of the Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) concluded in Riyadh with high-level international participation, bringing together more than 40 labor ministers and senior international officials, alongside leading labor experts, executives, and academics from around the world.

The opening day witnessed the signing of more than 45 memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements among a wide range of entities, aimed at creating thousands of training and employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia and participating countries. The agreements spanned several strategic themes, including the advancement of modern and future work models through partnerships between the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and platforms such as Bayt.com and Shiftat to expand flexible and digital employment opportunities. Another key focus was skills development and capacity building, through collaboration with specialised institutions including the Financial Academy and the Saudi Retail Academy to equip national talent in line with evolving labor market needs.

Several agreements also centred on leveraging advanced technologies and artificial intelligence across labor market systems, including future-of-work initiatives with the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) to support smart employment and training solutions. In addition, sector-based partnerships were strengthened to better link training pathways with real job opportunities through cooperation with government entities such as the Ministry of Sport and the General Entertainment Authority to expand career prospects in high-growth sectors. Institutional cooperation and knowledge exchange also featured prominently, including an agreement between Takamol Holding and the International Association of Exhibitions and Events, contributing to operational excellence and the development of sustainable labor market ecosystems at both the local and international levels.

The day also featured a high-level Ministerial Roundtable chaired by Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development of Saudi Arabia, with the participation of 40 labor ministers. The meeting concluded with consensus on six priority actions: strengthening skills recognition and portability by enabling mobility across sectors and borders. Guiding the responsible use of artificial intelligence in labor market systems through transparent governance and oversight. Adapting social protection systems to support mobility and career transitions by ensuring protections move with workers. Strengthening the use of data and analytics to actively connect individuals with opportunities and support job matching and skills development. Advancing workforce planning to anticipate disruption by preparing employment systems to respond to economic shocks and structural shifts. Improving pathways to first employment and re-entry into the labor market by enabling routes that connect individuals to meaningful opportunities for growth and progression.

The first day also included a ministerial session titled “High-Impact Sectors as Drivers of Job Creation”, where ministers and global leaders discussed the role of targeted public policies, strategic investments, and strengthened collaboration between governments, the private sector, and development institutions in unlocking employment opportunities across both established and emerging sectors.

Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, highlighted tourism as one of the world’s largest job-creating sectors, contributing approximately 10 percent of global GDP and supporting nearly 370 million jobs worldwide. He noted that women account for around 45 percent of the sector’s workforce globally, while the sector is also highly attractive to youth, underscoring its importance for inclusive participation. He emphasised how Saudi Vision 2030 has enabled the development of new tourism segments, including education-linked tourism and cultural tourism, and outlined the Ministry of Tourism’s role in preparing Saudi youth for career pathways in the sector through major investments in training and development programs. He added that the Kingdom aims to create between 400,000 and 600,000 new jobs in hospitality, with a strong focus on equipping young people with the skills needed for long-term career growth.

His Excellency Bandar Al Khorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia, underscored the role of governments in shaping future-ready labor markets by establishing effective regulatory frameworks, supporting the adoption of advanced technologies, and ensuring education systems promote lifelong learning, upskilling, and reskilling. He also highlighted the critical role of the private sector in providing supportive work environments and on-the-job training, noting that global competitiveness depends on close public-private collaboration. In this context, he pointed to the launch of a new occupational and skills framework for the mining and industrial sectors, which covers more than 500 professions and defines the competencies required for each, strengthening training systems and aligning workforce capabilities with labor market demand.

Prof. Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of Labour and Social Security of the Republic of Türkiye, emphasised the continued importance of the manufacturing sector in driving economic growth at both national and global levels, while stressing the need to promote decent, fair, and sustainable work and address informal employment.

Her Excellency Hind Kabawat, Minister of Social Affairs and Labour of the Syrian Arab Republic, addressed labor market challenges in post-conflict recovery phases, including the return of displaced populations, noting that while these challenges are significant, they also present opportunities to harness the skills and experience gained by returnees abroad.

The program also featured a series of sessions organized around three core themes: global trade shifts and their impact on industries, jobs, and skills demand; the emerging skills ecosystem and innovative models for training, mobility, and talent reallocation to bridge skills mismatches; and artificial intelligence and work, examining AI’s evolving impact on job quality, workforce structures, and opportunity distribution.

A number of high-profile side events were also held, including the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the “Musaned” platform and its transformative impact on the domestic labor sector in line with Vision 2030 objectives. The conference also launched the World Bank report “What Works for Work,” a practical solutions guide drawing on lessons from more than 100 successful labor programs implemented across diverse national contexts, highlighting scalable models with proven impact.

Conference activities will continue on the second day with sessions focusing on three main areas: the realities of informal economies and pathways to balance protection, productivity, and flexibility; strengthening workforce resilience to crises through adaptive labor systems and rapid redeployment mechanisms; and aligning labor markets with continuous progress by redefining success around job quality, wellbeing, and inclusive growth.

The third edition of the GLMC is organised by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, building on the success of its previous editions. The conference serves as a global platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and innovative solutions addressing key labor market challenges such as youth unemployment, workforce mobility, and the equitable integration of technology, while advancing collaborative approaches to building resilient and inclusive labor markets worldwide.