Body formed to increase coordination

Saudi Arabia participated in the Regional Conference for Arab Women in the Maritime Sector with a high-ranking delegation of Saudi women headed by Wijdan Al-Suhaibani, manager of branding and communication at the shipping and freight company Bahri.
The conference is the most prominent event organized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and was held at the headquarters of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria on Oct. 15-19.
The participation of Saudi women in the conference was a major step that reflects the Kingdom’s continued progress and sustained efforts toward achieving gender equality at workplaces and empowering women. It also showed that Saudi women have occupied leadership positions in the public and private sectors.
The event assessed the representation of women in various areas and sectors, including maritime and port administration. In addition, the conference saw the launch of the Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWiMA), a platform to bring together women working in the industry in the region, with a vision that aims at “an effective Arab woman who promotes a strong maritime sector.”
Al-Suhaibani is the chairwoman of the newly formed association, which emphasizes the efficiency and excellence of Saudi women and their ability to play important roles in leading specialized bodies and organizations at all levels — local, regional and international.
“It was an honor to be invited by the IMO to represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at this prestigious conference,” said Al-Suhaibani. “Our nation’s participation in these important events truly reflects the social transformation the country is going through, and more so as we are representing the maritime industry, which has historically been male-dominated.”
The participation of the Saudi delegation at the conference shed light on the practical steps taken by the Kingdom to achieve the ambitious Vision 2030, which envisages increasing the participation of women in the workforce from the present 22 percent to 30 percent.
The conference’s most important recommendations given to the IMO Arab member states included the provision of effective support to the establishment of AWiMA and working on the provision of an appropriate mechanism to help overcome the challenges of implementing the Vision 2030 and aligning its objectives with the goals of sustainable development.