Saudi Arabia participated in the Regional Conference for Arab Women in Maritime Sector through a high-ranking delegation of Saudi women goinged by Ms. Wijdan Al-Suhaibani, Manager of Branding and Communication at Bahri. The meeting is one of the most famous occasion arranged by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and was held at the headquarters of the Arab Academy for Science, Modern Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria, Egypt, from 15-19 October 2017.

The involvement of Saudi women in the meeting was a major step that shows Saudi Arabia's ongoing progression and sustained efforts toward attaining gender equal rights at workplaces and equipping females. It also revealed that Saudi ladies have actually inhabited leadership positions in the general public and private sectors and they now represent, similar to men, the skilled and trained nationwide competencies that make active payments to progressing the nationwide economic situation and coming to be a noticeable visibility within the lasting advancement system inning accordance with the Saudi Vision 2030.

The event assessed and pondered the representation of females in numerous locations and industries including maritime and port managements. On top of that, the seminar also saw the launch of the Arab Women in Maritime Association (AWiMA), a platform to bring together the ladies working in various markets of the industry in the region and with a vision that targets at an effective Arab woman who promotes a strong maritime sector. The head of the Saudi delegation, Ms. Wijdan Al-Suhaibani, won the presidency of the recently created Organization, which emphasizes the effectiveness and excellence of Saudi females and their capability to play crucial functions in leading specialized bodies and organizations in all levels - local, regional and international.

" It was an honor to be invited by IMO to stand for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at this prestigious meeting. Our nations participation in these essential events really mirrors the social transformation the nation is going through and more so as we are representing the maritime industry, which has actually traditionally been male-dominated," said Ms. Wijdan Al-Suhaibani, head of the Saudi delegation, President of the Arab Women in Maritime Association on this occasion.

The participation of the Saudi Arabian delegation at the Regional Seminar for Arab Female in the Maritime Sector clarified the useful actions taken by the Kingdom to achieve the enthusiastic Vision 2030, which envisages boosting the engagement of women in the workforce from the present 22 percent to 30 percent.

The conferences most important suggestions given to the IMO Arab member states included the stipulation of effective support to the facility of Arab Female in Maritime Association and dealing with the provision of an appropriate device to assist get rid of the challenges of implementing the Saudi Vision 2030 and straightening its objectives with the objectives of sustainable development consisting of dealing with the liable authorities in member states to guarantee adherence to the success of sustainable advancement purposes, especially those related to the maritime sector, and urging the engagement of women in all degrees of education, training and maritime research, in addition to promoting efforts to hire females in this market in accordance with the purposes of sustainable development.

AWiMA's mission is to urge and empower the Arab woman through boosting her professional abilities and highlighting her efficient role in the maritime sector. Its goals include enhancing national and regional recognition of the role of Arab females as resources for the maritime industry, reinforcing participation networks among Arab females in the port and maritime sectors on the local, regional and global degrees, constructing national and regional ability via equitable top quality education and lifelong knowing possibilities for the Arab lady, increasing employment possibility for Arab women at the high monitoring levels of the associated sectors in maritime transportation, establishing collaborations and cooperation with nationwide maritime administrations, regional entities, UN firms and the private sector and strengthening the mechanisms for implementation of global partnerships of sustainable development particularly the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Growth.