Riyadh, 28 Sha’ban 1447 AH, corresponding to 16 February 2026 AD (Kamran Raja): His Excellency the Minister of Media, Mr. Salman bin Yousef Al-Dossari, affirmed that the Kingdom is steadily progressing in building its achievements within a framework focused on creating impact and establishing sustainability, based on confidence in accomplishment. He pointed out that the royal decrees issued last week appointing national leaders embody the approach of empowering competencies and continuing the development process. Furthermore, in continuation of the approach of giving and generosity, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may God protect him, approved the launch of the sixth edition of the National Campaign for Charitable Work through the “Ihsan” platform on the third of Ramadan.
This came at the beginning of His Excellency’s remarks during the government press conference, held by the Ministry of Media in its thirty-second edition in Riyadh, to discuss the most prominent developments and achievements of the Kingdom, with the participation of His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing, Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, who addressed the transformation journey of the non-profit sector within the municipalities and housing system. His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, President of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), highlighted ways to facilitate charitable work during the holy month of Ramadan. Regarding the Kingdom’s care for the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors, His Excellency the Minister of Media explained that the number of Umrah pilgrims from abroad has grown from 8.5 million in 2019 to more than 18 million in 2025. He also noted the increase in pilgrim satisfaction from 80% to 94% during the same period, exceeding the targets of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, as a result of developing more than 90 initiatives to serve the pilgrims. He added that operational preparations for the Ramadan season at the Two Holy Mosques have been completed within a comprehensive plan operating at maximum capacity to enhance operational efficiency and provide a safe and convenient experience.
Regarding media affairs, His Excellency stated: “The fifth edition of the Saudi Media Forum was honored by the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may God protect him, and by the commendation of the Council of Ministers. This achievement underscores the Kingdom’s leadership and growing influence on the global media landscape, reaching over 5 billion international media impressions. The forum featured more than 300 experts from over 20 countries and launched over 12 initiatives to support media innovation. It also set a Guinness World Record for the largest media event in the world, attracting over 65,000 visitors.” His Excellency the Minister of Media further noted that the Council of Ministers’ approval of the National Policy for the Arabic Language reinforces its status as a language of identity, a vessel of culture, and a tool for knowledge and development. He explained that this policy strengthens the presence of Arabic in legislation, the economy, and education, ensuring its role in the future of smart technologies and data processing globally.
Continuing the Kingdom’s long-standing commitment to humanitarian aid, the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen, under the directives of the leadership, was announced. -May God support it- Launching 28 new development projects and initiatives worth 1.9 billion riyals, including a grant for oil derivatives to operate power plants, in addition to supporting the health, energy, education and transportation sectors in various Yemeni governorates; confirming the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting the sisterly Republic of Yemen and supporting opportunities for recovery and sustainable development. His Excellency the Minister of Information said: “The development path in the Kingdom is built on a deep reading of the present opportunities, and directing the compass towards projects with the greatest economic return, to accelerate achievement and maximize impact, accompanied by growing empowerment of the private sector and a focus on highly efficient projects.” In this context, he pointed to the conclusion of the fourth edition of the Public Investment Fund and Private Sector Forum in Riyadh, with the participation of more than 13,000 representatives and officials from the public and private sectors from the Kingdom and the world, and the presence of more than 100 companies from the Public Investment Fund portfolio.
He added that the forum witnessed the signing of more than 135 memoranda of understanding with a total value of 60 billion riyals, contributing to spending on local content, localization of supply chains, development of local capabilities and industries, and infrastructure. The Kingdom also witnessed the conclusion of the third edition of the World Defense Show 2026, which attracted over 137,000 visitors and featured 1,500 exhibitors from 90 countries. The value of purchase contracts reached 33 billion riyals, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing position as a global hub for defense industries and its efforts to localize advanced technologies. In the telecommunications sector, His Excellency the Minister of Media stated that the sector will provide more than 406,000 jobs by the end of 2025, compared to 250,000 jobs in 2018. This indicator reflects the success in building a diverse and sustainable human and technological capital base. With a cumulative growth rate of 80%, the size of the communications and information technology market is expected to reach approximately 190 billion riyals by 2025, confirming the fundamental transformation and ongoing investments in digital infrastructure.
In the same context, His Excellency reviewed the developmental developments witnessed by a number of sectors. In the industrial sector, he indicated that the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program signed five new renewable energy projects with investments exceeding 9 billion riyals within the sixth phase of the National Renewable Energy Program. He pointed out that the Dawadmi wind project recorded the lowest global cost for electricity production from wind energy, and the capacities offered until the end of 2025 amounted to about 64 gigawatts. “Modon” also signed industrial and logistics investments exceeding 8.8 billion riyals on an area exceeding 3.3 million square meters, while the number of existing industrial facilities reached approximately 13,000 facilities with total investments of 1.22 trillion riyals, and the value of credit facilities provided by the Saudi Export-Import Bank since its establishment reached 115 billion riyals until the end of last year. Reaffirming its commitment to empowering citizens in the labor market and enhancing the quality of healthcare, His Excellency stated that the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has enabled nearly 100,000 beneficiaries of social security by the end of November 2025 through employment programs, economic support, productive projects, training, and workshops. This transformation aims to improve the quality of life for eligible families. The Ministry has also increased the Saudization rates for Saudi men and women in several specialized professions to levels reaching 70%, thereby diversifying job opportunities and increasing citizen participation in the private sector.
In the healthcare sector, His Excellency explained that the number of registered healthcare practitioners by the end of 2025 exceeded 800,000, representing an annual growth rate of over 8%. Furthermore, the Saudi Board graduated more than 5,500 physicians in 2025, the largest cohort in its history. The Health Insurance Authority also launched the National Insurance Sector Strategy to enhance market efficiency, protect beneficiaries’ rights, and improve the quality of care. After that, His Excellency the Minister of Information answered the journalists’ questions. In a question about how the ministry deals with misleading news and rumors on social media, he explained that the General Authority for Media Regulation is doing its part in implementing the laws and regulations that are approved. He added, “The majority of the circulating content is positive,” emphasizing that if any misleading information or rumors are found, the regulations will be applied to those responsible. He stressed that reliance is not only on the Ministry’s efforts but also on the awareness of the Saudi people, which he consistently sees as being at the highest levels.
In response to a question about whether celebrations and events would be held to mark the approaching Founding Day, His Excellency explained that Founding Day is a deeply rooted national occasion in the hearts of every Saudi man and woman. It commemorates the legacy of the forefathers who, nearly three centuries ago, laid the foundations of this blessed nation based on monotheism, justice, and serving Islam and peace throughout the world.
His Excellency the Minister of Media stated, “This year’s celebration, coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, will be imbued with a spirit that resonates with the blessed month through high-quality programs and products presented by the Ministry of Culture, alongside educational initiatives that enhance awareness of our history and national identity, and reinforce pride in our historical depth and shared responsibility in continuing this blessed journey.”
For his part, His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing, Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, affirmed that the generous donation from His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may God protect him, has allocated one billion riyals, a clear message that investing in human capital is a strategic choice and that family stability is a national priority within the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
His Excellency explained that the partnership with the non-profit sector has witnessed a qualitative transformation, contributing to the expansion of support and services. He noted that the system now includes more than 313 non-profit organizations, with over 345,000 volunteers, and has achieved results including providing housing support to more than 106,000 individuals and protecting more than 200,000 from homelessness. He added that community partnerships have recorded contributions exceeding 3.8 billion riyals since 2021, and have surpassed the 2025 park targets by establishing 71 parks compared to the targeted 33. He pointed out the implementation of more than 300 development initiatives providing over 1,000 services, the empowerment of 100 non-profit entities, and the activation of supervisory units in 17 municipalities, in addition to the establishment of the Rent Support Program, which has supported 6,600 families were assisted during the year. His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing stated that 1.4 million volunteers have been registered over the past five years, fostering a culture of giving. The Ministry has worked to empower families and improve housing through programs for home rehabilitation and restoration, enhancing neighborhood efficiency, and providing solutions to support economic independence and skills development.
Regarding the “Jood Housing” platform, Minister Al-Haqil explained that it began serving 100 families and has evolved into a national initiative serving more than 50,000 families across the Kingdom. He noted that the number of donors has exceeded 4.5 million, with total contributions exceeding 5 billion riyals since 2021.
His Excellency also mentioned the launch of the “Jood Honoring the Deceased” platform, a humanitarian system aimed at streamlining procedures, preserving the dignity of the deceased, and supporting their families. He explained that it operates through 72 non-profit organizations, and has compiled a unified national database containing information on 2,901 cemeteries and 645 mortuaries. His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing addressed the contribution of digital transformation in expediting the delivery of support to those who deserve it. He explained that the platform for supporting those facing financial difficulties, technically linked to the Ministry of Justice, has reduced case processing time from one month to 19 days, while the electronic signature service has shortened the homeownership process from 14 days to two days. He stated that during 2025, more than 150,000 digital transactions were implemented, and the needs of more than 400,000 beneficiaries were assessed through the integration of national databases. This was in addition to developing the “Jood Housing” application to facilitate the experience for both donors and beneficiaries. Al-Haqil emphasized that what began as limited initiatives has now become a comprehensive national system that is making a lasting impact on people’s lives. He also noted the upcoming launch of the “Jood is from Us and Within Us” campaign, coinciding with Ramadan, to enhance community participation and reinforce the values of solidarity. In response to journalists’ questions regarding the importance of compiling real estate data and making a real estate index publicly available, His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing explained that collecting data on the real estate sector is one of the most significant challenges due to the market’s vast size and the multitude of its stakeholders. He emphasized that efforts are underway to enhance transparency and improve the quality of available information.
He noted that the Real Estate Balance Program, launched by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince last Ramadan, has achieved positive results, and that one of its fundamental pillars is the clarity of information and transparency in market activity across the Kingdom’s cities. He indicated that the General Authority for Real Estate will launch indicators during the first quarter of this year that will benefit both citizens and investors and will serve as a reference for activating real estate balance programs in all cities. He explained that programs related to achieving balance in the Kingdom’s real estate market have begun to register a noticeable impact, most notably the initiatives aimed at regulating and developing the rental sector. He pointed out that these initiatives, along with other programs, aim to empower citizens, whether as investors or tenants, and to regulate rental values to align with their financial capabilities. He anticipated that the coming period will witness increased investment momentum both locally and internationally, which will contribute to stimulating investors, enhancing the progress of balance programs, and driving the market towards greater stability. Regarding the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 target of increasing the non-profit sector’s contribution to approximately 5% by 2030, and whether the Ministry intends to transfer some of its assets to non-profit entities, His Excellency explained that the past five years have witnessed the development of the non-profit sector ecosystem under the supervision of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. He emphasized that this development has prompted government agencies to reassess what can be allocated to the private sector, what can be partnered with the third sector, and what will remain within the annual government budgets. His Excellency indicated that this approach has impacted municipal services, noting the Ministry’s ambition to allocate approximately 70% of municipal assets to the private sector. This aims to enhance efficiency, improve quality of life, and reduce government spending and waste, while simultaneously empowering the third sector by enabling ministries to delegate certain tasks to non-profit organizations for more efficient management.
He added that these enablers contributed to the establishment of specialized institutions, including the Housing Foundation, the Deceased Respect Foundation (soon), the Gardens Foundation, and others, in addition to programs aimed at allocating assets and lands to the third sector according to joint governance approved between the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, in order to ensure the provision of services in a balanced manner.
His Excellency emphasized that the Ministry, while relying on the private sector to improve services for citizens and investors, also depends on the non-profit sector to contribute to achieving the Vision’s goal of reaching 5% of business through the third sector. Regarding the integration of the “Jood Housing” and “Ihsan” platforms to reach those in need, His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing affirmed that the primary objective of these platforms, and others, is to serve the most vulnerable citizens. He explained that integration exists in housing-related matters through full coordination between the two platforms, noting that they serve as multiple channels to facilitate access to donors and organize donation processes. He added that relevant authorities operate within a well-defined regulatory framework to ensure that Jood or Ihsan donations reach the most vulnerable and truly deserving groups, pointing out that approximately 313 non-profit organizations in the Kingdom play a crucial role in verifying that support reaches its intended beneficiaries.
Minister Al-Haqil explained that the operational mechanism includes verifying the case before publishing it on the platform through governed databases, and continuing verification until the payment is made and the beneficiary receives the donation. This ensures the clarity and integrity of the procedures. He pointed out that the “Ihsan” and “Joud” platforms have contributed to facilitating and expediting the donation process, as donors can complete their donations in less than 30 seconds, with documentation of the impact and access to information that allows them to verify the donation’s arrival to the beneficiary. For his part, His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, President of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), expressed his gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may God protect him, for his generous approval to hold the sixth edition of the National Charity Campaign during Ramadan through the “Ihsan” National Charity Platform. He emphasized that this embodies the generous care that the wise leadership, may God support it, bestows upon strengthening the values of social solidarity and supporting the charitable work movement in the Kingdom.
His Excellency also expressed his gratitude to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of SDAIA (may God protect him), for his unwavering support in enabling the platform to fulfill its role in the field of data and artificial intelligence. He emphasized that the “Ihsan” platform has worked to enhance charitable work based on three main pillars: reliability, transparency, and ease of use. His Excellency highlighted the “Istihāq” service, which utilizes big data and employs artificial intelligence to analyze data and verify beneficiaries’ eligibility. This service empowers charitable organizations to confirm the beneficiary’s eligibility for donations, as it is linked to the National Data Bank and assesses eligibility based on a vast dataset. His Excellency also revealed record-breaking figures achieved by the platform. The total donations since its establishment in 2021 have exceeded 14 billion riyals, through more than 330 million donation transactions. He pointed out that in 2025 alone the platform achieved a qualitative leap by exceeding the 4.5 billion riyal mark through 135 million transactions, describing it as an exceptional year, and that the indicators showed a high operational maturity in the platform, as the average donation speed reached 4 transactions per second, and with an average daily donation exceeding 12 million riyals through about 390,000 transactions per day.
His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al-Ghamdi addressed the “Ihsan Endowment Fund” as a key sustainability initiative, noting that it is the largest active endowment fund in the Kingdom, with donations exceeding two billion riyals through more than 3.8 million endowment contributions. The fund supports over 2,400 charitable organizations. In response to journalists’ questions, His Excellency explained that the Ihsan platform utilizes spatial analysis techniques, including heat maps, to identify gaps and prioritize areas and opportunities. It automates the entire donation journey, from opportunity identification to impact measurement, fostering trust through real-time reports and personalized recommendations for donors, ensuring transparency. He also discussed the “Ghiras” initiative, which empowers individuals to launch charitable campaigns under guidelines that support philanthropic work.
In closing, His Excellency invited the general public, affluent philanthropists, and donor organizations to participate in the sixth national campaign, launching on the third of Ramadan, to continue the tradition of giving and support the values of charity and benevolence in our society.