The Ministry of Commerce announced that it has intensified its monitoring efforts in the Makkah and Madinah regions, where its field teams carried out more than 17,500 proactive inspection tours, as part of its preparations for the holy month of Ramadan, which witnesses a large influx of pilgrims and visitors.

These intensified campaigns come in the context of the religious and historical significance of the two holy cities, especially during the months of Rajab and Sha'ban preceding Ramadan, when the number of pilgrims performing Umrah and visiting the Prophet's Mosque doubles. This increased influx naturally leads to a significant rise in demand for food, supplies, and services, necessitating robust monitoring plans to ensure market stability and protect the rights of consumers, including citizens, residents, and visitors.

The Ministry explained that these inspection tours, conducted between the 1st of Rajab and the 5th of Sha'ban 1445 AH, covered a wide range of commercial establishments. These included major supermarkets, hypermarkets, and retail outlets located in the central areas surrounding the Two Holy Mosques, as well as gold and jewelry shops, which experience increased demand during this season. The inspections also extended to gas stations and service centers on the main roads leading to Makkah and Madinah, and the designated Miqat points for Ihram, to ensure the quality of services provided to pilgrims.

These proactive efforts have yielded tangible positive results, with inspection teams confirming the ample availability of essential food commodities and sufficient stock to meet anticipated demand during the holy month. The teams also verified that products offered for sale conformed to approved standards in the Kingdom and that businesses were adhering to consumer protection regulations, such as clearly displaying prices and issuing invoices.

These measures are of paramount importance both domestically and internationally. Domestically, they contribute to strengthening consumer confidence in the market and prevent harmful business practices such as monopolies or artificially inflated prices. Internationally, they reflect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's commitment to providing the best possible experience for pilgrims from around the world, aligning with the objectives of the "Guests of God Service Program," one of the programs under Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to enrich and enhance the Hajj and Umrah experience.

In a strategic move aimed at empowering future generations and equipping them with the skills necessary to meet the demands of the future, the Saudi Ministry of Education and Saudi Aramco signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance their collaboration. This partnership focuses on developing students' skills in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as fostering a culture of volunteerism and social responsibility, and supporting safety and security initiatives in the school environment.

National context and future vision

This collaboration comes within the framework of broader national efforts to achieve the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which places human capital development at the heart of its priorities. Through programs such as the Human Capability Development Program, the Kingdom seeks to prepare globally competitive citizens equipped with the skills and knowledge required by a knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy. Public-private partnerships, such as this one between the Ministry of Education and Aramco, are a cornerstone for accelerating this transformation, as the expertise and capabilities of a leading company like Aramco contribute to enriching the education system with high-quality, applied, and practical programs.

Details and objectives of the memorandum

The memorandum was signed during the “Investment in Education and Training Forum 2026” held in Riyadh, coinciding with the International Day of Education, thus lending the event special significance. Under this agreement, the two parties will work on:

• Developing STEM skills: Designing and implementing specialized educational and applied programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, with the aim of promoting critical thinking and innovation among students and preparing them for university majors and future jobs in these vital sectors.
• Promoting volunteer work: Studying the adoption of Aramco's volunteer programs within the approved volunteer hours for high school students, and developing mechanisms to measure the societal impact of these programs, thereby instilling values ​​of active citizenship and giving in the younger generation.
• Supporting security and safety: Developing integrated awareness and training programs to raise awareness of security and safety standards within schools, and to provide a safe and stimulating learning environment for all.
• Exchange of experiences: Cooperation in exchanging data, statistics and technical expertise between the Ministry and the company to continuously improve and develop educational and community initiatives.

Expected impact and future prospects

This partnership is expected to have a tangible positive impact at both the local and regional levels. Locally, it will help bridge the gap between educational outcomes and labor market demands, and develop a national workforce capable of leading promising industrial and technological sectors. Regionally, this initiative represents a pioneering model of cooperation between government institutions and major national companies to achieve sustainable development, potentially inspiring similar initiatives in other countries in the region.

In this context, Professor Nabil Al-Jamea, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Support Services at Saudi Aramco, stated that “this cooperation confirms the keenness of both parties to continue their joint efforts in establishing a culture of volunteering and enhancing the role of education in serving the community… It is an investment in the Kingdom’s generations and a contribution to empowering students with future skills and preparing them to benefit from promising opportunities.”.

It is worth noting that this memorandum comes as an extension of an existing and fruitful cooperation, as the “Schools Volunteering” program was launched in 2023 according to the “Rashid” standard, and witnessed the participation of more than 131,000 volunteers who completed more than 1.25 million volunteer hours in 892 schools, which reflects the solid foundation on which this new partnership is built.