RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will set up a high-powered national commission to help disabled people in the Kingdom integrate with mainstream society.

“The creation of this new commission is an important step, a historic move,” said Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the Riyadh-based King Salman Center for Disability Research (KSCDR), on Friday.

Prince Sultan, who is also chairman of the Riyadh-based Disabled Children Association (DCA) and president and chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), said that “the creation of the national commission by King Salman is a very important decision.”

“The commission is now under establishment. I am working closely with the Ministry of Labor on this,” he said.

“We are waiting for the announcement of the chief executive officer of the new commission.” The government will announce the commission’s board members shortly, he said.

Prince Sultan said: “The KSCDR will be working with the commission as the latter’s scientific arm… we will complement each other.”

Prince Sultan said the recent International Conference for Disability and Rehabilitation in Riyadh was “probably the biggest forum ever held in Saudi Arabia in terms of focusing on issues faced by people suffering from mental and physical disabilities.” 

More than 5,000 participants from around the world attended the conference in April.

Saudi people are aware of the challenges that people with special needs and their families face, and appreciate the positive contributions they make to society, Prince Sultan said.