Saudi Human Resources Development Fund approves 106 professional, technical diplomas

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Updated 05 August 2021
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Saudi Human Resources Development Fund approves 106 professional, technical diplomas

RIYADH: The Saudi Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) approved 106 professional and technical diplomas in various specializations and fields. 

The certifications are linked to the requirements of the labor market with the aim of raising the efficiency of the national workforce.

The professional certification program supports Hadaf’s other initiatives in improving professional training, increasing competitiveness among the workforce in specialized fields and stimulating professional development.

The Hadaf program offers an interconnected set of specialized courses designed to provide and enhance basic professional skills in areas of specialization, reflecting positively on career performance.

It targets all citizens wishing to develop their professional career by obtaining a certificate, whether the applicant is a government or private sector employee, job seeker or student.

With its focus on professional training and certification, the fund aims to boost labor market productivity to reach international standards and create new career opportunities.

To benefit from the program, applicants must have an accredited professional certificate and acknowledgment from their employer stating that they are not covering the fees of obtaining it.

Each applicant can process a maximum of two certificates. For payment, the applicant must file a claim through the taqat.sa website along with a copy of the professional certificate.

After verifying the validity of the certificate, the related costs are transferred directly to the applicant’s account through the IBAN number given on the registration page.


Rare sighting of critically endangered leatherback turtle in Red Sea

Updated 58 min 29 sec ago
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Rare sighting of critically endangered leatherback turtle in Red Sea

  • Turtles travel thousands of kilometers to Red Sea
  • Nesting 6,500km away in India’s Andaman Islands

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife has documented a rare sighting of a leatherback sea turtle in the Red Sea, marking a significant biological record for one of the planet’s most critically endangered marine species.

The sighting occurred approximately 30 km off the coast of Al-Qunfudhah within the Blue Holes Protected Area, a newly established marine reserve, according to a recent report from the Saudi Press Agency.

The NCW said the presence of a leatherback in these waters was an exceptional event.

Recognized as the largest turtle species on Earth, the leatherback can weigh up to 900 kilograms. It has a unique leathery, black carapace — distinguished by five longitudinal ridges rather than a hard bony shell — and able to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 meters.

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Noting the species’ migratory nature, the center explained that leatherbacks travel thousands of kilometers foraging for jellyfish. The specimen likely navigated through the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait in search of food.

This is considered a remarkable journey, the NCW said, noting that the nearest known populations reside in the Indian Ocean, spanning waters from South Africa to Sri Lanka (roughly 7,000 to 8,000 km away).

The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, approximately 6,500 kilometers away. No nesting activity has been recorded in the Red Sea.

According to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the leatherback is Critically Endangered in the Indian Ocean.

While data for the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf is scarce, recent isolated sightings include a juvenile recorded in Jordan in December 2025 and another off Djibouti in 2019.

The NCW emphasized that these rare appearances highlight the ecological importance of the Kingdom's marine conservation efforts in the Red Sea.

The center pointed to the Farasan Islands Marine Protected Area, along with the new Blue Holes and Ras Hatiba reserves, as critical sanctuaries that could support the expansion in range of such endangered species.