Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) launched Vision 2030 in 2016 as a transformative blueprint to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil and diversify its economy through structural reforms and investments in non-oil sectors such as tourism, technology, and mining.

Central to Vision 2030 is the ambition to position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for innovation and economic activity, with initiatives like NEOM, a $500 billion futuristic city, and other mega-projects designed to attract foreign investment and create jobs for the Kingdom's young population.

The plan also includes transforming the Public Investment Fund (PIF) into a sovereign wealth fund with assets exceeding $2 trillion, aiming to increase non-oil exports to 50% of GDP and foster foreign direct investment.

Vision 2030 incorporates programs such as the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program and the Quality of Life Program, which aim to enhance infrastructure, improve citizens' lifestyles, and position Saudi Arabia as a global industrial and logistics hub.

In addition to economic reforms, Vision 2030 emphasizes social transformation, including the expansion of entertainment and cultural sectors to modernize Saudi society and enhance its global image.

Under MBS’s leadership, Saudi Arabia has hosted international events such as concerts, sports tournaments, and film festivals, while investing billions in cultural initiatives like the Riyadh Season and the development of Al-Ula as a luxury travel destination.

These cultural reforms have fostered social changes, including mixed-gender public spaces, relaxed dress codes, and increased opportunities for women, reflecting a broader shift toward a more open and progressive Saudi society.

One of the most significant societal changes under Vision 2030 has been the curtailing of the Wahhabi religious establishment’s influence, particularly through the reduction of the powers of the religious police, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV).

The CPVPV, which once enforced strict religious norms, has been stripped of its authority to monitor and enforce public behavior, leading to a dramatic increase in personal freedoms, such as women driving, attending concerts, and mixing with men in public spaces.

MBS has also marginalized Wahhabi clerics by promoting a new Saudi nationalism and replacing their sermons with cultural events like concerts and festivals, signaling a shift away from the Kingdom's historical reliance on Wahhabi ideology for legitimacy.

Through Vision 2030, MBS has actively worked to uproot extremist ideologies and return Saudi Arabia to a more moderate form of Islam, fostering openness to other religions and traditions while emphasizing peaceful coexistence and dialogue.

These reforms have been met with mixed reactions domestically, as younger Saudis embrace a more open lifestyle while conservative elements express frustration over the diminished influence of the religious establishment.

A cornerstone of Vision 2030 has been the empowerment of women, with reforms allowing them to drive, travel independently, and participate in the workforce, marking a significant departure from traditional societal norms.

Under MBS’s leadership, the participation of women in the workforce has nearly doubled to 33% over five years, driven by initiatives that ease gender segregation and promote inclusivity in the labor market.

Women have also achieved remarkable progress in education, with increased representation in higher education and leadership roles, including positions in diplomacy, research, and innovation.

In public life, women have gained unprecedented freedoms, such as the right to drive and travel independently, and have risen to prominent positions in sectors like politics, business, and space exploration, exemplified by the appointment of female ambassadors and the first Saudi female astronaut.

Internationally, these reforms have garnered praise for advancing women's rights, with organizations like the World Bank recognizing Saudi Arabia as a global leader in implementing gender-related legal reforms.

However, critics highlight continued restrictions under the guardianship system and the suppression of women's rights activists, reflecting ongoing tensions between modernization and traditional values.

Vision 2030 has also prioritized the development of the entertainment and tourism sectors, with initiatives like the National Strategy for Industry aiming to triple the industrial domestic product and increase exports of high-tech products by six times by 2030.

Mega-projects such as NEOM, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea development are central to Vision 2030, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s ambition to transform into a global hub for innovation, tourism, and entertainment.

These projects aim to address challenges like supply chain issues and skilled labor shortages while meeting ambitious deadlines to position Saudi Arabia as a leader in sustainable development.

Technology and innovation are integral to Vision 2030, with initiatives like the National Transformation Program focusing on digital transformation and infrastructure development to enhance competitiveness and achieve sustainable economic growth.

Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a global technology hub by fostering partnerships with international tech leaders like Microsoft and Oracle and establishing institutions like the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence.

The Kingdom's efforts to attract foreign investments in advanced technologies align with its broader Vision 2030 goals of economic diversification and reducing reliance on oil revenues.

Despite these ambitious reforms, Vision 2030 has faced criticism for prioritizing mega-projects over addressing fundamental economic issues such as labor productivity and equitable wealth distribution.

Human rights concerns have also been raised, with allegations of suppressing dissent and forcibly displacing communities for Vision 2030 projects, such as the NEOM development.

In response to these criticisms, MBS has emphasized the transformative potential of Vision 2030, presenting it as a bold modernization effort that combines economic diversification with social reforms.

Domestically, Vision 2030 has fostered a sense of national pride and optimism, with surveys indicating strong support for its transformative agenda among Saudi citizens.

The younger generation plays a pivotal role in supporting Vision 2030, with 99% expressing confidence in the initiative's ability to ensure a strong economy and better future.

Young Saudis are actively embracing opportunities created by Vision 2030, with many preferring entrepreneurial ventures over traditional government jobs, reflecting their alignment with the vision's goals of economic diversification and innovation.

Internationally, Vision 2030 has reshaped perceptions of Saudi Arabia, portraying the Kingdom as a modernizing and culturally vibrant nation rather than a conservative oil-dependent state.

MBS’s diplomatic efforts, such as restoring ties with Canada and engaging in reconciliation with Iran, reflect a strategic shift aimed at reducing regional tensions and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s role as a stabilizing force in the Middle East.

Despite lingering concerns over human rights issues, MBS's strategic outreach and high-profile engagements with Western figures have helped rebrand Saudi Arabia as a nation undergoing a cultural revolution.

Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) launched Vision 2030 in 2016 as a transformative blueprint to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil and diversify its economy through structural reforms and investments in non-oil sectors such as tourism, technology, and mining.

Title:

Content: The Saudi economy.
Empowerment and sustainability
|
In order to develop and diversify the economy, renew its effective tools and reduce dependence on oil, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched "Vision 2030" based on several economic and financial reforms, which aimed to transform the structure of the Saudi economy into a diversified and sustainable economy based on enhancing productivity, raising the contribution of the private sector, and empowering the third sector.
During its modern era, the Saudi economy has witnessed a diversified growth in many sectors, taking advantage of the Kingdom ’ s natural resources and its distinctive geographical and cultural location.
This growth has built a solid economic base, becoming one of the top 20 global economies and an active member of the G20, and one of the key players in the global economy and oil markets, supported by a strong financial system, an efficient and stable banking sector, and giant government companies based on qualified national cadres.
Over the past years, the Kingdom has also witnessed structural reforms on the economic and financial side, which promotes raising economic growth rates while maintaining financial stability and sustainability.
This is evident in the improvement of the business environment in the country, the continuous endeavor to enable the private sector to support economic diversification by improving the business environment and overcoming obstacles to make it more attractive, in addition to investing in previously untapped sectors, as well as improving the investment environment and increasing its attractiveness to local and foreign investors.
In this context, the Cabinet renewed its determination to continue implementing economic initiatives and reforms to achieve the objectives of Vision 2030. The financial indicators for the first quarter of this year came in accordance with all plans set before, and confirms the strength of the public finances and its ability to implement its obligations on time. In the first quarter of this year, which exceeds the forecast of average revenues estimated in each quarter by 261.25 billion riyals, "General revenues were estimated at 1045 billion riyals," which means that revenues have increased by 6.41% from the estimate, compared to that 220.5 billion riyals were spent in the first quarter of this year, while the estimated for each quarter at an average of 238.75 billion riyals. During the first quarter of the estimated average of 7.64 percent, all of which resulted in a surplus in public finances of 57.5 billion riyals during the first quarter of this year, and the budget of 2022 was estimated to have a surplus for the fiscal year as a whole of 90 billion riyals.
There is no doubt that the figures speak for themselves, these indicators that indicate the strength of public finances were not only the result of the rise in oil prices, but also the interaction of the data of the new Saudi economic equation diversified, oil is an important factor but not absolutely, and the performance of public finances on non-oil revenues has improved strongly and continuously during the recent indicators. The vision, with all the details of its programs and initiatives, is the most appropriate model for the Saudi reality so far.
Since the launch of the vision, the Kingdom has succeeded in implementing several supporting initiatives and structural reforms to enable economic transformation. This transformation included several major efforts focused on a sectoral dimension, including enhancing local content and national industry, launching and developing promising economic sectors, and an enabling dimension aimed at maximizing the role of the private sector and SMEs, and enhancing the sustainability of public finances.
These structural shifts have contributed to the Kingdom ’ s economy ’ s ability to steadily weather the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The pace of this structural transformation towards sustainable economic growth is expected to continue in the coming years, especially in light of a number of investment and giant initiatives, under the umbrella of the Public Investment Fund and leading companies.
It is also expected that the pace of localization of knowledge and innovative technologies will accelerate.
Since the collapse of oil prices in 2015, the Kingdom did not stand idly by in front of the reality of the oil market, but contributed under the guidance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and great efforts and supervision and follow-up of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in re-engineering the market and its governance to get back on its feet quickly and overcome the crisis. The market is even on the most difficult days, such as during the health crisis and the war crisis in Ukraine.
In contrast, Saudi Arabia has worked on an economic reform model from within that focuses on issues that play an important role in long-term growth, such as human capital development, knowledge economy, research and development, and innovation, while recognizing the importance of saving and capital accumulation. I came out of the pandemic with record growth.
It should be noted here that the preliminary statement of the Ministry of Finance on the 2022 budget said that the non-oil sector has grown by 8.4%, and is the best since the second quarter of 2011 (i.e.: within ten years) - the private sector grew 11.1%, and the government sector 2.3% during the second quarter of 2021 on an annual basis.
Non-oil revenues also managed to achieve significant growth, reaching in 2020 about 369 billion riyals, while they did not exceed 127 billion in 2014.
This march of economic reforms came with full commitment to achieve the vision plans, the most important of which is the program of the Public Investment Fund, which jumped from 570 billion in 2015 to more than 1.8 trillion by the end of 2021, and gross contribution to GDP 8%, with the development of human capital with more than 365 thousand jobs. The Council of Ministers, headed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and in the presence of the Crown Prince and continuing to implement economic initiatives and reforms, has a clear message to move forward in the hard work that has put its daughters in the first phase of the vision of a sustainable Saudi renaissance.
Publish it.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Central to Vision 2030 is the ambition to position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for innovation and economic activity, with initiatives like NEOM, a $500 billion futuristic city, and other mega-projects designed to attract foreign investment and create jobs for the Kingdom's young population.

Title:

Content: (Bloomberg) -- Top officials from Saudi Arabia’s mega projects gathered in Riyadh to share progress updates and seek partners to help deliver a key pillar of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to transform the economy.

Executives from The Line, New Murabba and Diriyah Company — complex developments ranging from a futuristic mega city on the Red Sea to an urban development housing a cube-shaped skyscraper set to be the tallest in the Saudi capital — discussed challenges with supply chains, costs and finding skilled workers as they underscored the urgent need for experienced partners to assist in completing projects.

Many touted construction achievements, some that had not yet been shared widely with the public, but made clear they would have to overcome major obstacles if they are to meet deadlines set under the crown prince’s Vision 2030 agenda.

“I think our biggest problem with these projects is time,” said Oussama Kabbani, group chief development offer for Roshn Real Estate Co., one of Saudi Arabia’s largest residential developers that’s backed by the sovereign wealth fund. “Make no mistake we made commitments to His Royal Highness that we will be a showcase of the 2030 Vision. The challenge now is how much we can achieve from our promise.”

Representatives from developments worth $880 billion gathered at Monday’s event, which was hosted by the Middle East business intelligence source known as MEED. They presented to potential investors and contractors at a time when the kingdom is struggling to lure foreign direct investment and has delayed or accelerated some projects based on funding needs and other considerations.

Read More: Neom Hosts Show-and-Tell for Bankers as It Scours for More Cash

The so-called giga projects are playing a pivotal role in Prince Mohammed’s efforts to turn the kingdom into a hub for everything from entertainment to tourism and manufacturing, while easing a dependence on revenue from crude oil.

‘Close The Gap’

More contractors and consultants are seen as the key to ensuring the work goes ahead smoothly, according to comments made repeatedly at the event. There was also a heavy focus on ironing out supply-chain challenges as rising costs for building materials eat into project budgets.

“We are seeing companies coming to Saudi Arabia almost every day – consultants, contractors – from along the supply chain,” said Mohamed Saad, President of Diriyah Company. “I’m hoping that the market will supply what we need and close the gap as much as possible.”

Diriyah has handed out about $14 billion in contracts so far and aims to award as much as $9.3 billion more this year. It also plans to open its first hotel and cultural asset in 2024, Saad said in an interview.

In further signs of plans being adjusted, Saad said Diriyah Square — a key part of the historical Diriyah development — was recently re-launched after conducting more studies on design and customer needs. It’s expected to open in 2027, versus an earlier target for 2024.

Executives from Neom, Red Sea Global Co. and Qiddiya Investment Company also presented to British business delegates at a UK-Saudi summit on Tuesday aimed at deepening investment and trade between the countries.

Qiddiya, an entertainment hub being built in the capital city of Riyadh, said it plans to open its first two theme parks — Six Flags Qiddiya City and Aquarabia — in 2025.

Read More: ‘Dragon Ball’ Goes to the Desert With Saudi Arabian Theme Park

(Updates with Qiddiya comments)

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To attract foreign investment

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The plan also includes transforming the Public Investment Fund (PIF) into a sovereign wealth fund with assets exceeding $2 trillion, aiming to increase non-oil exports to 50% of GDP and foster foreign direct investment.

Title:

Content: Friday 23rd September 2022 Abu Dhabi UAE
Prayer times
News Highlights
Today 's Issue
Today 's Issue
Arabic & International
King Salman.
A journey of reform and development
King Salman.
A journey of reform and development
September 23, 2022 02: 33
Ahmed Murad (Cairo)
Saudi Arabia ’ s 92nd National Day celebrations coincide with the eighth anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, as King of Saudi Arabia on January 23, 2015.
Over the past eight years, he has achieved a long series of unprecedented achievements and reforms, making him one of the most prominent and important historical leaders of Saudi Arabia.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was sworn in as King of Saudi Arabia on January 23, 2015, succeeding the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. King Salman began his reign by affirming his determination to continue the achievements witnessed by Saudi Arabia in the last three decades, implement an integrated reform and development program, promote the Kingdom ’ s domestic and foreign policy, and take positive positions on various local, regional and international issues.
Almost 70 years ago, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud began his career in public work, after being appointed Acting Prince of Riyadh Region on March 16, 1954, at the age of 19, and the following year he was appointed Governor and Prince of Riyadh Region with the rank of Minister. It has grown and flourished, making it a regional hub for travel and trade, and is home to millions of Saudi nationals and expatriates from all over the world to work within the Kingdom.
During his tenure in the Emirate of Riyadh, King Salman paid great attention to improving the level of infrastructure, where he oversaw the implementation of dozens and hundreds of infrastructure projects that made Riyadh a “global city ” with standard specifications and standards through the establishment of a network of highways and modern, as well as the establishment of many vital facilities, such as schools, hospitals, universities, museums, sports stadiums and recreational cities.
Mandate of the Covenant
In a new phase of King Salman bin Abdulaziz ’ s career, he was appointed Minister of Defense in November 2011, and the following year, on June 18, 2012, he was appointed Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister, retained his position as Minister of Defense, and worked to modernize and develop the Saudi Armed Forces, which witnessed a remarkable leap in training and armament, as well as implementing a comprehensive plan to develop the entire sectors of the Ministry of Defense.
Development Programs
Over the past eight years, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been keen to implement comprehensive and integrated development programs to advance Saudi Arabia politically, economically and socially, and has achieved many achievements and reforms at various levels, which made Saudi Arabia ranked by the World Bank among the top 20 reformers in the world, and ranked second among the top high-income countries and G20 countries in terms of implementing business climate improvement reforms.
In the second year of his leadership, King Salman launched the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 on April 25, 2016, to be at the forefront of the development programs he adopted in order to achieve comprehensive national development, reduce the Kingdom ’ s dependence on oil, diversify sources of income through a package of economic reforms unprecedented in the Kingdom ’ s history, achieve financial stability, and other development programs that contributed to the increase in non-oil revenues by 15%, reduce the budget deficit by 48% foreign investment by 130%.
Under the patronage of King Salman, the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 has succeeded in achieving many achievements in the first five years, specifically during the period between 2015 and 2020, and with the beginning of 2021, a new phase in the process of achieving Vision 2030 began.
In the framework of this new phase, the National Investment Strategy was issued on October 11, 2021, which is expected to contribute to the growth of the national economy and diversify its sources, thus achieving many of the objectives of Vision 2030, including raising the contribution of the private sector to GDP to 65%, boosting foreign direct investment to 5.7% of GDP, increasing the proportion of non-oil exports from 16% to 50% of GDP, and reducing the unemployment rate to 7%.
Under the umbrella of the National Investment Strategy, investments of more than 12 trillion riyals will be injected into the local economy until 2030.
The biggest budget
For the first time in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the trend began under King Salman towards approving the general budget of the Kingdom by supporting and developing the national economy without relying mainly on oil as the sole source of national income, which was ranked by observers among the most important achievements in the history of the Kingdom.
In 2019, King Salman announced the largest budget in the history of the Kingdom, spending more than 1.1 trillion riyals, and revenues amounted to 975 billion riyals.
Saudi Arabia, led by King Salman, has transformed the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) into a sovereign fund with assets estimated at $2 trillion to $2.5 trillion, making it the largest sovereign fund in the world.
In the petroleum sector, Saudi Aramco announced in 2021 plans to produce 2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from the giant Jafoura field by 2030, making the kingdom the third largest natural gas producer in the world.
Health and Education
King Salman has paid great attention to the health and education sectors, and the two sectors witnessed an unprecedented boom during the reign of King Salman through the implementation of many projects. In the health sector, several health centers were launched in the last eight years, including 4 for cardiac catheterization, 7 for tumors, 3 for obesity and its diseases, 5 for behavioral and developmental disorders, as well as the launch of 4 surgical robots specialized in general surgeries, urology and artificial intelligence laboratory. For health technical research, and to raise the level of health services provided by 600 health centers by applying the Wasfti system.
Work has also begun on the first robotic-mediated smart pharmacy at King Fahd Specialist Hospital in Tabuk.
In the education sector, King Salman has adopted several programs and plans to develop education and make a real renaissance in this vital sector. In this context, his decision came to merge the Ministries of Education and Higher Education into one ministry under the name of the Ministry of Education, allocate special programs for talented students, open special centers for the development of technical and engineering sciences in 32 schools across the Kingdom, and launch the “Your Job and Mission ” program. You come back after they come back.
On November 14, 2021, the Kingdom announced the launch of Prince Mohammed bin Salman City, the first non-profit city in the world, which aims to support young Saudi talents, and work to encourage learning and develop leadership skills among young people.
Blue oil.
The desalination industry has seen an unprecedented boom, as the kingdom has set records in the industry making it the world ’ s largest desalinated water producer and is expected to become a major hub for desalination technologies in the world, the Middle East and beyond, leading observers to call the industry a “new Saudi blue oil. ”
Saudi Arabia ’ s production of desalinated water currently stands at more than 9 million cubic meters per day, with production expected to reach more than 14 million cubic meters per day in 2025.
The Saudi Saline Water Conversion Corporation manages 33 desalination plants, including 8 on the Arabian Gulf coast and 25 on the Red Sea coast, and in 2018 won the award of the largest desalination system in the world from the Guinness World Book.
National Projects
Over the past eight years, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has adopted an expanded work map that included a package of giant national projects, most notably the establishment of Neom Industrial City (Oxagon), the largest floating structure in the world. The city is based on the same concepts as The Line communities launched in January 2021. 13% of world trade.
This is in addition to a giant project to redevelop the waterfront in the center of Jeddah ’ s Corniche with the aim of transforming it into a vital area, the King Salman Energy City project known as “Spark ”, with investments estimated at $1.6 billion, and the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport project with a capacity of more than 8 million passengers annually in its first phase, and 40 million passengers annually in the third phase.
In addition to the development of the petrochemical sector in Ras Al Khair Industrial City, the establishment of some other industrial cities, such as Jubail and Yanbu, and the development of a city for the automotive industry in order to attract investments, increase exports and provide jobs, and the repair of more than 4 million square meters of road networks.
In the housing sector, many housing projects have been implemented during the past eight years, including the provision of more than 282 residential products including housing units, land and subsidized financing to promote and develop the real estate sector in various regions of the Kingdom, as well as regulating the rental market and preserving the rights of parties during the rental process through the adoption of the “Ejar ” program.
Dar Al-Hijra is one of the most important residential projects launched during the reign of King Salman, and is one of the largest residential, hotel and commercial projects in Saudi Arabia, including 20 administrative towers, 80 residential towers, 80 hotels providing 40,000 rooms for pilgrims, as well as government, administrative and commercial offices accommodating 31,000 employees, a 400-bed hospital and a huge transit station.
King Salman is keen to develop the various regions of the Kingdom and achieve comprehensive development in them, and in this context, strategic offices were established in October 2021 to develop the areas of Al-Baha, Al-Jawf and Jazan, as well as the launch of a strategy to develop the Asir region by pumping 50 billion riyals in various investments.
All rights reserved to Al Ittihad Newspaper 2022 ©

How does Vision 2030 aim to foster new industries and employment?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.
To attract foreign investment

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Vision 2030 incorporates programs such as the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program and the Quality of Life Program, which aim to enhance infrastructure, improve citizens' lifestyles, and position Saudi Arabia as a global industrial and logistics hub.

Title:

Content: Vision 2030.
‘ Sovereign fund ’, ‘ national transformation ’ and ‘ industry ’ lead to ‘ post-oil Saudi Arabia ’
The Saudi citizen is at the heart of the equation with its three axes: a vibrant society, a prosperous economy and an ambitious homeland
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (may Allah protect him)
Saudi Arabia continues its steady pace through its Vision 2030 to the post-oil phase, which strengthens Riyadh ’ s global position, placing at the heart of its equation the Saudi citizen to be dependent on him in building the future of his country to achieve a strong and sustainable economy.
The vision adopted a number of executive programs to achieve its objectives, and applied them with ministries and government agencies, with the participation of the private sector, achieving great achievements in the three pillars of the vision: a vibrant society, a prosperous economy, and an ambitious homeland, the most important of which is the National Transformation Program.
It is the five-year plan of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, established in 2015, organized by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, and is one of the programs of the Saudi Vision 2030. The program is implemented at the level of 24 government agencies, namely 16 ministries and 8 government agencies.
The Fiscal Balance Program (FSP), one of the programs of Saudi Vision 2030, was established in 2016 by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs as part of fiscal reforms, with the aim of achieving a balanced budget by 2023, strengthening financial management, restructuring the Kingdom ’ s financial situation, and introducing various mechanisms to review and approve revenues, expenditures, and various projects.
The program was approved by the Saudi Council of Ministers on December 22, 2016.
Public Investment Fund
It is the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, established in 1971, and is considered among the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world; it occupies the fifth place with total assets estimated at $727 billion, by the end of April 2023.
It is dedicated to financing projects of strategic value to the Saudi national economy.
Saudi Arabia aims to transform the Public Investment Fund into one of the largest sovereign funds in the world, building a diversified and pioneering investment portfolio by investing in attractive investment opportunities locally and internationally.
Saudi Housing Program
It is an executive program for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, launched by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs in 2017, and supervised by the Ministry of Housing "later converted to: Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing", and aims to provide housing solutions for Saudi families to help them own suitable homes, or benefit from them according to their needs and financial capabilities.
Financial Sector Development Program
It is one of the programs to achieve Saudi Vision 2030, announced on April 24, 2017, and adopted by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs on May 10, 2018.
The program seeks to develop the financial sector to be a diversified and effective financial sector to support the development of the Saudi economy, stimulate savings, finance and investment, and increase the efficiency of the financial sector to meet and address challenges.
Guest Service Program
It is one of the programs of the vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2030, which seeks to make a qualitative leap in the experience of Hajj, Umrah and visit, and make it available to the largest possible number of Muslims by increasing the capacity of the system of services provided to pilgrims, enhancing them, enriching the religious journey and cultural experience, and reflecting the bright and civilized image of the Kingdom in the service of the Two Holy Mosques.
The program works with success partners to develop and improve the economies of the system, and provide opportunities and enablers for the private sector.
Quality of Life Program
It is one of the programs to achieve Saudi Vision 2030, and was announced on May 3, 2018.
It aims to improve the quality of life of individuals and families by creating the necessary environment to support and develop new options that enhance the participation of citizens, residents and visitors in cultural, recreational, sports and tourism activities, and other appropriate patterns that contribute to enhancing the quality of life of individuals and families, generating jobs, diversifying economic activity, and enhancing the position of Saudi cities in the ranking of the best global cities.
The Quality of Life Program works to improve the quality of life in Saudi Arabia through two axes: the development of lifestyles and the improvement of infrastructure; it works to develop lifestyles by activating the participation of individuals in recreational, sports and cultural activities.
Customization Program
It is one of the programs of Saudi Vision 2030, launched in 2018, and its main mission is to strengthen the role of the private sector to provide services and make government assets available to it, and seeks to reduce the cost of services to the government and raise efficiency, and the program works to attract foreign investors.
National Industrial Development and Logistics Program
It is one of the programs of Saudi Vision 2030, launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on January 28, 2019, and aims to transform the Kingdom into a global industrial and logistics platform to connect the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa, by focusing on four vital sectors: industry, mining, energy and logistics, through about 330 initiatives.
Health Sector Transformation Program
It is one of the programs of Saudi Vision 2030.
His mission is to restructure the health sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to make it a comprehensive, effective and integrated health system.
The establishment of the program comes as one of the new programs to ensure the continued development of health care services in the Kingdom and to focus efforts in this important sector, after the National Transformation Program achieved achievements and strategic objectives developed by the health sector to meet the challenges related to health services by raising their quality and efficiency, and raising the levels of prevention against health risks.
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What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

modernize infrastructure
Diversify the economy from oil

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

In addition to economic reforms, Vision 2030 emphasizes social transformation, including the expansion of entertainment and cultural sectors to modernize Saudi society and enhance its global image.

Title:

Content: After five years in power, Prince Mohammed bin Salman is back on the international stage with Biden ’ s visit.
RIYADH (AFP) - Five years after becoming crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman is poised to reassert his position internationally once again, with US President Joe Biden visiting the region and having long been sidelined by the West over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul.
Announcement
Biden's visit, which comes amid the war in Ukraine and the associated high energy prices, completes Mohammed bin Salman, 36, from his isolation, after visits to the kingdom by the leaders of France, Britain and Turkey.
On June 21, 2017, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, 86, named his son Mohammed as crown prince, and the latter immediately began a campaign of unprecedented economic and social reforms, but at the same time, he suppressed all opposition and tightened his grip on the country.
The crown prince has become the de facto ruler of the kingdom, one of the world ’ s largest oil exporters, in a reform process that has turned all aspects of life in the kingdom upside down.
But Khashoggi ’ s killing has cast such a shadow over Prince Mohammed ’ s tenure that Biden ’ s visit next month to Saudi Arabia, once a traditional trip for U.S. leaders, is highly controversial.
Khashoggi, who was close to Saudi power before becoming a critic of the crown prince, was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 and dismembered by Saudis from the kingdom.
A US intelligence report concluded that Prince Mohammed approved the arrest or killing of Khashoggi.
The Saudi crown prince denies the accusations.
After the visits of French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Biden ’ s visit is a new recognition of the status of the Saudi crown prince.
Yasmine Farouk of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace believes that Washington has been the center of opposition to Mohammed bin Salman in terms of public official statements and mobilization in the West.
"This is exactly what Mohammed bin Salman has wanted for the past year and a half: a meeting and a photo with Biden as his counterpart," a diplomat living in Riyadh told AFP.
Women behind the wheel
Today, Prince Mohammed bin Salman has fingerprints in all the policies of the Kingdom and its society.
His reforms included abolishing the requirement for women to wear the black abaya and removing restrictions on their movements without the consent of their parents.
The wearing of the abaya and headscarf is now optional.
Women were also allowed to attend concerts and sporting events.
In 2018, they were finally allowed to drive.
The kingdom has also relaxed its guardianship system, allowing women to issue passports and travel outside the country without the consent of their male relatives.
This has contributed to the entry of women into the workforce, which has had a positive impact on the economy.
However, Saudi Arabia ’ s approach to women ’ s issues remains incomplete, especially with regard to those who dare to oppose it.
In 2018, authorities arrested dozens of women human rights defenders, most of them just a month before the women ’ s driving ban was lifted, including those who dared to challenge the driving ban.
In November 2017, authorities arrested dozens of princes and senior officials for questioning over corruption or disloyalty at the luxury Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh.
Hussein Ibish, of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, said Prince Mohammed "linked his comprehensive cultural, social and artistic revolution...
with a dramatic concentration of political power "in his hand.
"Close all obvious sources of direct opposition in order to control" the country, he said.
Expanding beyond borders
Prince Mohammed has also made his mark on his country ’ s foreign policy.
Two months after his father, King Salman, ascended the throne, and while he was defense minister, he pushed for military intervention in Yemen.
Riyadh formed a military coalition of several countries that carried out this intervention to support government forces against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
As a result of the war, Yemen is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people directly or because of its aftermath, and pushed millions to the brink of famine, according to the United Nations.
Saudi Arabia has come under criticism, including from the United States, over the conflict, particularly when coalition air strikes have killed civilians.
In a sign of its desire to get out of the Yemeni quagmire, Saudi Arabia helped broker a truce in Yemen that began in April.
The boycott of Qatar, announced three weeks before Prince Mohammed takes office on June 21, was also a manifestation of Saudi foreign policy influenced by bin Salman ’ s influence.
But analysts say the kingdom has finally begun to adopt a conciliatory approach in the region, citing, for example, its involvement in direct talks with Iran, its regional rival, and Prince Mohammed ’ s recent statement that Israel is a “potential ally ” of his country amid regular reports of Saudi-Israeli rapprochement.
The most important element of Prince Mohammed ’ s Vision 2030 is reshaping his country ’ s oil-dependent economy.
The plan, which includes attracting about 30 million foreign tourists a year by 2030, is based on mega projects such as NEOM, the futuristic $500 billion science-fiction city with flying taxis and working robots.
Yasmine Farooq says Mohammed bin Salman “is the center of power (behind the change), but he has done nothing that was not already up for discussion in the public sphere. ”
Christian Ulrichsen, an analyst at Rice University's James Baker Institute, said: "Having achieved much of the argument that only he can change Saudi Arabia by 2030, the next several years will be crucial for Mohammed bin Salman and depend on him achieving tangible results that meet expectations."

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Under MBS’s leadership, Saudi Arabia has hosted international events such as concerts, sports tournaments, and film festivals, while investing billions in cultural initiatives like the Riyadh Season and the development of Al-Ula as a luxury travel destination.

Title:

Content: Riyadh Season 2022: Why did the new marketing announcement infuriate Saudi Tweeters?
A large number of social media pioneers have interacted with the announcement of the new Riyadh season published by the Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority Turki Al-Sheikh for this year.
The announcement shows sports and artistic symbols, including Real Madrid player Karim Benzema and Liverpool player Mohamed Salah, in addition to a number of Arab artists.
Tweeters criticized the absence of any Saudi artist in the ad, as well as resentment of the "huge amounts of advertising costs."
On the other hand, other Tweeters praised the announcement, noting their approval of the social, cultural and artistic changes witnessed by Saudi Arabia in the recent period.
Announcement Launch
The Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, Turki Al-Sheikh, launched on Sunday through his Twitter account the official marketing announcement for the Riyadh 2022 season, which garnered more than 22 million views and interaction with thousands of Tweeters.
The Riyadh Season announcement video featured dazzling fireworks scenes and included a group of famous art and sports from around the world.
Among those who participated in the announcement are Egyptian football star and English club Liverpool Mohamed Salah, and Real Madrid star and recent Golden Ball winner Karim Benzema.
The announcement also featured Lebanese star Nancy Ajram and famous singer Majid al-Muhandis and artist Nadine Noujaim.
The video included scenes from the entertainment events of the third edition of the Riyadh season.
These events include games, restaurants, cafes, in addition to concerts, plays, and a number of international exhibitions in various entertainment fields.
Angry Tweeters
A number of Saudi Tweeters have expressed anger at the marketing announcement, criticizing several points in the ad.
Some saw it as "pointless and pointless extravagance".
Others questioned the “costs of such a huge announcement. ”
Others highlighted the lack of "Saudi art icons and celebrities" in the marketing advertisement for the Riyadh season.
Proponents of the Declaration
On the other hand, some tweets talked about "the great success achieved by the Riyadh season in its first and second editions technically and publicly, in addition to the great economic return."
This team predicted "the success of the new season like the last two seasons."
Others noted their fascination with the announcement, given the participation of Salah and Benzema in it.
Social and cultural transformation
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has witnessed a significant transformation in the cultural, artistic and social landscape.
This has sparked controversy among old-school conservatives and neo-reformists, who want a more open and modern Saudi Arabia than before.
There is a fierce debate within Saudi Arabia about whether Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the owner of Saudi Vision 2030, will be able to achieve his goals.
Vision 2030
• Among the goals of the plans revealed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is to "modernize the economy and transform the country into a tourist and modern interface, in addition to transforming the economy away from oil, and open new tributaries of national income, depending on clean energy, tourism and entertainment."
• He also hopes to end the country ’ s dependence on oil by 2030, which will require radical changes to a bureaucracy that has thwarted previous reforms and a willingness to challenge the powerful religious conservatism.
• These plans also entail strengthening the role of the private sector, which currently depends on government spending.
• The vision is to try to develop and promote the country through a large plan that will work on comprehensive economic and social reform and work to develop it.
• It also includes the emergence of new industries by privatizing the Kingdom ’ s largest companies, providing job opportunities for young people to reduce unemployment, and establishing a strong investment fund comparable to the world ’ s largest.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

These cultural reforms have fostered social changes, including mixed-gender public spaces, relaxed dress codes, and increased opportunities for women, reflecting a broader shift toward a more open and progressive Saudi society.

Title:

Content: Follow Us:
Friday, December 10, 2021

Progress for saudi women is uneven, despite cultural changes and more jobs

Over the last five years, the percentage of women working outside the home has almost doubled, according to official statistics, to 32% from nearly 18%.

By: New York Times | Riyadh |
December 10, 2021 10:45:24 am
A group of women and children picnic at Wadi Hanifa park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 29, 2021. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/The New York Times)

Written by Kate Kelly

At the cramped shop where Kholoud Ahmed sells the traditional Muslim women’s gowns known as abayas, the rainbow of colors is a revelation.

In the past, women in Riyadh typically dressed in the same black abaya no matter where they were going. Now, observed Ahmed, 21, there’s a differently colored or styled abaya for every occasion: weddings, meeting friends at a cafe, visiting parents.

“Colored abayas used to be a strange thing for us in Riyadh, something unusual,” said Ahmed, the store’s clerk. “Within a year it has significantly changed. It has become normal nowadays.”

Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman became Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader more than four years ago, he has promised new opportunities for Saudi women as part of a broad modernization plan called Vision 2030.

The plan, which is advertised across Riyadh on posters and flags, is meant to wean the kingdom away from its historical reliance on oil and shift it toward new industries, including technology, pharmaceuticals and tourism.

Women shop for abayas, or traditional Muslim womenÕs gowns, at a store in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28, 2021. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/The New York Times)

But to create more job opportunities for Saudis and draw international investors and corporations to the desert monarchy, Crown Prince Mohammed is also chipping away at the conservative culture that has kept many women close to home for years and scared away many foreigners.

Over the last five years, the percentage of women working outside the home has almost doubled, according to official statistics, to 32% from nearly 18%. Women today serve as customs officials at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, client relationship managers at banks and hostesses at restaurants.

In addition to changes in the workplace, public space is becoming less strictly segregated by sex. In coffee shops in Riyadh like Overdose (motto: “Caffeine, it’s my drug of choice”), male and female customers can now sip lattes in mixed company.

Women can attend certain sporting events at stadiums, which was forbidden until a few years ago. They are no longer required to use separate entrances from men although some establishments still use them. They can also now apply for passports, live by themselves and travel on their own.

But the progress has been uneven.

Soccer fans withÊHattan Bahebri, center, a midfielder for Al Shabab, after a match in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28, 2021.ÊWomen have been able to attend sporting events in Saudi Arabia since 2018. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/The New York Times)

The guardianship system, which despite some recent reforms is still in place, means that women must rely on permission from men — often their fathers or husbands, but in some cases their sons — to enter into marriages and make key decisions.

One prominent women’s rights activist was jailed for three years after pushing publicly for some of the very changes Crown Prince Mohammed wanted to make — including allowing women to drive. She has since been released and has published a research paper on the status of Saudi women.

Those fits and starts are also evident in quotidian ways. Women’s attire in Riyadh, though more relaxed than a few years ago, is still far from liberal; even women who avoid abayas wear clothes with long sleeves, high necklines and low hemlines.

They may be using money from their newly earned paychecks to shop for kitten-heeled boots and slip dresses at Zara, but such outfits are still worn only in private settings.

“It’s not like before, like you have to wear, like, hijab and everything,” said Marwa, a 19-year-old university student who was shopping at Ahmed’s shop, referring to the traditional head scarf worn by Saudi women. “Now you can have free choice, but limited. It’s not like you are showing parts of your body.”

However much things have changed, the culture remains sufficiently conservative — and cautious of angering the authorities — that Marwa, like many of the Riyadh residents interviewed for this article, declined to give her full name.

Marwa said other cultural changes, like allowing store owners to remain open during prayer time to accommodate both merchants and shoppers, created problems of their own.

Some people who are devout and would pray no matter what, she said, could be offended by the business-as-usual attitude. “It’s like you’re not respecting the prayer time,” she said. Her friend Alaa — who wore sweatpants and sneakers under her abaya and sported a wrist tattoo that said “Trust no one” — nodded.

Prayer time at a shopping mall in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28, 2021. Women say Saudi Arabia has advanced significantly in just the past year, with more choices regarding work, fashion and social spaces, but restrictions remain everywhere. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/The New York Times)

During the call to prayer a few minutes later, a number of male store workers nearby locked their doors and walked to the mall’s prayer room on an upper floor. On the ground floor, about 10 women, patrons who were wearing black abayas and hijabs, took rugs from a corner pile and knelt on them to pray. Other women sat quietly on benches, watching their children ride around in battery-operated toy cars.

A 52-year-old father of six, who gave only a nickname, Abu Abdullah, said he saw the benefits of more flexible prayer times and new opportunities for women. “During traveling, we don’t pray,” he said. “Even women, they don’t pray for seven days,” referring to the fact that women are forbidden to pray when they are menstruating.

Several of Abu Abdullah’s five daughters were standing nearby, eating buttered corn and french fries. One of them, Nout al-Qahtani, 13, said she was thrilled about the changes for women in Saudi Arabia. “I want to work,” she said. “I really want to be a doctor.”

Her father noted that not every dream job would be appropriate.

“Some jobs don’t fit for some women,” he said, citing roles in plumbing and construction work as examples. “It’s better to put her in the right place,” he added.

Five miles north of the mall, a local soccer club, Al Shabab, was playing an out-of-town team at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium. It was a mild evening, and the crowd was animated when the home team scored. On the men’s side of the stadium, hundreds of men jumped to their feet, chanting and clapping for the players.

Across the stadium on what’s known as the family side, where women and children were directed to sit, Najiba, a nurse at the hospital complex King Fahd Medical City, was watching with two colleagues. Although women have been able to go to sports events in Saudi since 2018, it was only her second time at a match.

FILE Ñ Crown Prince Mohammed is depicted at left on a billboard advertising the Vision 2030 modernization plan in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 28, 2018. (Tasneem Alsultan/The New York Times)

Najiba, 34, and her friends said that they were seeing far more Saudi women working at the hospital in recent years, and that the idea of women in medical careers had become more palatable to families who might previously have considered a mixed-gender working environment problematic.

“Now the family accepts if they have a daughter or a wife working in health care,” said Najiba, who was a nurse in a neonatal intensive care unit for years before taking on an administrative role.

Below the nurses, a few children were playing in the front row. One child, who had been running around and yelling, was scolded by a female security guard.

Several female spectators said they never missed a match. One, a 29-year-old manager at the Saudi British Bank attending with her brother, spoke highly of Riyadh’s new entertainment options and the growing economic opportunities for women. “We’re so excited,” she said.

A little after 9:30 p.m., the match ended in a 3-0 victory for Al Shabab.

As the crowd dispersed, one of its star players, the midfielder Hattan Bahebri, was signing autographs for dozens of fans through the fence that separated the stands from the field.

At one point, he held his hands in a heart shape in front of him. A clutch of men encircled the player, some with children hoisted on their shoulders. But one woman, her pink-tinted sunglasses atop her hijab, walked to the front of the crowd, raised her phone and got the shot.

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How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

One of the most significant societal changes under Vision 2030 has been the curtailing of the Wahhabi religious establishment’s influence, particularly through the reduction of the powers of the religious police, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV).

Title:

Content: Reforms marginalize Saudi Arabia ’ s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue
Reforms marginalize Saudi Arabia ’ s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue
The role of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue in Saudi Arabia has diminished after the reforms initiated by the authorities following the accession of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where its role is limited to campaigns to raise awareness of ethics and confront the epidemic of COVID-19 and others after it represented a kind of religious police.
RIYADH – Saudi Arabia ’ s reforms following Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ’ s tenure have increasingly sidelined the role of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue (CPVPV).
The body, which resembles the religious police, had considerable influence and prestige on the Saudi street, where its members closely monitored the application of Islamic law principles in the conservative kingdom before they were effectively stripped of their powers in 2016.
Comprehensive repairs
Ahmed bin Qasim Al-Ghamdi: The greatest mistake of the Commission was that it was following the individual mistakes of the people
Faisal, a Saudi teacher, decided to leave the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in order to preserve its marginalization in recent years, while the Kingdom is witnessing an unprecedented opening coinciding with a campaign of religious and social reforms.
Faisal, a pseudonym, 37, who resigned months ago from the commission, said: “All of our authority has been taken away and we have no clear role at all. ”
The bearded man said in a meeting in eastern Riyadh: “Everything I was working to prevent him became completely legal, so I decided to resign. ”
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took office in 2017, the kingdom has seen social reforms that include allowing women to drive, allowing concerts, and ending the ban on mixing between men and women.
Faisal, who was wearing a dark cloak, added sarcastically, “In the past there was only one known body in Saudi Arabia, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue...
Today, the most important body is the Entertainment Authority, ” he said, referring to the Entertainment Authority, which was created by Saudi Arabia in May 2016 and is entrusted with managing and organizing various entertainment events that are witnessing a large turnout of both sexes.
Turki, a pseudonym for a former member of the body, said that "the existence of the body has become completely formal."
“We are no longer allowed to intervene and change any behaviors we once considered inappropriate, ” he said, noting that many continue to work“ for the sake of salary only. ”
In the past, the authority had considerable powers, including ensuring that people applied the rules of public decency and prohibited mixing, which included the right to request their personal documents, stalk them and arrest them.
The group ’ s cars roamed the streets, making sure women wore the black cloak exclusively, stalking people in cafes and malls and forcing shops to close during prayers.
Saud Al-Kateb: The work of the Commission has undergone a radical change, its role must be limited
Gradually, the would-be protesters disappeared from the streets, while the area of personal freedoms granted to the population, especially women, increased.
With the reduction of its role in the street, the Commission is finally launching campaigns to raise awareness of ethics, confront the epidemic and warn against seditious people, from digital screens, billboards in the streets and social media platforms.
Many of its members now spend the majority of their time in their offices without touching people in the streets, reflecting its diminished influence in the kingdom, especially among hardliners.
"The commission has become isolated," said a Saudi official, who asked not to be named, pointing to "a significant reduction in the number of its members, especially those who are not qualified to invite."
The exact number of its members is not known, but sources estimate that there are about 5,000 in the kingdom, where more than half of the population is under the age of 35, according to data released in 2020.
The young Saudi woman, who was previously harassed by HTS men for her colorful clothes, is now able to go out without a head covering and even smoke in the street.
The 26-year-old said while smoking with her colleague in central Riyadh during a break from work: “We didn ’ t even think about smoking in the street years ago. ”
“They were going to beat us with bamboo, ” she added, laughing, referring to the thin sticks used by the authority ’ s subordinates to river the people.
Ahmed bin Qassem al-Ghamdi, a former senior official of the commission who was removed from his post in 2015 because of his progressive views, said “the commission ’ s greatest mistake was that it was following people ’ s individual mistakes, ” which he said“ had a negative impact ” on its image.
The head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue, Abdulrahman al-Sindh, admitted in an October interview with the state television station Al-Akhbari that the Commission had previously committed “irregularities. ”
Al-Sindh, a university professor, attributed that the members of the commission were practicing “security issues without any reference, background or prior qualification. ”
He stressed that the Shariah of Muslims does not stipulate that “forbidding evil necessarily means removing evil, ” which is a major change in the body ’ s thinking in the past.
The body, which has long been criticised for its crackdown on women, plans to “recruit women ” into its ranks in the near future, Sindh said.
The head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue admitted that the Commission had committed violations in the past, pointing out that its members were practicing security issues without any reference.
The Saudi writer Saud al-Kateb said that "the work of the Commission has undergone a significant and radical change," noting that "its role must be limited and does not exceed the role of the official regulatory bodies."
It was not clear whether the reduction in the Authority's powers was accompanied by a reduction in its annual budget.
In 2018, the Shura Council overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to merge the body into the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, citing the need for it to continue to fight drugs.
Stéphane Lacroix, a professor at the Institute of Political Science in Paris, ruled out Saudi Arabia ’ s move to disband the commission.
“The body remains a sign of a distinct Saudi identity with which many conservative Saudis are associated.
“The most likely thing is to continue to reposition its role. ”
arabic

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

Has been reduced to morality awareness campaigns and COVID-19 efforts.

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The CPVPV, which once enforced strict religious norms, has been stripped of its authority to monitor and enforce public behavior, leading to a dramatic increase in personal freedoms, such as women driving, attending concerts, and mixing with men in public spaces.

Title:

Content: FRANCE PRESS: Where did the religious authority in Saudi Arabia go?
Cairo - Al Wasat Gate Saturday 15 January 2022, 05: 57 pm
Faisal Turk, a Saudi teacher, decided to work with the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice to guard against its marginalization in recent years, while the Kingdom is witnessing an unprecedented opening coinciding with a campaign of civil and social reforms, according to AFP.
For years, the body, which served as a religious police, enjoyed considerable influence and prestige on the Saudi street, where its members closely monitored the application of Islamic law principles in the conservative kingdom before they were effectively stripped of their powers in 2016.
Expropriate all authority
Faisal, a pseudonym, 37, who resigned months ago from the commission, told AFP: “All our powers have been taken away and we have no clear role at all, ” and the bearded man continued in a meeting in eastern Riyadh:“ Everything I was working to prevent became completely permissible, so I decided to resign. ”
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took office in 2017, the kingdom has seen social reforms that include allowing women to drive, allowing concerts and ending the ban on mixing between men and women.
Faisal, who was wearing a dark cloak, sarcastically added, "In the past there was only one known body in Saudi Arabia, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue, today the most important body is the Entertainment Authority," referring to the Entertainment Authority, which was created by Saudi Arabia in May 2016 and is entrusted with managing and organizing various entertainment events that are witnessing a high turnout of both sexes.
Turki, a pseudonym for a former member of the body, said that "the existence of the body has become completely formal," and the 40-year-old who worked for the body for more than a decade, continued, "We are no longer allowed to intervene and change any behaviors that we considered inappropriate," noting that many continue to work "for the salary only."
In the past, the Authority had great powers, including ensuring that people applied the rules of public decency and prevented mixing, which included the right to request their personal documents, chase and arrest them, and the cars of the Authority were roaming the streets, and its members made sure that women wear the black cloak exclusively. Women.
The Authority has become its role to launch awareness campaigns
With the reduction of its role in the street, the Commission is finally launching campaigns to raise awareness of ethics and confront the epidemic and warn of the seditious, from digital screens and billboards in the streets and social media platforms. Many members of the Commission currently spend most of their time in their offices without contact with people in the streets, which raises the frustration and anger of the most radical among them, according to two sources familiar with the Commission ’ s activities.
A Saudi official, who asked not to be named, told AFP that "the commission has become isolated," pointing to "a significant reduction in the number of its members, especially those who do not qualify for the call," and it is not known exactly how many of its members are currently, but it is estimated, according to one of the sources, about 5,000 in the kingdom, where more than half of the population is under 35 years old, according to 2020 data.
The young Saudi woman, who was previously harassed by HTS men for her colorful clothes, is now able to go out without a head covering and even smoke in the street.
“We didn ’ t think about smoking in the street in the first place years ago, ” the 26-year-old said while smoking with her colleague in central Riyadh during a break from work, laughing,“ They were going to beat us with bamboo, ” referring to the thin sticks used by the authority ’ s malleants to river people.
Ahmed bin Qassem al-Ghamdi, a former senior official of the commission who was removed from his post in 2015 because of his progressive views, said “the commission ’ s greatest mistake was to follow people ’ s individual mistakes, ” which he said“ had a negative impact ” on its image.
The commission has previously committed “violations ”
The head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue (CPVPV), Abdul Rahman al-Sindh, in an interview last October with the state television station Al-Akhbar, acknowledged that the commission ’ s members were practicing “security issues without any background or qualification ” and stressed that the Muslim law does not stipulate that“ forbidding evil necessarily means removing evil ”, which is a major change in the body ’ s thinking in the past.
The body, which has long been criticized for its repression of women, plans to “employ women ” in its ranks soon, according to Sindh, and Saudi writer Saud al-Kateb acknowledged a“ significant and radical change ” in the work of the body, which said that “its role should be limited and not exceed the role of official regulatory bodies. ”
The Shura Council rejected by a large majority in 2018 a proposal to merge the body into the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, pointing to the need for its continuation to combat drugs, and the professor at the Institute of Political Science in Paris, Stephane Lacroix, ruled out that Saudi Arabia would move to dissolve the body, and said: "The body remains a sign of a distinctive Saudi identity associated with many conservative Saudis.
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Most preferred in this section.
More from the middle gate.

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

MBS has also marginalized Wahhabi clerics by promoting a new Saudi nationalism and replacing their sermons with cultural events like concerts and festivals, signaling a shift away from the Kingdom's historical reliance on Wahhabi ideology for legitimacy.

Title:

Content: Saudi Arabia...
Mohammed bin Salman ’ s change to the kingdom ’ s image is happening quickly and the danger lies in the time to reach the core
Middle East
Publish
11 minutes read
Analysis by Nick Robertson, CNN's Middle East Newsletter.
To subscribe to the newsletter (click here)
LONDON, United Kingdom (CNN) -- Saudi Arabia has made headlines recently, this time to try to find its place in the world of sports.
She's spending a lot of money.
In an announcement that shocked the world of sports last Tuesday, the US-based PGA Tour Golf Association announced a merger with its Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf and the Dubai-sponsored DP World Tour (formerly known as the European Tour), ending a dispute that dominated male pro golf last year.
News of the partnership has become the talk in several capitals and stadiums around the world.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Professional League welcomed the winner of the Golden Ball French player Karim Benzema, to catch up with his teammate who previously joined the Saudi league Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo, who is said to earn $200 million a season.
Perhaps the last time many people showed so much interest in the kingdom was in 2018 when journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed by Saudi government agents in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The golf coup of that partnership may have been the sporting achievement so far of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
He has already secured a spot on the F1 circuit, hosted all boxing matches as well as organising a series of global and regional music events to impress local audiences who considered all this far from reality for them.
None of this was possible before Mohammed bin Salman came to power.
The speed and scale of his changes have earned him popularity among many of the country ’ s youth, which is as unexpected as it is rare in Saudi history.
Fame in sport is built on moments of brilliance.
Unlike politics where it is slowly won.
Decisions can usually take years to mature and yield benefits, but for Mohammed bin Salman it is different.
He's in a hurry.
In fact, he consolidated his power by shaking up the old guard in 2017, many of whom were potential contenders for power.
More than 200 members of the royal family and businessmen were detained at the Ritz Hotel in Riyadh that year over allegations of corruption.
The result is that once vibrant and vocal members of the royal family with strong royal assets have much less influence today and little chance of gaining it.
Arguably among some of Mohammed bin Salman ’ s Western partners, he is still seen as a potentially dangerous interlocutor.
For them, he is seen as responsible for sending the team that killed, sliced and burned Khashoggi, who has been critical of Mohammed bin Salman ’ s high-speed reforms.
Mohammed bin Salman has denied any personal involvement in Khashoggi ’ s killing but has taken full responsibility as the country ’ s leader.
Khashoggi ’ s killing has tarnished Mohammed bin Salman ’ s reputation and may have derailed his father King Salman ’ s ambitions for him to modernize the kingdom.
In 2015, when King Salman came to the throne, the nation was fossilized, its royal office and bureaucracy were arrogant and rigid, and according to the accounts of many Saudis “very corrupt. ”
The conservative religious police took control of the streets and women were banned from driving.
The country has been stuck in a cultural time crisis since its rulers panicked when Muslim extremists stormed the Grand Mosque in 1979, members of the royal family feared for their future and pacified Islamists by giving conservative clerics a huge role in running the kingdom.
A different regional player
By the time King Salman came to power, the 21st century was passing through Saudi Arabia without the benefit of it.
The larger and more powerful Gulf kingdom was culturally different, decades behind its neighbors in business and development, woefully below its capabilities.
That was until King Salman empowered Mohammed bin Salman, not his eldest son, but his chosen son to fix it.
The LIV Golf Championship is the latest example, not only of his intention to do so, but of what he went through before achieving it.
Since coming to power, he has banished the religious police almost overnight, shrinking the space for religion in public life and replacing it with a new kind of Saudi nationalism.
Women were allowed to go to football stadiums with men, and national day parties were held outdoors in the streets with music and dance, unheard of before the Mohammed bin Salman era.
The changes didn ’ t stop there, emancipation allowed unmarried men and women to sit together in cafes, work in the same office, and shop in stores together.
New neighborhoods have sprung up in Riyadh to meet a new lifestyle.
Extremely modern office complexes dotted with fountains and palm trees sprang up, and roadside cafes, which looked like Dubai, lured young people out of their homes.
Mohammed bin Salman is the architect of a new and freer lifestyle for many, but those who skip it and ask on social media skeptical of his decisions risk their disappearance.
Even the few who were released after international pressure, such as Loujain al-Hathloul, have been released from prison, but cannot leave the country and have been warned to keep their thoughts to themselves or risk going back to prison.
But despite the rough edges, there is a soft force at work.
Saudi Arabia recently started to build an extravagant football league with expensive European stars.
Mohammed bin Salman wants the world to take him just as seriously as many of his fellow citizens seem to be doing now.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has become an increasingly close geostrategic partner, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is benefiting at least for now, with Mohammed bin Salman cutting oil production, ignoring U.S. concerns that high oil prices are helping Moscow pay for its war in Ukraine.
The crown prince has also embarked on a regional and international diplomatic track aimed at making the kingdom a bigger player on the world stage.
Saudi Arabia has led efforts to bring Syria out of isolation and has tried to mediate conflicts such as those in Sudan and even in Ukraine.
Mohammed bin Salman has begun mending ties with his former foes, from Turkey and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Houthi rebels in Yemen and even arch-foe Iran.
The prevailing idea is that he needs to ensure stability in order for his economic plans to succeed.
In terms of oil, it has made Saudi Arabia a bolder player.
Having been quick to respond to U.S. calls to open faucets and lower prices, the kingdom is now ignoring those requests, risking damage to its decades-old partnership with Washington.
The message is that Saudi interests come first.
These interests are to bring as many oil dollars as possible to the kingdom so that it does not fall into a budget deficit or see its mega projects fail.
What's best for his people?
Like Putin and Xi, Mohammed bin Salman wants what he believes is best for his people, meaning that the old model of affordable energy access in exchange for Western security guarantees that have moved Saudi Arabia to a cultural dead end is no longer an option.
Perception is everything.
America ’ s shift to Asia, its failure in 2011 to side with deposed allies during the Arab Spring, and now its support for Ukraine and what most Gulf Arabs see as misguided Western hegemony reeling from failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan all help sharpen Mohammed bin Salman ’ s paths toward new relationships where he also has some support.
The United States wants to increase oil production, support Ukraine, and normalize relations with Israel.
But it ’ s on the streets of Riyadh and Jeddah where Mohammed bin Salman ’ s biggest potential challenges lie.
The clock is approaching Vision 2030, a bold and tumultuous reimagining of city life powered by non-oil industries.
It is not only a new way of living, but also securing the work necessary to meet the needs of the country ’ s huge young population.
Two-thirds of Saudis are under 35 and have finally been able, in part thanks to Mohammed bin Salman, to taste what their contemporaries have enjoyed in the outside world for years.
Saudi officials say Vision 2030 for a new city on the Red Sea and another mega project — the New Square — in the capital Riyadh may not even partially materialize, but it aims to inspire the country and investors.
These are great adventures to keep people at work, so they are happy in their lives and less likely to challenge Mohammed bin Salman ’ s autocratic rule.
Plans of this magnitude are often realized over generations rather than the lifetime of a generation already living and yearning for a meaningful future.
Mohammed bin Salman, in a hurry, is attaching stability to a combination of ambition and an antidote to the people.
The process of changing the image is in full swing, but the longer it takes to get to the core, the greater the risk of failure.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What does MBS believe Saudi Arabia should rely on to maintain regime stability?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

Through Vision 2030, MBS has actively worked to uproot extremist ideologies and return Saudi Arabia to a more moderate form of Islam, fostering openness to other religions and traditions while emphasizing peaceful coexistence and dialogue.

Title:

Content: Saudi Arabia has always called for the need for legislation that respects religions and criminalizes the abuse of religious symbols in order to cultivate peace, renounce violence and combat festering hate speech, as it has been keen to intensify the language of respect for religions and dialogue between them to reach a human civilizational vision.
In light of the historical data, the Kingdom stresses the need for peaceful coexistence, the creation of channels of communication, and dialogue between followers of religions, and a reflection on the country ’ s history sheets, will find that it has taken remarkable steps in this regard, such as the establishment of the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue, or even the King Abdullah Center for Interfaith Dialogue, as well as the Center for Combating Extremist Ideology.
During this era, since the accession of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince made a remarkable promise tattooed in the memory of modern Saudi history by saying “we will destroy them now and immediately ”; in reference to“ extremists ”, who kidnapped the Islamic religion, and distorted its images, by the ideologies that deposited in their minds, so the crown prince uprooted extremist ideology and its symbols so that the country can rise, and lead the dawn Yer.
While Vision 2030 has fostered remarkable changes in both the education system and the fields of culture, the Emir, with his prudent philosophy, has been able to return to moderate Islam, renounce anything that would cause division or hatred, and intensify the desire to return to what the Kingdom was before 1979: a moderate Islam open to the world, to all religions and to all traditions and peoples.
The promotion of openness towards the other has opened the door to dialogue, as last year witnessed the “Common Values among Followers of Religions ” Forum, hosted by the Muslim World League, in Riyadh, in the presence of a number of religious leaders.
According to News 24.
This forum would not have been expected without the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 and the Crown Prince ’ s belief in the need to intensify cooperation between religious leaders in order to produce a common modern religious discourse, as it resulted in the creation of a modern international system under the umbrella of the United Nations.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

Avoiding actions that cause dissent, encourage violence, or spread dangerous ideas

These reforms have been met with mixed reactions domestically, as younger Saudis embrace a more open lifestyle while conservative elements express frustration over the diminished influence of the religious establishment.

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

A cornerstone of Vision 2030 has been the empowerment of women, with reforms allowing them to drive, travel independently, and participate in the workforce, marking a significant departure from traditional societal norms.

Title:

Content: - A plus A.
"Oakaz" (grandmother)
Saudi Arabia affirmed that it is determined to achieve the effective and real empowerment of women and enable them to play their role in building the nation with the full support and assistance of their fellow Saudi citizens without discrimination, disruption or neutralization.
This came in a speech delivered by the Chargé d'affaires of the Permanent Delegation of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, Counsellor Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Ateeq, during the annual session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Women and Gender Equality.
Al-Ateeq expressed Saudi Arabia ’ s appreciation for the report issued on the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2018-2021, which many governments have aligned in line with their orientations in order to achieve the goals of women ’ s empowerment and equality.
In the past few years, Saudi Arabia has witnessed extensive reforms in the field of human rights, and the field of women's rights has received the largest share of these developments and reforms, as many laws, regulations and legal bases have been promulgated and amended to ensure that women enjoy their rights on an equal basis with men, and a number of measures have been taken to promote women's rights and empowerment.
He pointed out that many legal frameworks have been amended and promulgated to achieve equality between women and men, most notably the Traffic Regulations, the Travel Documents Regulations, the Civil Status Regulations, the Labour Regulations and the Social Insurance Regulations.
As a result of these accelerated reforms in the file of Saudi women, the World Bank ’ s Women, Business and the Law report for the years 2020 and 2021 respectively ranked Saudi Arabia among the most countries in the world in implementing reforms related to laws and regulations related to women, and Saudi Arabia achieved a full score of “100 ” in five indicators: mobility, workplace, entrepreneurship, retirement and wages.
Al-Ateeq pointed out that Saudi Arabia has taken a number of special measures to accelerate equality in various fields through the launch of several initiatives aimed at accelerating the achievement of concrete and effective achievements in this regard.
He said: The initiative was launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the launch of the "National Platform for Saudi Women Leaders" in cooperation with Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, where the number of registered women in the platform reached 9077, and the launch of "Qara" program to support the transport of working women. From a program of 13,950 beneficiaries to the third quarter of 2021.
He added that the measures taken include the "Support for Self-Employment" program, which expands the circle of opportunities to increase women's income according to their skills, the "Partial Work" and "Remote Work" programs, which enable women to achieve a balance between work and family, as well as empowering women in rural and remote areas to enter the labor market.
It is noteworthy that the economic participation rate of Saudi females has been increased by 94% from 2017 to 2020, and the launch of the Women Empowerment Program at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to increase their participation in the digital sector, and to enable access to leadership positions in the sector. By encouraging companies to commit and pledge to support women ’ s access to senior positions in their organizations and encouraging other companies to join, more than 30 companies in Saudi Arabia have joined the alliance.
Al-Ateeq explained that the Human Resources Development Fund (HDF) has launched a number of initiatives, including Tamheer Program, which reached 70,000 beneficiaries until 2019, Doroob, a national e-training platform where women accounted for 53.8% of the total trainees in the second quarter of 2021, and the Employment Support Program, where the Fund provides financial support for targeted employment. Beneficiary.
He stressed that work has been done to empower women to occupy senior positions, so that Saudi women have reached senior positions in government institutions, universities and others, where they occupy leadership and supervisory positions in a number of ministries and government institutions, and the percentage of women in senior and middle management positions increased from 28.6% in 2017 to 41.4% in the first quarter of 2021.
He reiterated that women are active partners in the political and public life in Saudi Arabia by participating in decision-making or elections and running for election. Saudi women have been included in their participation in the Shura Council, and the number of women working in the Council has reached 97. Women also participate in municipal elections and in running for and election to the Council of Chambers of Commerce.
At the international level, Saudi women have held senior international positions and participated in international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, where a Saudi woman was the Executive Director of UNFPA and the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, and a Saudi woman was the Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization, in addition to her participation in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

Under MBS’s leadership, the participation of women in the workforce has nearly doubled to 33% over five years, driven by initiatives that ease gender segregation and promote inclusivity in the labor market.

Title:

Content: Saudi National Day: kingdom's women celebrate drive towards equal opportunity

Female executives cite "progressive leadership" for their achievements

Beta V.1.0 - Powered by automated translation

As they prepare for the 92nd Saudi National Day on Friday, Saudi women are celebrating the nation's progress and their rise to leadership positions across different sectors.

Saudi women have always coveted more visible and pertinent roles in society, and the kingdom's Vision 2030 is the catalyst that has made them possible.

Saudi Arabia had developed a diversified economy thanks to its “progressive leadership”, Dr Manar Al Moneef, Chief Investment Officer at the kingdom's $500 billion city of the future Neom, told The National.

“We are proud of the incredible accomplishments that have ignited the pride of our people all over the kingdom and we continue to strive for greatness,” she says.

“Neom will continue to be a powerful enabler” of the Saudi Vision 2030, she said.

Dr Manar believes Saudi Arabia is committed to women’s empowerment and has enabled women to obtain the “highest levels” of education and encouraged them to participate in various aspects of “economic, political, and social life”.

“As part of Vision 2030, I am grateful for the major reforms and the continuation of the leadership’s efforts to empower women to occupy leadership positions in various sectors.”

She said Neom’s approach is no different, “we are committed” to creating a working environment that supports, develops, and promotes equality and diversity”.

Vision 2030 aims to boost female participation in the workforce to 30 per cent by 2030.

Saudi women make up more than a third of the country's workforce, statistics released in March this year by the General Authority for Statistics show, a 17.4 per cent increase from five years ago.

Also, the female unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in 20 years in the first quarter of 2022.

Many female leaders attribute this achievement to the kingdom's ambitious programme to completely reshape its economy into one that is self-sufficient, progressive and diversified.

Saudi women have always demonstrated resolve and “Vision 2030 catalysed this determination into action”, said Dr May Taibah, board member and corporate financial controller at the Community Jameel Saudi Foundation.

She has been working in social enterprise for more than a decade, most recently with Bab Rizq Jameel Services and Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts.

Vision 2030 caters to the diverse needs of Saudi Arabia’s citizens, as it enables every member of society, “especially women,” to be veritable contributors to the country’s socio-economic growth, she said.

“This gives me a front-row seat to witness first-hand the impact of collaboration between the public, private, and governmental sectors in fuelling human capability,” she told The National. “It is truly inspirational what can be achieved through the right support framework.”

In the first quarter of 2022, the percentage of women in middle management and senior positions rose from 28.6 per cent compared with 39 per cent in first quarter of 2017, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said.

However, the exponential value added by the growth of the female workforce in the kingdom was not limited to statistics and numbers, said Deema Al Bashrawi, Head of Operations at Tanmiah, a manufacturer and distributor of food and agricultural products.

She attributed her professional success to a culmination of factors including the strength of the kingdom’s educational framework, which enabled her to earn a degree in economics, and the support of her family.

She added that “Tanmiah continues to support my sustained growth” since she joined in 2012 as a manager.

“Today, I look forward to continuing to serve my country, customers, partners, and investors as we continue to support the achievement of Saudi Arabia’s goals towards improving food security, reducing waste, and achieving self-sufficiency,” Ms Al Bashrawi said.

Dr Taibah believes that an entrepreneurial mindset is vital to prosperity and extends beyond entrepreneurship.

“The value extends beyond that, to the personal stories of lives, businesses and industries transformed through supportive socio-economic empowerment across the entire framework,” she told The National.

The World Bank’s Women, Business and Law report for 2020 and 2021 found that Saudi Arabia was among the top countries when it came to implementing reforms and rights related to women.

“Vision 2030 was developed to extend equal support, whether a person is a craft worker, start-up CEO or employee,” Dr Tabiah said.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development introduced policies that promote inclusivity, and diversity in the labour market.

These were “to enhance the positive image of women in the workplace, and to create a supportive and inclusive environment to facilitate women’s entry into the labour market”, a ministry representative said earlier this year.

“Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been a champion for women's progress and has helped empower women in the labour market by giving us ease of running businesses and authority which does not require a man,” said Ghalia Abdul, who runs a retail store in Jeddah.

Women's right to drive, travel and run their own businesses had helped her to hire more female workers in the last four years, Ms Abdul said.

The Arab Institute for Women’s Empowerment has said that investing in targeted training for Saudi women would have a return on investment of $400 billion by 2030.

“Most young Saudis have an entrepreneurial spirit and the new changes have helped people like me not just run my own business, but also contribute to the economy and create jobs for women,” Ms Abdul added.

Updated: September 22, 2022, 5:15 AM
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MORE FROM THE NATIONAL

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Women have also achieved remarkable progress in education, with increased representation in higher education and leadership roles, including positions in diplomacy, research, and innovation.

Title:

Content: Saudi News
Saudi Arabia Today / HRH Prince Sultan bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz: The achievements of Saudi women continue, thanks to God, and the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030
Riyadh 16 Shaaban 1444H corresponding to 08 March 2023
His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Kingdom of Bahrain, stressed that women have achieved many achievements during the past years and have assumed the most important and prestigious positions and have played a major role in the development of society thanks to God and the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030.
In a statement on the occasion of International Women ’ s Day, His Highness said: “Today we celebrate International Women ’ s Day on March 8 every year.
Together, we celebrate what has been achieved; we look forward to further gains and achievements.
He added: "The years and successive achievements of Saudi women achieved by the grace of God and then Vision 2030 led by His Highness the Crown Prince in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - may God protect them - Saudi women are not only a member of society; they are part of their society in all economic, developmental and legislative aspects.
Saudi women have achieved breakthroughs in the level of taking their rights to the stage of empowerment and achieving everything they aspire to. ”
Women have played a prominent role in their society since ancient times.
She was an influential member of her tribe, sharing the advice, opinion and decision of men as well, noting that one of the most indispensable rights of women is the right to education, which opens up all doors of ambition.
"Saudi women have proven themselves in all fields of science and research to assume the positions they deserve.
Which has proven its worth and importance.
At the university level, she is a professor and researcher.
At the level of legislation, a member of the Shura Council participates with her male brother in drafting legislation and amending laws.
In medicine, pharmacy and law.
At the economic level, it manages companies, banks and major economic entities.
It was supposed to exist in space.
And at a level also through the participation of most sports.
"At the diplomatic level, she has held the highest positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in many diplomatic missions and international organizations, there are currently five women heads of diplomatic missions of the Kingdom abroad.
Now there is no room without its imprints and contributions, the field has become open to them to start and achieve a head start.
Everything a woman wants to achieve depends on her ambition, abilities and pursuit.
There is a full faith of leadership, protected by God, in women and in their ability to compete with their male counterparts without discrimination. ”
His Highness Prince Sultan bin Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz pointed out that the competition between men and women is based on integration and solidarity, saying, "All in society are equal, but what distinguishes them is the achievement that affects society in general.
And my message to the Saudi woman as we celebrate her International Day; to raise our kingdom in all respects..
Now we see our country a difficult number in all fields, and to further success and achievements under the wise leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Highness the Crown Prince bin Abdulaziz.
...
/ / Finished / /
18: 49 PM
0204.
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How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What leadership roles have Saudi women achieved under Vision 2030?

In public life, women have gained unprecedented freedoms, such as the right to drive and travel independently, and have risen to prominent positions in sectors like politics, business, and space exploration, exemplified by the appointment of female ambassadors and the first Saudi female astronaut.

Title:

Content: Saudi National Day: Kingdom's women and young people shaping the future

UN official Jood Alharthi tells The National that young people in the kingdom are becoming 'change-makers'

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Saudi women are taking charge of representing the kingdom across different sectors and positions regionally and globally, some of its most well-known women told The National.

Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, champions women empowerment, which is a key component of reforms in the kingdom.

Jood Al Harthi, the first woman to be appointed as political affairs officer at the Executive Office of the Secretary General of the UN in New York, spoke to The National ahead of Saudi National Day on Saturday.

She said “today more than ever”, the kingdom is making an impact in the space of international co-operation, development, multilateralism and diplomacy.

She said the King Salman Relief Centre had “unarguably expanded” its global reach and scale, with its top projects the previous year focusing on emergency relief co-ordination, food security and early recovery.

“It’s worthy to note that more and more young Saudis have rushed to become volunteers and change-makers for such causes,” she said.

The empowerment of women and youth engagement are top priorities within the kingdom's Vision 2030 initiative.

It is through such initiatives that the kingdom can create a platform for the next generation of Saudi women to “thrive”, said Princess Reema bint Bandar, the kingdom's ambassador to the US.

“We can contribute to break down the barriers in the biases that hold women back and we can foster a world where the next generation of women can thrive,” she said.

“And when we do that, we’ll not only create a more equal and inclusive society but also a more prosperous one. We need more women in leadership roles paving the way.”

Princess Reema, who was appointed ambassador to the US by the Saudi Crown Prince in 2019, said the kingdom needs more female business leaders to reach its potential.

“We need more women in middle management positions continuing the work,” she said.

“We need more women business owners, more mentorship programmes focused on female success, and more people investing in women-led start-ups.”

In 2023, Saudi Arabia sent its first Saudi female astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi, to the International Space Station.

And Saudi women are rising to top positions across the world, from astrophysics, politics, technology and other industries.

The kingdom has hosted high-level summits over the past year, including the Arab League Summit.

It has allowed the kingdom to further empower its women to take leading roles in its international vision, Ms Alharthi said.

“We’ve seen an increase of women ambassadors, youth representatives and recruitment,” she said.

“As the kingdom marks its National Day, we must recall the huge contributions that make headlines, but most importantly, let us also celebrate the unheard successes and the many transformative plans and dreams in progress.”

She said Saudi Arabia continues to support the voices of the Muslim community globally, and speak against cases of Islamophobia and hate speech to boost peaceful coexistence.

Updated: September 23, 2023, 3:00 AM

How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What leadership roles have Saudi women achieved under Vision 2030?

What new permissions have Saudi women gained under Mohammed bin Salman's rule?

Internationally, these reforms have garnered praise for advancing women's rights, with organizations like the World Bank recognizing Saudi Arabia as a global leader in implementing gender-related legal reforms.

Title:

Content: Despite the government ’ s alleged reforms,
Widespread violations of women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia
Sunday 01 January 2023 - 05: 52 GMT
The widespread German network Deutsche Welle has highlighted the persistence of widespread violations of women ’ s rights in Saudi Arabia despite alleged government reforms.
World - Saudi Arabia
Saudi authorities continue to discriminate against women as second-class citizens with an unchanging authoritarian guardianship system and strict disobedience laws and rules that restrict the rights of unmarried women.
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched the so-called “social and economic reform ” dubbed Vision 2030 in April 2016, the status of women has changed dramatically, with the network seeing that some laws were in favor of women and others headed for the worse.
While women activists like Loujain al-Hathloul were jailed for three years following a drive for women to drive, the relevant legislation was changed in 2018 — and according to research firm Statista — within a year and a half, more than 175,000 women applied.
Driving license in Riyadh.
Other laws have been amended since 2018, meaning women are now allowed to apply for a passport without the consent of a male guardian and go to cinemas with their boyfriends.
Lina al-Hathloul, the sister of women ’ s activist Loujain al-Hathloul, who is the head of communications and surveillance at the London-based ALQST Human Rights Organisation, said: “The regime of repression is still in place ” in Saudi Arabia.
Because of the male guardianship system, girls and women still rely on male guardian consent for most decisions.
In case of disobedience, these guardians, who could be fathers, husbands, brothers or sons, are entitled to be sent to so-called “care homes ” — forever, al-Hathloul said.
Moreover, this year, three court rulings starkly emphasized the Saudi ambivalence between men and women.
In January, a court in the city convicted Yasser M.
Verbal sexual harassment of a woman.
He was sentenced to eight months in prison and a fine of 5,000 rials (1,265 euros / $1,330).
Yasir M was one of the first cases to be convicted following the tightening of Saudi legislation to combat sexual harassment in 2019.
But in August, PhD student Salma al-Shehab, 34, was sentenced to 34 years in prison, and a month later Noura bint Saeed al-Qahtani was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Both were convicted of retweeting human rights calls.
“The result is fear — people no longer know what the red lines are, ” said al-Hathloul. For her, the liberation of women ’ s rights over the past four years is nowhere near what Saudi women really want.
“We want to live in Saudi Arabia without fear and be able to claim our rights. ”
According to the 2019 Women, Peace and Security Index (WPS), Saudi Arabia ranks lowest globally.
According to the index, female labor force participation remains low across the region despite a rapid rise in female education rates and improved access to health care.
Women hold only 16 per cent of legislative seats in MENA countries compared to 25 per cent globally.
Certain States actively suppress women's rights by persecuting women's rights activists.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Saudi Arabia, where authorities arbitrarily arrest and detain women ’ s rights leaders with impunity.
The authorities of the House of Saud, a legitimate permanent resident of the United States, arrested Aziza al-Yousef in May 2018 on charges related to her peaceful human rights activism.
Despite her provisional release in March 2019, Ms. Al-Yousef cannot leave the Kingdom due to pending charges in court.
Source: Saudi Leaks

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What does the UN human rights report covering November 2018 to October 2023 confirm about Saudi Arabia's commitment to human rights under Vision 2030, as reflected in reforms and developments during that period?

Its commitment to upholding the highest international human rights standards.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

However, critics highlight continued restrictions under the guardianship system and the suppression of women's rights activists, reflecting ongoing tensions between modernization and traditional values.

Vision 2030 has also prioritized the development of the entertainment and tourism sectors, with initiatives like the National Strategy for Industry aiming to triple the industrial domestic product and increase exports of high-tech products by six times by 2030.

Title:

Content: JEDDAH — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman launched on Tuesday the National Strategy for Industry to realize the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.

The strategy focuses on 12 sub-sectors to diversify the Kingdom’s industrial economy while identifying more than 800 investment opportunities worth SR1 trillion.

“Through this strategy and in partnership with the private sector, Saudi Arabia will become a leading industrial power that contributes to securing global supply chains, and exporting high-tech products to the world,” the Crown Prince, who is also chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, said while unveiling the new strategy.

“We have all the possibilities to reach a competitive and sustainable industrial economy, thanks to the ambitious young talents; distinguished geographical location; rich natural resources, and leading national industrial companies,” he said.

The strategy aims to accomplish an industrial economy that attracts investments, which contributes to achieving economic diversification, and developing the domestic product and non-oil exports, in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.

The National Strategy for Industry focuses on 12 sub-sectors to diversify the Kingdom’s industrial economy while identifying more than 800 investment opportunities worth SR1 trillion to constitute a new chapter of sustainable growth for the sector in order to achieve ambitious economic returns for the Kingdom by 2030. These returns include doubling the industrial domestic product by three times and doubling the value of industrial exports to reach SR557 billion.

The strategy is also working to bring the total value of additional investments in the sector to SR1.3 trillion, and to increase exports of advanced technology products by about six times, in addition to creating tens of thousands of quality jobs of high value.

The industrial sector is one of the pillars of Saudi Vision 2030, and it receives great attention from wise leadership. The National Industrial Development and Logistics Program was launched and an independent ministry was established to take care of the sector. In addition to this, a number of programs were introduced and several entities were established.

All these have resulted in doubling the number of industrial establishments, which did not exceed 7,206 factories within 42 years. Their number jumped by more than 50 percent after the launch of Vision 2030, reaching 10,640 industrial facilities in 2022. The strategy will drive growth in the sector, bringing the number of factories to about 36,000 factories by 2035.

Through the strategy, Saudi Arabia aspires to empower the private sector, as well as to increase the flexibility and competitiveness of the industrial sector, which guarantees continuity of access to important commodities for the welfare of citizens and achieve global leadership in a group of selected commodities, by investing in promising new technologies.

To achieve these ambitious national goals, a governance model for the industrial sector was developed through the formation of the Supreme Committee for Industry, headed by the Crown Prince, to supervise the development of the sector, in addition to the formation of the Industrial Council with the participation of the private sector in order to ensure the participation of industrial investors in decision-making and policy development.

The Kingdom’s industrial sector is based on solid industrial foundations and successes built over 50 years, as it contributed to adding more than SR340 billion to the gross domestic product, and provided many quality jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities in various industrial fields.

The Kingdom also enjoys the presence of leading national industrial companies, which have contributed to placing the Saudi industry in the ranks of advanced industries regionally and globally, as the Kingdom is today the fourth largest manufacturer of petrochemical products in the world, while its industrial outputs contribute to supplying global supply and manufacturing chains, which are involved in the production of many of industries.

The launch of the strategy is in line with global trends in the sector, such as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Kingdom’s objectives and the competitive advantages represented by its geographical location, an abundance of natural resources and energy sources, human capabilities, purchasing power, and stable monetary policies, it was pointed out.

© Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

To drive development in manufacturing
To drive development in high-tech
To reduce Saudi Arabia's oil dependence

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Mega-projects such as NEOM, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea development are central to Vision 2030, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s ambition to transform into a global hub for innovation, tourism, and entertainment.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

These projects aim to address challenges like supply chain issues and skilled labor shortages while meeting ambitious deadlines to position Saudi Arabia as a leader in sustainable development.

To drive development in renewable energy

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Technology and innovation are integral to Vision 2030, with initiatives like the National Transformation Program focusing on digital transformation and infrastructure development to enhance competitiveness and achieve sustainable economic growth.

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Content: Digital transformation is the cornerstone of Arab strategies for the future
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Digital transformation is a key pillar in the strategies of the Arab countries that have been launched to move towards the future to achieve sustainable development, based on a prosperous economy, a vibrant society and an ambitious homeland, including, but not limited to, Saudi Arabia 2030, Egypt 2030, Jordan 2025, Oman 2040, Morocco 2035 and Kuwait 2035.
These visions represent an ambitious and clear road map for the completion of a number of projects in various sectors to achieve comprehensive sustainable development, and these strategies are constantly updated in objectives and mechanisms and are flexible and changeable.
Digital transformation is defined as the process of integrating and adopting digital technologies in all areas of work, fundamentally changing how different sectors operate and deliver added value.
The State of Arab Governments and Artificial Intelligence report, released today at the World Government Summit, revealed that skills are one of the biggest challenges for public sector employees.
The Arab Digital Economy Vision, which was launched in December 2018 in Abu Dhabi, was a major support for these trends.
The Arab Digital University, an integrated digital platform for vocational education and training, has been launched and will serve as an important and new tool to spread science and knowledge across emerging economies to cover the Middle East, North Africa and West Africa. The Arab Digital University believes that education is the first pillar from which governments must build a better future for their people.
(Saudi Arabia 2030)
Saudi Vision 2030 focuses heavily on the technology and innovation sector, which is one of the most important factors to promote economic development and achieve progress in various fields. Achieving Vision 2030 requires investment in technology and innovation to enhance competitiveness and achieve sustainable economic development.
The National Transformation Program is at the forefront of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to develop the necessary infrastructure and create an enabling environment for the public, private and non-profit sectors to achieve the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 by focusing on excellence in government performance and digital transformation.
(Digital Egypt)
In 2018, Egypt launched its digital strategy, and set up the “Misr Service ” platform with unified data for more than 100 databases in government agencies, the platform provides 170 fully automated services, and launched Egypt ’ s digital vision for cross-border services 2022-2026 to push the sector on a higher growth path.
(Oman 2040)
Oman ’ s Vision 2040 has identified ICT as one of the enabling and stimulating sectors of the productive and service economic sectors. The Government of the Sultanate of Oman has also adopted the National Digital Economy Program, which represents the strategic direction to build a thriving digital economy that contributes effectively to the GDP.
(Jordan 2025)
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has developed a strategy for digital transformation until 2025, and more than 50% of government services have been digitized, and Jordan aims to increase the contribution of the digital sector to GDP to 15% from 9.5% currently.
(Kuwait 2035)
Kuwait ’ s Vision 2035 is based primarily on digital transformation, adopting smart and digital technologies to enhance its services, drive the economy, improve quality of life, enhance operational efficiency, and support the performance of key sectors.
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How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

To reduce Saudi Arabia's oil dependence
To drive development in high-tech

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

modernize infrastructure
Diversify the economy from oil

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a global technology hub by fostering partnerships with international tech leaders like Microsoft and Oracle and establishing institutions like the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence.

Title:

Content: From Semiconductors to Artificial Intelligence
Saudi Arabia ’ s rise as a global technology hub makes it America ’ s strongest competitor
Thursday 4 January 2024 11: 45 AM
Listen to the article in audio.
The Citizen - Translated by Hala Abdulrahman
Saudi Arabia is set to be at the forefront of technological development in everything from biotechnology to semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
Saudi Arabia is a global technology hub
The rise of Saudi Arabia as a technology hub is complicating the U.S. biotechnology strategy, particularly with regard to semiconductors and artificial intelligence, in order to maintain its competitive advantage and ensure the development of artificial intelligence.
The United States needs a strategy of integrating emerging technology hubs in the Middle East into its overall technology system, lest these countries rely on China to achieve its high-tech ambitions.
Leadership in Artificial Intelligence
Saudi Arabia is developing its plans to lead in artificial intelligence and other technologies through its Vision 2030, the government ’ s strategic plan for the development of the country, where the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence was established in 2019, in accordance with Saudi Arabia ’ s ambition to become a global center for artificial intelligence technology.
In turn, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the establishment of a $200 million fund to invest in local and international companies specialized in advanced technology.
A clear part of this approach is to strengthen partnerships with technology leaders around the world.
Partnerships with major technology companies
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has begun to develop its local technological capabilities, including new foundation models focused on Arabic and English, such as the Falcon model series.
According to Newsweek, Saudi Arabia has followed its leadership model in all fields, where Saudi Arabia has signed a number of partnerships with Western technology giants, such as Microsoft and Oracle, who are establishing some of their businesses in the region and helping to build the Middle East ’ s technological capabilities.
Strong competition for American technology
Saudi Arabia continues to pursue greater global integration, and the United States should consider how to counter this competition with Saudi Arabia in particular in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and other vital sectors of interest to the Saudis, which are seen as critical to future U.S. economic development and to maintain leadership in China ’ s competition.
Many of these technologies also contain dual-use applications, and developing such capabilities outside U.S. control could be risky for U.S. interests in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia has the money and the will to spend it to attract top talent from the United States and elsewhere to become the Middle East ’ s top technology hub.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

Through growth in science
Growth in technology

To reduce Saudi Arabia's oil dependence
To drive development in high-tech

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To attract foreign investment

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The Kingdom's efforts to attract foreign investments in advanced technologies align with its broader Vision 2030 goals of economic diversification and reducing reliance on oil revenues.

Title:

Content: Saudi Arabia extends warm invitation to Russian companies

(MENAFN) In a bid to expedite technology transfer, enhance the localization of advanced technologies, and offer cost-competitive raw materials to its burgeoning market, Saudi Arabia has extended a warm invitation to Russian companies, urging them to consider establishing their corporate headquarters within the Kingdom. The disclosure was made by Tariq Al-Qahtani, Chairman of the Saudi-Russian Business Council, during a joint meeting between the two nations. This strategic move represents a significant step toward realizing Saudi Arabia's ambitious vision of becoming a regional epicenter for foreign direct investments, aligned with the multifaceted goals laid out in its economic diversification plan, known as Vision 2030.

Saudi Arabia's vision revolves around decreasing its reliance on oil revenues and transitioning into a dynamic trading hub, which requires attracting foreign investments, fostering international partnerships, and facilitating technology transfer. Encouraging Russian firms to set up their operational bases within the Kingdom is a substantial leap toward achieving this transformation. It underscores the country's commitment to fostering innovation, embracing advanced technologies, and providing a business-friendly environment to foreign investors.

During the meeting, Chairman Al-Qahtani offered insights into the ongoing efforts to formalize and establish numerous industrial partnerships and agreements between Saudi Arabia and Russia. These partnerships, once solidified, are expected to catalyze collaboration in various sectors, contributing to economic growth and diversification. Such initiatives are pivotal in reshaping the economic landscape of Saudi Arabia and bolstering its position as an attractive destination for foreign investments and business expansion. The Kingdom's endeavors in this realm are poised to shape its economic future, reduce its dependence on oil revenues, and establish a diversified, forward-looking, and thriving economy in line with the objectives outlined in Vision 2030.

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How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

To reduce Saudi Arabia's oil dependence
To drive development in high-tech

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Despite these ambitious reforms, Vision 2030 has faced criticism for prioritizing mega-projects over addressing fundamental economic issues such as labor productivity and equitable wealth distribution.

Title:

Content: 646 hits
Khobar Code: 60921
Publication date: 27 November 2021
You may know that the net wealth in the world is transferred from the poor countries to the big rich countries, and not on the contrary, we are in a world where the poor spend on the rich, and as it is said that the poor are hungry only by what is enjoyed by the rich, and if this looting and armies of the rich in the countries of the poor, this looting is called "traditional colonialism". “New Mara ”, and perhaps this so-called“ neo-colonialism ” is better to call it the project of the new future “NEOM ”.
NEOM, which presents itself as a change that no one has dared to go through before, is a project within the Vision 2030 announced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, among the so-called reform projects that his critics say are flirting with the West, this project is based on the construction of a new city stretching from Ras Sheikh Hamid and extending on the Gulf of Aqaba, allowing the overlap between Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. It depends on the freedom of the market and has no taxes or customs and does not even need a visa, that is, it is just a project of a new liberal state, which contributes to the impact on the systems of the Arab countries surrounding it, and it is not surprising the goal of this project is an Arabic version of the book "The New Middle East" by Shimon Peres.
In order to reconstruct the project of the new future, or neo-colonialism, the local armies, like the colonial armies, arrested and killed anyone who tweets outside the squadron or even those who do not openly support him by the Saudi ruler, in scenes reminiscent of what the colonists of America did when they discovered its red Indians and indigenous people, or what the Zionist gangs did to the Palestinians when they founded it. Their usurping entity.
On the Neom road, the blood of Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, who may not know many that he studied geophysics at King Saud University, and was a resident of that area where the project is built and his family inhabited it for hundreds of years, and this blood only flowed because he refused the displacement imposed by the Saudi ruler on the people of his region, this refusal and adherence to the land cost his life.
In addition to Abdul Rahim al-Huweiti, we find Dr. Abdulaziz al-Dakhil, who was arrested several times by the Saudi authorities because of his differences of opinion with the Saudi rulers, and because of his proposals that opened the door for the Saudi people to reconsider their rulers.
Who is Abdulaziz Aldakhil?
The son of Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Dakhil, in a tweet on Twitter, launched an important definition in the history of his father, he is one of the first citizens to obtain a doctorate in economics, and has authored several books considered a reference in the Saudi economy. After obtaining his doctorate, Al-Dakhil was appointed to the Ministry of Finance, and rose to the position of Undersecretary for Investment Affairs, where he succeeded in revolutionizing Saudi investment. Abdul Hakim Abdul Aziz Al-Dakhil confirmed that his father was keen to serve the country when he joined the Ministry of Finance, but when he was shocked by the amount of money that disappeared from the state treasury, he thought that he could address the problem in regular ways within the ministry. The machine.
After the spread of the means of communication, his messages are no longer directed specifically to the king, but he began to give lectures to reach everyone who owns a means of communication, which led to the resentment of the Saudi crown prince, his house was raided and arrested with his son and confiscated all his documents, papers and devices. Disposition of immovable property.
After that, Dr. Al-Dakhil continued his positions, but avoided direct confrontation until the death of Dr. Abdullah Al-Hamid, a founding member of the Association for Civil and Political Rights in Saudi Arabia (ACPRA), wrote a tweet of condolences, he was arrested under King Mohammed bin Salman, and was subjected to injustice and physical harm and was not allowed to communicate with his family and was absent from them.
Dr. Dakhil said in an interview on Gulf TV that this project is not optimal for the economy of this country, it does not solve the fundamental problem, which lies in the absence of labor productivity, and considered that this project is only a gathering of several countries, and the contribution of each country initiative, but the implementation of the project is not related to initiatives, He stressed that without the development of the labor force in Saudi Arabia, no project can cause a real renaissance in the Saudi economy.
Dr. Abdul Aziz has been trying to address successive Crown Princes in his life, in order to present them with encouraging plans for the economies of the Saudi state, and after feeling the imminent danger and indifference to his opinion, he directed his speech to the people, and stated in an interview with the journalist Mohammed Al-Rabiah, that the distribution of oil wealth flows on what he likened to a pyramid, at the top of the pyramid. 10% of the population of Saudi Arabia, and this head acquires 90% of the oil wealth because of its direct flow, and the returns of this wealth decline with the descent in the layers of the pyramid, up to the last layer, which is the people who have nothing of this wealth.
Dr. Abdul Aziz also shows in an interview on CNBC channel his opinion on the allocation of Aramco, where he explains that the revenues of this company is all that Saudi Arabia owns, and says that the privatization of Aramco and the sale of shares does not enter foreign currencies to Saudi Arabia, but comes out of it the most important thing, which is oil, and this profit in privatization does not belong to the Saudi state, but to shareholders in this company. This is what Saudi Arabia lacks, so this company, instead of being closed to a handful of senior leaders or a “black box, ” as he described it, should open up to the Saudi people in order to boost productivity and increase job opportunities, and not be consumed by the present generation without thinking about future generations.
What is Aramco?
Saudi Aramco is a Saudi national company operating in the fields of oil, natural gas, petrochemicals and related works of exploration, production, refining, distribution, shipping and marketing. It is a global integrated company that was nationalized in 1988, headquartered in Dhahran, and is the largest company in the world by market value. The Saudi state.
In the 2030 plan of the Saudi King Mohammed bin Salman, a decision to sell 5% of the company Aramco and put it for public subscription, and therefore this decision provides for the sale of shares of the company Aramco to the owners of capital, in other words, the sale of crude oil in the land to shareholders. Zamil.
Who is Issam Al-Zamil?
Essam Al-Zamil is a prominent Saudi economist, researcher and economic analyst. He is a writer in several Saudi, Arab and international newspapers and magazines. He was recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the most prominent economic figures in the Kingdom. He was honored by King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his son in 2014 as one of the pioneers of technology in the Kingdom. His economic views are on his personal blog, which about three years ago saw about 3 million visitors.
Born in Dammam in 1979, Zamil earned a bachelor ’ s degree in chemical engineering from Tulane University in 2002, and then worked as an engineer for and contributed to the development of Aramco, the world ’ s largest oil producer.
He then resigned from his government position, and over the years established many sites, programs, applications and services on the Internet, such as Awamer site, which was founded by Zamil of sites that provide direct service to investors, a service for automatic trading of shares traded on the Saudi Stock Exchange.
His views were criticized by the ruling authorities for his involvement in sensitive economic and public files, including the growing poverty and unemployment rates in Saudi Arabia, the richest country in the region and the largest oil producer in the world, as well as his criticism of the government ’ s decision to implement the privatization policy and sell state assets. Al-Zamil was critical of government figures that he saw as unrealistic and lacking credibility, such as unemployment, poverty and others.
He also called for the need to prepare Saudis for the labor market, including convincing them to work in handicrafts and handicrafts, spreading the culture of self-employment among national workers and rehabilitating them so that they are suitable for available job opportunities, as well as linking universities to the labor market. Therefore, he has always called for the reform of the structural problems of the economy, focusing on the development of the industrial sector as the first generator of the labor market, increasing domestic production, limiting imports and preserving foreign reserves.
Authorities arrested him in September 2017, as part of a group that included prominent scholars, opinion leaders and clerics. At first, no one knew the charges against al-Zamil, but the media leaked flimsy charges, from belonging to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, abusing social media sites, and abusing state institutions, to inciting protests. The government, questioning the integrity of the judiciary, as well as meeting foreign diplomats and providing them with information and analysis on the movement taking place in Saudi Arabia without informing the official authorities, but the fact that Zamil ’ s arrest came against the backdrop of his criticism of Mohammed bin Salman ’ s vision for economic reform, which was titled “Vision 2030 ”. He warned in a video on the Snapchat application that the sale of these shares will undoubtedly mean the sale of crude oil underground, and said that this oil belongs to the whole people and can not take this decision without the approval of everyone, as Zamil predicted the failure of the Aramco IPO, the backbone of the Vision 2030 adopted by Mohammed bin Salman, which has already happened, as the share offering faltered several times in the period from 2016 to 2019. Opinion on offering them only in domestic markets, and postponing the offering in international markets indefinitely.
He pointed out that the sale of these shares can be useful in one case, which is that after the sale of these shares, profits are taken from this sale, and operated in the development of industries in the Saudi state and thus there is diversification in its economic activities, which means that the state away from full dependence in its economy on oil wealth and dependence on productive and industrial forces.
Al-Zamil ’ s problem is that he did not join the chorus of the ruling regime and the aspirants of the Vision 2030 plan for economic reform, as he always relied on official figures and realistic analyses, without deceiving public opinion by adopting government decisions and cheering them. Reform and upgrade his country ’ s economy to become one of the major countries, especially with the Kingdom ’ s huge financial and oil potential.
In conclusion, if the Saudi regime had heard from national experts what plunged the economy into severe problems and crises raised the unemployment rate to more than 15% of the labor force, poverty rates to nearly 25% according to unofficial figures, and the successive crises prompted the government to expand foreign debt, withdraw quickly from foreign reserves and public reserves, increase the prices of major commodities including gasoline, gas, electricity and water. Delaying the implementation of major development and investment projects.
Essam Al-Zamil and Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Dakhil are two researchers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who have been providing this country with a lot of development and a lot of change, both at the economic levels, and at the technological and research levels. Internal industries and the activation of labor, in addition to making the Saudi economy dependent on internal industries without relying purely on oil wealth.
It is not unusual for an Arab government to arrest a person for expressing an opinion on its policies, but it is strange that these authorities return and take those views without releasing the detainee, but even worse that they charge him and try him in secret.
Author: Marwa Qubaisi
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What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Human rights concerns have also been raised, with allegations of suppressing dissent and forcibly displacing communities for Vision 2030 projects, such as the NEOM development.

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

In response to these criticisms, MBS has emphasized the transformative potential of Vision 2030, presenting it as a bold modernization effort that combines economic diversification with social reforms.

Title:

Content: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Read at the meeting of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
Many media and political decision makers in different parts of the world are still trying to analyze and understand the messages implicit in Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ’ s recent meeting with Fox News.
The meeting, which is the first of its kind with an American media since 2019, was addressed to the Western public in general and the American in particular, where Prince Mohammed bin Salman chose to conduct the dialogue entirely in English, for the first time, and the meeting was clear, comprehensive, frank and natural to the highest degree, but the most important messages addressed by the Prince through the meeting.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman ’ s speech was mainly about the future, and came focused and did not address the traditional topic of the history of relations with the United States, but talked about future opportunities and challenges, and development partnerships instead of wars and differences, and stressed in numbers that Saudi Arabia is the most exciting place in the world today, and that the country is like beehives working around the clock with creative ideas and amazing projects. Ideas and initiatives that have stunned the world and brought about imaginary change in Saudi Arabia today.
The prince ’ s speech, confident in his country ’ s capabilities and believing in the aspirations and dreams of his people, confirmed in his interview that the Saudi story today is the most inspiring and the most ambitious not only in the region, but globally, especially if the magnitude of the change and movement that took place in the very short period that has passed.
The world has discovered, in a real and practical way, that what happens in Saudi Arabia does not stay in Saudi Arabia.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman calls on the Arab region to adopt a new approach to relations based on development, especially as the region has tried the methods of raising the emotional slogans promoting Arabism, nationalism, resistance and the accompanying economic system, which included socialism, nationalization, isolation and total development failure, which was paid for by the citizen in the first place.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman has worked to close the contentious files, enticing new partners with initiatives and partnerships that have important returns for them to enlarge the size of the cake for everyone instead of the old conflicts that were over the crumbs.
One of the most important successes of the crown prince is that in a very short time he was able to remarket his country in a spectacular way, after a period of intense media campaigns that were keen to describe Saudi Arabia as destructive, Saudi Arabia is today described as the most important investment fund in the world, the new starting point for sports and entertainment, and the success story of the 21st century, perhaps the most important success story in terms of rebranding.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman ’ s recent meeting left the American viewer with very positive impressions, beginning with the veteran broadcaster who conducted the interview, through the most important media « Fox News » who commented on it, and they were all surprised by the change, and the man ’ s quiver of dreams to come, and they knew what the Saudis knew for years.
Saudi Arabia today is no longer just an oil producer, but has become a center for attracting investment, creating opportunities and the ability to influence, eliminating terrorism and extremism, establishing bridges between peoples and nations in economy, culture and sports, and offering the world a model of development in government and private administrative performance that is exemplary, like what happened during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Most optimists did not expect all these transformations to occur within Saudi Arabia and the real development of Saudi Arabia ’ s position among nations, but those who sat and listened to Prince Mohammed bin Salman when he launched Vision 2030 fully realize that the man dreamed and thought, planned and implemented, continued and developed, and is satisfied only by setting ambitious and new goals for his country.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman ’ s recent interview with Fox News left a positive and very important impression, and this is a remarkable step to be reckoned with, but more importantly, it is a new building block in his ambitious national and international project.
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Selected articles published in Eram News reflect the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the site.
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What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Domestically, Vision 2030 has fostered a sense of national pride and optimism, with surveys indicating strong support for its transformative agenda among Saudi citizens.

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Content: How Vision 2030 Ended Extremism, Terrorism and the Brotherhood ’ s Dream
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One of the first priorities of the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 since its inception is its keenness to address and fight extremist ideas and partisan and movement ideologies, and this has led to the control of the Da ’ wah discourse and away from what provokes sedition and division or incites violence or promotes incoming ideas with subversive political aims.
The decisive moment in history was when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the elimination of extremism, the Awakening project and the rhetoric of international policy advocates saying: “In one year we managed to eliminate an ideological project made over 40 years! ” and when he said“ we will return the kingdom to moderate Islam ” The Guardian picked up the most important global political message in the speech of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The researcher and observer of the movements and groups of political Islam in general and the Muslim Brotherhood in particular is aware of the great role played by the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 and how it was able, through achieving the intellectual dimension of its achievements, projects and programs, to overcome the intellectual danger of extremism and terrorist ideologies that existed in a previous era and to eliminate the project of awakening.
Our society has suffered in a period of time many and many of the scourge of terrorism because of the power of the Awakening and the penetration of the terrorist Brotherhood in the joints of many institutions and its tools and symbols of the advocates of politics and revealed the truth of the events of the Arab Spring.
Therefore, it was one of the first priorities of the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 since its inception is its keenness to address and fight extremist ideas and partisan and dynamic ideologies, and this has led to control the Da ’ wah discourse and distance from what provokes sedition and division or incites violence or promotes foreign ideas with subversive political aims. How the Saudis are becoming more proud of their homeland
The cultural power, tolerant immunity and positive intellectual openness to the world are destroying the shackles of extremism in society. This combination of anti-extremism and extremist ideas is the backbone of the development process in any society. Development is a mobile process, and its wheel drives strategies, money and action. They are called “enemies of development ”.
They were shaking the society by deluding it with ideas through which they seek to stop the wheel of development and stand in its way, different attempts, once we see them using religious justifications for the purpose of striking a project or shaking its idea, and other times by militarizing society under the banner of corruption and loss of public money and waste of wealth, they talk about things they do not understand and do not know the details, some of these people think that Plan the future of the country.
They linked their vocabulary and accusations to Islam, and this is the habit of the activists, that they make all their passions and political purposes from the order of Islam and its provisions, and development is not an outsider, unless they want to return the societies that are moving towards development to a lifestyle that resembles the primitive caves of the Taliban and others.
The development and diversification of the economy, the development of the judiciary, the development of education, the development of health, the construction of dream cities, unprecedented tourism projects, and everything that achieves quality of life and entertainment and the development of all areas of life and management are not alienation but the movement of normal life that should be.
Simon Henderson, a foreign affairs expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, praised the Crown Prince ’ s remarks in the NEOM interview, saying: “The statements of the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, about restoring Islam in his country to moderation as in the past, is an unusual statement, saying:“ What Prince Mohammed bin Salman said is unusual. Sort of "!
The Washington Post described in a report in 2017 that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is "re-engineering the Kingdom," and although social engineering is a very difficult work, not easy, and failed by several countries, but it is different in Saudi Arabia!
The decisions that some may see as easy or normal to make in other societies are not so in societies where the cost of intellectual change is high, and require courageous leadership capable of leapfrogging this society in the horizons of development so that there is no limit to ambition and at the same time in a safe manner!
Every courageous decision was left behind by a courageous leader; he was able to jump in his community and contribute to changing the thinking of that community, and his freedom from the societal reasons that prevent him from not facing the idea of   hindering him from making progress or keeping pace with global development.
Saudi society has proved to the whole world that it is the growth of change led by the godfather of change and the godfather of vision. Saudi society is very supportive of the new reforms and the way the Crown Prince works. All this is evidenced by the society ’ s “optimistic ” reaction and the absolute confidence of the Saudis, which enabled them, according to the report published by Edelman Barometer 2021. Proud and serious about building their own country when talking to Saudi citizens about Vision 2030, they say,“ We ’ re going to amaze the world! ”
This astonishment, in fact, was not the exclusive preserve of the Saudis.
CNN ’ s Richard Quest recently visited Saudi Arabia and wrote, “I ’ ve seen countries change before, but I don ’ t think I ’ ve seen anything like the change happening in Saudi Arabia. ”
Today, as we race against time with the vision of the Kingdom 2030, it is ironic that the terrorist Brotherhood has been for decades saying wait for the year 2023 and here comes the year 2023, but what happened and got that was the elimination of the dream of a terrorist project worked on by this terrorist organization and its tools for decades and eliminated in one year!
If 1979 was the birth of the Awakening Project, history will record that 2017 saw the announcement of the Awakening Judiciary and the Brotherhood Project in the region by a great leader when he said: 70% of the Saudi people are under the age of 30, and frankly we will not waste 30 years of our lives dealing with any extremist ideas. We live with the world and contribute to the development of our country and the world. ”
Moving from Riyadh.
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What does MBS believe Saudi Arabia should rely on to maintain regime stability?

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The younger generation plays a pivotal role in supporting Vision 2030, with 99% expressing confidence in the initiative's ability to ensure a strong economy and better future.

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Saudi Arabia
Survey: Saudi youth are optimistic about the future, driven by Vision 2030
Almost half (43%) of young people in the Kingdom say they prefer to work in the private sector while a third (34%) tend to work in government jobs
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As Saudi Arabia prepares to celebrate its 92nd National Day, on September 23, under the slogan “We Have a Home, ” a high percentage of young Saudis have expressed confidence that the Kingdom is moving in the right direction and that their days ahead are better.
This was one of the findings of the 14th annual ASDA ’ A BCW Arab Youth Survey, the most comprehensive survey of its kind for the Arab world ’ s largest population of more than 200 million young men and women.
ASDA ’ A BCW, a PR consultancy, in collaboration with ADS Research and Consulting, conducted 3,400 interviews with young Arabs aged 18-24 in 50 cities across 17 Arab countries from May 13 to June 16.
The sample of participants was evenly distributed between the sexes.
In Saudi Arabia, almost all young people surveyed (99%) expressed confidence that Vision 2030 will ensure a strong economy for the Kingdom, and a similar percentage (97%) believe their next days are better.
Ninety-seven percent of young Saudis also believe the kingdom ’ s economy is heading in the right direction, while nine in ten respondents believe they will have a better life than their parents.
98% of young Saudi men and women believe that their leadership cares about their views and that their government has the right policies to address their problems such as quality education, job creation and economic growth.
Mile for the private sector
Recent government reforms to the private sector are very popular among Saudi youth, with 96% of them saying they support measures that stimulate private sector participation in the national economy.
93% of respondents said they strongly support reforms that encourage citizens to play a greater role in the business sector.
More young Saudi men and women today say they prefer business over government jobs (43% vs. 34%), while a quarter (23%) say they prefer to work independently or with their families.
Women in the labour market
In the face of Western stereotypes about Saudi Arabia, more than two-thirds of young Saudis (68%) say men and women have equal rights, and 61% say they also have equal employment opportunities.
96% believe that a greater presence of women in the labor market will benefit the Kingdom.
Social Media Generation
Young Saudis are among the most prominent users of social media.
According to the survey, their most popular platforms are WhatsApp (98%), Snapchat (84%), YouTube (83%), Twitter (73%), TikTok (60%) and Facebook (55%).
TikTok usage has nearly tripled over the past three years, from 24% of young Saudis who said they use it daily in 2020 to 60% today.
Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter have also risen in popularity, while Facebook ’ s daily usage rate has dropped from 82% in 2020 to 55% currently, according to the survey.
Rapid growth in online shopping
The number of Saudis who shop online has doubled over the past five years, according to the survey, from 58% who said they buy products and services via websites and social media at least once a month in 2018, to almost all respondents who said they currently shop online.
The most purchased products and services online included clothing (69%), cosmetics / personal care products (33%), food (31%), electronic devices (22%), and groceries (17%).
Arab youth at a crossroads
The results of the 14th annual ASDA ’ A BCW Arab Youth Survey are grouped under six main themes: my identity, livelihoods, attitudes, global citizenship, lifestyle and future aspirations.
Its findings revealed a generation trying to start a new era, at a crossroads between preserving its values and culture and embracing new modern values.
Commenting on the survey findings, Sunil John, president of BCW MENA and founder of ASDA ’ A BCW, said: “The survey provided more important insights into the ideas of young Arab men and women across the region and the problems that decision makers need to address to ensure that their potential is maximized. ”
John added: “We at ASDA ’ A BCW believe that to better understand the Arab world, we must first understand the feelings and thoughts of the Arab youth who make up the largest segment of the Arab population.
This year ’ s survey shows a generation of young Arab men and women who want to start a new era away from the divisions of the past. ”
“The survey results in Saudi Arabia are very promising, indicating that young Saudis, both men and women, are fully aligned with the country ’ s reform agenda and optimistic about their future. ”
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Young Saudis are actively embracing opportunities created by Vision 2030, with many preferring entrepreneurial ventures over traditional government jobs, reflecting their alignment with the vision's goals of economic diversification and innovation.

Title:

Content: Saudi youth: Vision 2030 guarantees a strong economy and a better future
T + T - normal size
Saudi Arabia ’ s 92nd National Day celebrations, under the slogan “We Have a Home ”, will be an important occasion during which almost all Saudi youth show confidence that the Kingdom is moving in the right direction and that their coming days are better, as revealed by the results of the 14th annual ASDA ’ A BCW Arab Youth Survey announced yesterday.
Almost all young Saudis surveyed (99%) are confident that Vision 2030 will ensure a strong economy for the Kingdom, while a similar 97% believe their next days are better, while they also believe that the Kingdom ’ s economy is moving in the right direction, nine out of ten believe they will have a better life than their parents. Jobs and economic growth.
Recent government reforms to the private sector are very popular among Saudi youth, with 96% saying they support measures that stimulate private sector participation in the national economy, 93% saying they strongly support reforms that encourage citizens to play a greater role in the business sector, while more young Saudis say they prefer business over government jobs and a quarter (23%) say they would like to work independently or with their families....
Equal rights
In the face of Western stereotypes of Saudi Arabia, more than two-thirds of young Saudis (68%) say men and women have equal rights, 61% say they have equal employment opportunities, and 96% believe a greater presence of women in the labor market will benefit the kingdom.
More than two-thirds of Saudi youth (69%) believe religion is the most important element in expressing their identity, 82% believe that preserving their religious and cultural identity is more important than building a more globalized society. At the same time, three-quarters of young Saudis (79%) say religion plays too much of a role in the Middle East.
High Popularity
For their part, Saudi youth are among the most prominent users of social media.
Their most popular platforms are WhatsApp (98%), Snapchat (84%), YouTube (83%), Twitter (73%), TikTok (60%), and Facebook (55%). The popularity of Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter has risen to 60%, while the daily use of Facebook has dropped from 82% in 2020 to 55%, and social media is the most prominent news source for 43% of Saudi youth surveyed, followed by television 27% and electronic sources 23%.
The number of Saudis who shop online has doubled over the past five years, with 58% saying they buy products and services online and social media at least once a month in 2018, to almost all respondents who said they currently shop online.
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To reduce Saudi Arabia's oil dependence
To drive development in high-tech

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Internationally, Vision 2030 has reshaped perceptions of Saudi Arabia, portraying the Kingdom as a modernizing and culturally vibrant nation rather than a conservative oil-dependent state.

Title:

Content:     The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

    What is Saudi Arabia's bigger plan as the kingdom bets billions on Messi, Ronaldo?

    Synopsis

    Saudi Arabia wants tourism to account for 10% of its gross domestic product in 2030 and and expert says sport is essential to what the kingdom is doing as it moves toward a world where it is less dependent on oil revenues.

    Saudi Arabia’s tab for using icons of western popular culture to enhance its stature and sway on the global stage could soon rise by another nine figures. The kingdom is reportedly willing to pay Argentinian maestro Lionel Messi $400 million-a-year for the twilight of his career. While a huge sum, even by football’s bloated standards, it’s just the latest in a string of moves by the petrostate’s rulers, who are plowing billions into sports, art and music.

    Saudi Arabia hopes the spending, powered by excess revenue from its role as the world’s biggest crude exporter, will excite its burgeoning younger generation and supercharge its tourism industry. Critics say the efforts are aimed at varnishing an international image battered by a brutal war in Yemen and murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

    Overseeing this so-called soft power play is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who’s simultaneously spending billions to build Saudi Arabia’s military capabilities, with what is now the world’s fifth-largest arms budget, and pursuing a more opportunistic diplomatic track that’s repeatedly put Riyadh at odds with Washington.

    “It’s a complete reorientation of the kingdom,” says Kristin Smith Diwan, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. “They want to convince people this is a welcoming place, not a threatening one.”

    Sporting Bets
    The magnitude of its spending has made Saudi Arabia impossible to ignore for the world’s political and business elite. The kingdom’s economy was one of the fastest growing in the Group of 20 last year, boosted by the highest oil prices in about a decade, and it now boasts the world’s seventh-largest sovereign wealth fund, deploying billions both at home and abroad.

    Sports assets have been high on the shopping list.

    In late 2022, Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo signed a contract with Al-Nassr FC worth a reported $200 million a year. Little more than a year prior, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund led a consortium that acquired English Premier League football club Newcastle United FC for more than £300 million ($373 million). Saudi Arabia is considering a joint bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, having witnessed the recent success of the tournament in neighboring Qatar.

    The PIF has also reportedly earmarked billions of dollars to finance its LIV Golf tour, which has attracted stars including Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, and last year considered a $20 billion attempt to add Formula 1 motor racing to its growing portfolio of sports investments. Elsewhere, venues in and around Jeddah and Riyadh have hosted mega-money boxing bouts featuring everyone from heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk to up-and-coming fighters Jake Paul and Tommy Fury.

    “Sport is essential to what Saudi is doing as it moves toward a world where it is less dependent on oil revenues,” according to Simon Chadwick, professor of sport and geopolitical economy at Skema Business School in Paris.

    Saudi Arabia wants tourism to account for 10% of its gross domestic product in 2030, by which time it hopes to be attracting 100 million visitors a year. In 2022, the kingdom hosted about 16 million visitors, including tourists, business travelers, those coming to see relatives residing in the country and overseas Muslims on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, a Saudi Tourism Authority representative said at a press briefing in Dubai this month.

    To reach its target, Saudi Arabia has been looking beyond just professional sports. From an Andy Warhol exhibition, art biennale and electronic music concerts in the desert, to celebrity chef restaurants in Riyadh and partnerships with top culinary schools, it’s spending heavily to create an entertainment and leisure industry from scratch.

    High-end hotels Aman Resorts and Banyan Tree have already been drawn to Al-Ula, an ancient oasis city in Saudi Arabia’s northwest that’s being transformed into a luxury travel destination on a budget of $35 billion. US pop stars Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey and John Legend have all recently performed there.

    Phillip Jones, chief tourism officer of the country’s Royal Commission for Al-Ula, said that, while some artists still refuse to visit the kingdom, the smart money is in Saudi Arabia looking for opportunities to invest. “They recognize that this country is about to explode in terms of financial capacity growth,” he said.

    And it’s not just the private sector. In recent years, the UK and France have signed cultural cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia.

    ‘False Impression’
    The sudden influx of sporting and cultural events is popular in the country, which until only recently enforced rules forbidding men and women from mixing together in public. This drastic change puts Saudi Arabia’s strategy on “a much grander scale” than Gulf neighbors, such as the United Arab Emirates, which have also opened up to western culture, according to Lina Khatib, director of the SOAS Middle East Institute.

    But not everyone is buying the hype. Campaigners say Saudi Arabia is deflecting attention from a poor domestic record on free speech and other human rights.

    “I’m glad these changes are happening, but it gives a false impression of our country,” Lina Al-Hathloul, Brussels-based head of monitoring and advocacy at human rights group ALQST, said of MBS’s soft power blueprint. She said once this strategy of using culture, sports and the arts to rehabilitate the Crown Prince’s reputation and woo western investors and visitors yields dividends, “violations we point out will no longer be effective.”

    Lina Al-Hathloul’s sister, Loujain Al-Hathloul, a prominent women’s rights activist in Saudi Arabia, was arrested in 2018 and later jailed on charges of inciting regime change and seeking to serve foreign agendas. She was released in 2021 but subject to a travel ban.

    Al-Ula’s metamorphosis is just one project feeding into MBS’s ambitious Vision 2030 plan to overhaul Saudi Arabia’s economy — something not universally welcomed within its borders. Members of the Howeitat tribe have been arrested for resisting forced evictions linked to the giant Neom megacity project and risk the death penalty, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement on May 3.

    A representative for Neom declined to comment. The Saudi government’s Center for International Communications didn’t respond to requests for comment.

    Earlier this month, Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, led a large contingent taking part in the annual Arabian Travel Market exhibition in Dubai. He said it was only the third time Saudi Arabia had participated in the trade show that launched 30 years ago.

    Addressing reporters at a luxury hotel during the event, Hamidaddin sat in front of a large screen flicking images of a smiling Messi in his capacity as a Saudi tourism ambassador. The footballer and his family were shown weaving baskets, petting Arabian thoroughbreds and playing in amusement parks during a visit to the kingdom.

    “To those that are skeptics, if you want to put effort in talking and saying things about Saudi, I would encourage you to see it before you make that effort,” Hamidaddin said at the event.
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What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

MBS’s diplomatic efforts, such as restoring ties with Canada and engaging in reconciliation with Iran, reflect a strategic shift aimed at reducing regional tensions and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s role as a stabilizing force in the Middle East.

Title:

Content: Saudi Arabia and Canada agree to restore diplomatic ties
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie announced that the two countries will appoint ambassadors to each other.
Ottawa has named Jean-Philippe Lanto as its envoy to Riyadh.
Bin Salman (Gettyimages)
Saudi Arabia and Canada announced on Wednesday an agreement to restore their diplomatic relations and to close a dispute that erupted in 2018, including the expulsion of representatives and the suspension of commercial dealings, after Ottawa condemned Riyadh on the basis of its human rights record.
The kingdom ’ s foreign ministry said the agreement was mainly due to talks held by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok in November 2022.
"With the desire of both sides to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect and common interests, it has been decided to restore the level of diplomatic relations with Canada to the status quo ante," it said in a statement.
The Canadian Foreign Ministry confirmed the agreement on the return of relations to the previous one.
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie announced that the two countries would appoint ambassadors to each other.
Ottawa has named Jean-Philippe Lanto as its envoy to Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia did not specify who it chose to represent.
Riyadh announced in August 2018 that it had asked the Canadian ambassador to leave, recalled its ambassador in Ottawa, and froze business dealings with Canada because of what it considered “interference ” by the latter in its internal affairs.
The move followed a strong demand by Ottawa for Riyadh ’ s immediate release of civil society activists arrested by Saudi authorities as part of a wave of arrests at the time.
Saudi Arabia reiterated its rejection of diktats and any interference in its internal affairs.
Canada said it was "deeply concerned" by the move, but said it would "always stand up for the protection of human rights, especially women's rights and freedom of expression around the world".
Trudeau's government "will not hesitate to promote these values and we believe that this dialogue is essential to international diplomacy," she said.
The move to expel the ambassador entailed measures such as Saudi Arabia halting its student scholarship programs to Canada, while Arab countries took positions supporting the kingdom in the crisis.
The re-establishment of ties comes in the context of a series of recent diplomatic moves by Riyadh, which analysts believe reflect the ambitions of Saudi Arabia, especially the de facto ruler of the kingdom, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to strengthen its presence on the world stage.
One of the most notable moves in recent months has been the signing of a Chinese-sponsored deal to resume ties with Iran ’ s main regional rival after years of estrangement.
Riyadh also restored diplomatic relations with the Syrian regime after they were severed following the outbreak of the conflict in Syria in 2011, and welcomed President Bashar al-Assad to the Arab summit it hosted in Jeddah last week.
The summit itself saw the surprise participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country has been facing a large-scale invasion of Russia since early last year.
Riyadh has also opened channels of communication with the Houthi rebels in a bid to end the war it is leading against them in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia hosts representatives of both sides in the Sudanese conflict and, in cooperation with the United States, announced their agreement to a seven-day truce that officially began on Monday night.
Analysts say Riyadh ’ s agenda is clear: to reduce unrest abroad and engage in economic and social reforms at home, especially Vision 2030, which is mainly aimed at diversifying sources of income and reducing dependence on oil revenues.
Despite a series of sweeping reforms spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom ’ s human rights record continues to draw international criticism and from rights groups.
The kingdom has long been criticised for its high execution rates.
The Saudi authorities say that the defendants have exhausted all stages of litigation, stressing that "the government of the Kingdom is keen to establish security, achieve justice and implement the provisions of God in all those who encroach on the safe."
In 2022, 147 people were executed, more than double the 69 executions in 2021, according to an AFP tally.

How has Saudi Arabia's foreign policy shifted under MBS?

Despite lingering concerns over human rights issues, MBS's strategic outreach and high-profile engagements with Western figures have helped rebrand Saudi Arabia as a nation undergoing a cultural revolution.

Title:

Content: Johnny Depp's bizarre bromance with MBS: Pair have a 'genuine connection' and Pirates of the Caribbean star has 'become a believer that Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a cultural revolution'

  • The Pirates of the Caribbean star has struck up a friendship with Saudi Arabia 's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the kingdom's ruling family invested millions in his latest film project
  • MBS has spent billions under his Vision 2030 plan to make Saudi Arabia a cultural and economic powerhouse
  • Depp insists that Saudi Arabia, a country plagued by accusations of human rights abuses, is experiencing a 'cultural revolution'

Johnny Depp has struck up a bizarre friendship with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the kingdom's ruling family invested millions into the actor's latest film.

MBS has spent billions under his Vision 2030 plan to make Saudi Arabia, plagued by accusations of human rights abuses, a cultural and economic powerhouse by investing in the arts, sports and forging personal connections with stars.

Depp, 60, first met MBS, 38, after filming Jeanne du Barry, which Saudi Arabia had invested millions, in the summer of 2022.

'They made a genuine connection. It's a shock to many of the people who know [Depp], but it's what happened' a friend of Depp's told Vanity Fair

Both men have faced a reckoning in the public perceptions of their carefully crafted images in recent years.

Depp was found to have domestically abused his ex-wife Amber Heard when he lost a libel case in the UK in 2020.

Johnny Depp, 60, first met MBS, 38, after filming Jeanne du Barry, which Saudi Arabia had invested millions, in the summer of 2022 (pictured at the Red Sea International Festival in 2023)

Johnny Depp has struck up a bizarre friendship with Saudi Arabia 's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured)

Two years later a series of further disturbing details, including accusations of sexual abuse, were made public after he successfully sued Heard for libel two years later.

MBS, once a favorite among Western leaders who considered him a great reformer, irrevocably harmed his image by sanctioning the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

Depp insists that Saudi Arabi is experiencing a 'cultural revolution.'

'Though I admit I was somewhat naïve at first to what was transpiring in the region, I've since experienced firsthand the cultural revolution that is happening there' Depp told Vanity Fair.

The country has 'emerging young storytellers radiating fresh ideas and works of art to a blossoming film infrastructure and a newfound curiosity for innovation' her explained.

Adding: 'I've had the opportunity to meet people from various parts of the region who have been most welcoming in sharing with me their culture, their traditions, and their stories.'

Indeed, MBS has spent hundreds of billions on sports, tourism, the arts and other ventures such as real estate to move the country away from its dependence on oil money and become a diversified economic powerhouse.

MBS' Vision 2030 plan has made the entertainment industry, including film production, as key focus as it increases tourism and cultural perception of the kingdom but also encourages the country's 30 million residents to do their leisure spending domestically.

Depp met with Prince Badr (left), the kingdom's culture minister in July 2022 while filming his French period film

Depp told Vanity Fair that Saudi Arabi is experiencing a 'cultural revolution'

Depp was found to have domestically abused his ex-wife Amber Heard when he lost a libel case in the UK in 2020

The Kingdom's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has invested millions in establishing the LIV Golf tournament, attracting players such as Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia.

The PIF also provided the bulk of the funds for a Saudi takeover of Newcastle United football club in 2021, a controversial deal that became a hot button issue for the UK government.

'We're making up for lost time and making sure that our country realizes its potential,' a Saudi government adviser told Vanity Fair.

Depp previously associated with another Saudi prince, Abdulaziz bin Fahd, but a member of his entourage was convicted of raping a woman in 2012 at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, where the prince had rented out a block of rooms.

Prince Abdulaziz stopped appearing in public in 2017, having been detained by MBS along with 300 of Saudi Arabia’s richest men on suspicion of corruption.

The prince  eventually reemerged, smiling for a photo with MBS, but he has kept a very low profile ever since.

The sudden disappearance reportedly made Depp wary of an initial meeting with any further Saudi royals.

However, he was talked around and met with Prince Badr, the kingdom's culture minister in July 2022.

A few months later he flew to Jeddah for the 2022 Red Sea Film Festival and during the trip was introduced to the Crown Prince.

Depp visited again in early 2023 and was invited to MBS’s royal camp in the mountains.

The actor also flew on multiple occasions by helicopter to MBS’s yacht, one of the largest in the world.

The two men are now close friends, according to Vanity Fair, and friends of Depp told the publication he values the friendship and doesn’t want anything in return.

However, Depp's team are in talks with the Saudi government are in talks over a seven figure deal for him to attend events and shoot films in the country, the outlet reported.

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What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?