Since his appointment as Crown Prince in 2017, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has spearheaded Vision 2030, a transformative plan aimed at diversifying Saudi Arabia’s economy and modernizing its society by reducing dependence on oil and fostering growth in sectors like tourism, technology, and manufacturing.

A cornerstone of Vision 2030 is the empowerment of women, with reforms allowing them to drive, travel independently, and participate in the workforce, which has led to a near doubling of female workforce participation to 33% and increased representation in leadership roles.

MBS has also curtailed the influence of the Wahhabi religious establishment by stripping the religious police of their authority to arrest individuals, fostering a more open society with mixed-gender events and public entertainment venues.

These social changes have been complemented by cultural initiatives, such as hosting international concerts and festivals, which signal a shift away from conservative norms and promote Saudi Arabia as a modern and vibrant nation.

Mega-projects like NEOM and Qiddiya exemplify the ambitious scale of Vision 2030, aiming to attract foreign investment and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for innovation and tourism.

MBS has also worked to reshape Saudi Arabia’s ideological landscape by promoting moderate Islamic values and fostering interfaith dialogue, signaling a departure from the kingdom’s historical reliance on Wahhabi ideology.

While Vision 2030 has garnered international praise for its transformative impact, critics have raised concerns about human rights issues, including the imprisonment of activists and the suppression of dissent, which complicate perceptions of MBS’s modernization agenda.

Despite these challenges, Saudi youth have overwhelmingly embraced Vision 2030, with 99% expressing confidence in its ability to ensure a strong economy and a better future, reflecting optimism about the country’s reform trajectory.

Since his appointment as Crown Prince in 2017, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has spearheaded Vision 2030, a transformative plan aimed at diversifying Saudi Arabia’s economy and modernizing its society by reducing dependence on oil and fostering growth in sectors like tourism, technology, and manufacturing.

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.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

To drive development in manufacturing
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?

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

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

A cornerstone of Vision 2030 is the empowerment of women, with reforms allowing them to drive, travel independently, and participate in the workforce, which has led to a near doubling of female workforce participation to 33% and increased representation in leadership roles.

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?

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?

Women have been appointed to municipal councils

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

MBS has also curtailed the influence of the Wahhabi religious establishment by stripping the religious police of their authority to arrest individuals, fostering a more open society with mixed-gender events and public entertainment venues.

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 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?

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

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?

These social changes have been complemented by cultural initiatives, such as hosting international concerts and festivals, which signal a shift away from conservative norms and promote Saudi Arabia as a modern and vibrant nation.

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?

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

Mega-projects like NEOM and Qiddiya exemplify the ambitious scale of Vision 2030, aiming to attract foreign investment and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for innovation and tourism.

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?

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?

MBS has also worked to reshape Saudi Arabia’s ideological landscape by promoting moderate Islamic values and fostering interfaith dialogue, signaling a departure from the kingdom’s historical reliance on Wahhabi ideology.

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

While Vision 2030 has garnered international praise for its transformative impact, critics have raised concerns about human rights issues, including the imprisonment of activists and the suppression of dissent, which complicate perceptions of MBS’s modernization agenda.

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

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

Despite these challenges, Saudi youth have overwhelmingly embraced Vision 2030, with 99% expressing confidence in its ability to ensure a strong economy and a better future, reflecting optimism about the country’s reform trajectory.

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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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