Mohammed bin Salman became crown prince in 2017, launched sweeping reforms, and curtailed the Wahhabi establishment by restricting the religious police.

He unveiled Vision 2030 in 2016 to cut oil dependence and diversify the economy; women were allowed to drive in 2018, and can obtain passports, travel, and attend events without a male guardian’s consent.

Vision 2030 targets a vital society, prosperous economy, and ambitious homeland via measurable programs.

OECD and IMF lauded prospects, projecting 9.9% growth in 2022, and Vision 2030 has delivered diversification, non‑oil growth, and greater women’s participation and freedoms.

The $727 billion Public Investment Fund anchors the transformation via flagship projects.

Tourism aims for 150 million visitors by 2030 to raise non‑oil revenue.

Mega‑projects like NEOM embody the post‑oil push, with some elements scaled back for 2030.

The National Strategy for Industry offers 800+ opportunities worth SR1 trillion, targeting SR557 billion in industrial exports by 2030.

Non‑oil private‑sector momentum stayed strong in late 2023 amid rising activity and easing inflation.

Digital transformation is accelerating, with the digital economy expected to reach 19.20% of GDP and 92% of government services digital by 2025.

Programs track social outcomes: higher homeownership, more kindergarten enrollment, and a 120% surge in research publishing.

The Commission’s powers were cut to awareness, ending its policing of Islamic law.

A 40‑year ban on concerts and cinemas was lifted with the General Entertainment Authority.

Gender mixing is now allowed, and women can attend concerts.

Saudi women own 45% of SME projects and hold 39% of leadership roles.

Women’s labor participation reached 34%, exceeding the 30% Vision 2030 target.

Authorities scored highly on women’s economic rights in the World Bank assessment.

Saudi citizen unemployment fell to 9.7% in 2022, a near two‑decade low.

Saudi Arabia executed 147 people in 2022, drawing international criticism.

Mohammed bin Salman became crown prince in 2017, launched sweeping reforms, and curtailed the Wahhabi establishment by restricting the religious police.

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Biden cooperates with Saudi Arabia ’ s central bank on tough reforms to get rid of Khashoggi ’ s shadow
2022 / 7 / 16 19: 01 （ Updated on 7 / 16 19: 41 ）
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U.S. President Joe Biden (left) flew to Saudi Arabia on the 15th to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed Salman (right) and others. (Anadolu News Agency)
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(Central News Agency reporter Zhong You Zhen Istanbul 16, the murder of dissident journalist Khashoggi, once put the reputation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Salman in jeopardy.
US President Joe Biden, who has criticized this incident, began his first trip to the Middle East in office this week and engaged with the Crown Prince. Whether the Khashoggi case has been lacklustre and whether the crown prince can rule out the road to the Middle East remains to be seen.
Since the hardline Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman became Saudi Arabia ’ s crown prince five years ago, he has pushed through a series of reforms that have shaken conservative Saudi Arabia and eliminated any threat to its status.
The 36-year-old prince is tall and often referred to by the initials MBS.
His bearded, deep voice and energy are visible everywhere, from the much-funded desert city of NEOM to the seven-year military campaign in neighbouring Yemen.
AFP reported on the 14th that Mohammed Salman is said to prefer fast food and is a player in the online game Call of Duty.
Of course, he is also super rich, not only sitting on a $500 million yacht, a French castle, and heard that he also has a painting by Renaissance magnate Leonardo da Vinci.
However, the Saudi authorities denied this rumor.
Unlike a British accent, suits and other Saudi siblings with an Oxford degree, Mohammed Salman is unique.
Dressed in a traditional robe and sandals, he entertained his family and friends at a lavish desert camp with a roast lamb meal.
In addition, he married only one wife, unlike other members of the royal family.
When King Salman ascended to the throne in early 2015, he appointed Mohammed Salman as defense minister.
Soon after, Mohammed Salman also became involved in economic policy, overseeing state-owned oil companies and Saudi military operations against Yemen.
Muhammad Salman has many titles, and the diplomatic community refers to him as “Mr. Almighty ”.
The reform-minded Crown Prince also led the most dramatic changes in Saudi Arabia's recent history.
Under his watch, the religious police are like paper tigers, the decades-old ban on women driving has become a thing of the past, and the cinema has reopened.
Film festivals, operas, heavyweight boxing and professional wrestling competitions are held.
In addition to these innovations, Mohammed Salman arrested dissidents and forced religious organizations to obey orders. In 2017, he consolidated his power in the name of anti-corruption, detaining about 200 princes and business people at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the capital, Riyadh.
Externally, the crown prince pursued a strong diplomacy that dragged Saudi Arabia into the quagmire of regional rivalries: the Yemen war, hostility to the Shiites in Iran, and the blockade of Qatar for three years.
He is also said to be involved in the detention of the Lebanese prime minister.
Author Ben Hubbard ’ s Muhammad Salman is “highly controversial. ” His supporters praise the Crown Prince as the long-awaited leader of the Middle East, while opponents attack him as a cold-blooded dictator.
In 2018, Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed by Saudi agents at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
U.S. intelligence believes that Mohammed Salman ’ s approval of the operation caused a serious setback to the crown prince ’ s image.
However, the crown prince has a good relationship with then-US President Donald Trump and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and he has exchanged views with Kushner.
Agence France-Presse analysis, this contact has been a great help to the crown prince in dealing with the Khashoggi incident.
During his presidential campaign, Biden vowed to take Khashoggi ’ s murder seriously, making Saudi Arabia invisible on the world stage.
With words still in his ears, Biden arrived in Saudi Arabia on the 16th and greeted Wang with fists.
The crown prince did not respond when an American journalist shouted to Muhammad Salman, "Will you apologize to his (Khashoggi) family?"
When the reporter was taken away from the scene, a faint smile appeared on Mohammed Salman ’ s face.
According to outside analysis, this may indicate that the Crown Prince, who is less than 40 years old, returns to international politics and will be in power for more than half a century or more, with the blessing of the visit of American leaders. (Editor: Zhou Yongjie) 1110716
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Biden to discuss oil prices with Middle East countries to provide food security assistance

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

He unveiled Vision 2030 in 2016 to cut oil dependence and diversify the economy; women were allowed to drive in 2018, and can obtain passports, travel, and attend events without a male guardian’s consent.

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

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

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

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

attend sporting events
Women gained permission to drive

Vision 2030 targets a vital society, prosperous economy, and ambitious homeland via measurable programs.

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Content: "Economic Affairs and Development" reviews the performance of the global and local economy for the first quarter of 2024
Discussed the establishment of the Health Holding Company and the National Health Insurance Center
The Council of Economic and Development Affairs held a meeting via video link.
During the meeting, the Council reviewed a number of reports and topics on its agenda, including the quarterly presentation by the Ministry of Economy and Planning on the performance of the global and local economy for the first quarter of 2024, which included an analysis of the trends and prospects of global economic growth and their potential impact on the national economy.
He also discussed the future prospects of the national economy.
The Council discussed the progress made by the Ministry of Health on the establishment of the Health Holding Company and the establishment of the National Health Insurance Center, which is one of the main milestones in the transformation strategy of the Ministry of Health.
The presentation addressed the objectives of the strategy, the most prominent steps of its implementation, and the application of the modern health care model, which positively reflects on facilitating access to health services, improving the quality and efficiency of health services, and enhancing prevention against health risks.
He explained the completion of the first phase of the strategy by launching 20 health gatherings in various regions of Saudi Arabia by the end of 2023.
The Board reviewed the presentation presented by the Office of Strategic Management of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs on the Saudi Vision 2030 report for the year 2023, which included the most prominent achievements of the programs to achieve the vision and its strategic objectives, an assessment of its performance, a comprehensive view on the performance of its programs, in addition to the most prominent existing efforts and future aspirations in the performance of the vision for 2024.
He pointed out that the percentage of completed vision initiatives, which are on the right track, reached 87%, with an increase in the performance of initiatives in 2023 compared to the year before.
The presentation also pointed to the continued implementation of the transformational efforts of the Saudi Vision 2030, which contributed to achieving and exceeding a number of its objectives during the year in terms of its three axes: (a vital society, a prosperous economy, and an ambitious homeland).
The Council has taken the necessary decisions and recommendations on these issues.
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OECD and IMF lauded prospects, projecting 9.9% growth in 2022, and Vision 2030 has delivered diversification, non‑oil growth, and greater women’s participation and freedoms.

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Content: Crown Prince ’ s participation in APEC summit reflects Kingdom ’ s global standing and leadership
The objectives of the Forum and the objectives of Vision 2030
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
The participation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), is a global recognition of the Kingdom ’ s stature and leadership and recognition of its political and economic weight.
The participation of the Crown Prince also comes in solidarity with the political, economic and military crises in the world, and because of the compatibility between the objectives of the Forum and the objectives of Vision 2030 to improve the future of the Kingdom and sustainability, and confirmation of the Kingdom's strong international financial system G20 in terms of growth rate.
The Kingdom has a dynamic, robust and robust economy, suited to the needs of the world ’ s largest market in terms of demand.
The Kingdom achieved economic growth that exceeded global growth despite the crisis of the global rise in energy prices, as the non-oil sectors in the Kingdom achieved high growth rates and achieved economic diversification.
One of the most important elements that have helped the Kingdom to excel, as well as the rapid developments in reaching advanced positions in global indicators, is the existence of effective strategies, with clear objectives and initiatives put forward and implemented on the ground, in line with Vision 2030.
Five years after the launch of Vision 2030, the Saudi economic landscape is different and tops the global list with its strength, robustness and diversity.
The Kingdom has always proved to be the most difficult figure at the global level, with its weight, prestige and strategic plans, thanks to its strong potential, confirmed and proven by the estimates of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that Saudi Arabia will be the fastest growing in the world.
This is what the world is currently witnessing, as the Kingdom has become one of the highest growing economies.
Vision 2030 has contributed to strengthening the Kingdom ’ s international standing, not only through raising and increasing the Kingdom ’ s economic capabilities, or through the automatic integration of the Saudi economy into the global economy, but through an addition that makes Riyadh a focal point for many emerging economies as a model and a reliable defender in preserving their interests.
Vision 2030 has created a huge economic diversification in the Kingdom ’ s economic structure, so that the Saudi economy does not become dependent on fluctuations in the price of oil in international markets, but rather becomes a more effective contributor to many future economic sectors.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which lowered its forecast for the performance of the global economy for the current year in 2023, as its estimates were affected by the slowdown in growth in most economies in the world, but it kept its forecast for the growth of the Saudi economy during 2022 at 9.9%, and the growth of the Saudi economy during the next year 2023 by 6%.
This announcement comes after the International Monetary Fund praised the strength of the Kingdom's economy and financial position, and that the economic prospects of the Kingdom are positive in the near and medium term, with continued recovery of economic growth rates, containment of inflation, in addition to the increasing strength of its external economic position.
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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?

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

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

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

The $727 billion Public Investment Fund anchors the transformation via flagship projects.

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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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?

Diversify the economy from oil
modernize infrastructure

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

Tourism aims for 150 million visitors by 2030 to raise non‑oil revenue.

Title:

Content: RIYADH — Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman highlighted the remarkable achievements made by Saudi Arabia ever since the launch of its Vision 2030 and the government’s relentless efforts to implement structural reforms in the financial and economic sectors. The Crown Prince, who is also chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, said this in a statement issued on the occasion of the approval of the state’s general budget for the fiscal year 2024 by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman underscored that the Kingdom is witnessing sustainable economic growth in light of the great development capabilities and opportunities that the Kingdom enjoys within the framework of the Vision 2030 to enable it to move forward towards a better future worthy of its status in accordance with the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. “This produced a clear and prominent impact on the growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) of non-oil sectors.”

The Crown Prince affirmed the commitment made by the government in the budget for the fiscal year 2024 so as to enhance economic growth through the expansion of government spending. “The budget figures announced by King Salman come supportive and enabling many programs and initiatives. These include investments to strengthen infrastructure, raise the quality of services provided to citizens, expatriates and visitors, in addition to developing promising economic sectors, enhancing investment attraction, stimulating industries, and raising the proportion of local content and non-oil Saudi exports,” he said while praising the effective and important role of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the National Development Fund.

The Crown Prince emphasized that work would continue to develop the Kingdom’s public financial performance, by increasing financial capacity and building government reserves, in a way that enhances the capacity of the Kingdom’s economy, maintains sustainable levels of public debt, and enables it to confront any developments or crises that may arise in the future. “The increase in spending is mainly due to the government’s keenness to continue developing the level of public services provided to citizens, expatriates and visitors, as well as to implement many projects and expand spending on sectoral and regional development strategies that would achieve positive structural changes, leading to expanding and diversifying the economic base,” he said.

The Crown Prince stressed the government’s keenness on developing and strengthening partnership with the private sector so as to enable and motivate it to play its major role in achieving economic diversification, as far as to enable the labor market to absorb more of the Saudi workforce, create job opportunities in the labor market and reduce unemployment rates among Saudis. “The total number of Saudis in the labor market this year jumped to 2.3 million, in addition to improving the investment environment to be an attractive environment that contributes to raising the proportion of domestic and foreign investment, developing non-oil exports and improving the non-oil trade balance of payments,” he said.

The Crown Prince emphasized that the journey of economic diversification continues through supporting promising sectors, as the Kingdom works to raise tourism targets to 150 million visitors internally and externally by 2030 in addition to building an effective sports sector through the “Investment and Privatization Project for Sports Clubs,” in order to achieve the goals of the Vision 2030 in the sports sector, as these sectors are witnessing rapid growth and providing diverse opportunities.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated the Kingdom’s determination to develop its industrial sector, as it is one of the most important vital sectors in the Saudi economy, by diversifying the industrial base and value chains through the “National Strategy for Industry'', which focuses on 12 sub-sectors to diversify the industrial economy and raise the industrial domestic product by around three times compared to the year 2020, reaching SR895 billion in 2030 to be a major contributor to the development of non-oil exports. This is in integration with the important role of the PIF as it is the investment arm that contributes and complements the efforts undertaken by the government in diversifying the economy, and the pivotal role of the National Development Fund and its affiliated funds in providing concessional financing to the private sector, he pointed out.

Speaking about the pivotal and leadership role of the Kingdom, the Crown Prince stressed the Kingdom’s role regionally and internationally, and its endeavor to ensure that the countries of the world enjoy security and stability, as they are the main factors for development and prosperity, and its keenness to develop and stabilize supply and value chains in a way that serves the development and economic prosperity of all countries of the world.

The Crown Prince stressed the Kingdom’s determination to continue the development momentum during the coming year and in the medium and long term with boosting the attractiveness of the Kingdom’s economy as a base for local and foreign investments besides diversifying the economy through the development of all economic sectors.

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

Mega‑projects like NEOM embody the post‑oil push, with some elements scaled back for 2030.

Title:

Content: Saudi Arabia revisits economic projects "away from arrogance"
Saudi Arabia revisits economic projects "away from arrogance"
RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan ’ s remarks on Sunday marked a clear official Saudi recognition of the difficulty of implementing the Vision 2030 launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016, a comprehensive development plan aimed at diversifying the oil-dependent economy and attracting foreign investment.
While analysts said the decision came too late — especially as reports years ago pointed to many difficulties in implementing the vision, including financial and operational — Jadaan ’ s remarks reflected an awareness of the challenges away from “arrogance ”, arrogance and stubbornness.
Analysts say the move, which comes eight years after the launch of Vision 2030, is an unequivocal acknowledgement that there is too much optimism about the vision, as well as too many of its goals.
Saudi Arabia ’ s finance minister said on Sunday the kingdom would adjust its Vision 2030 plan to transform its economy as needed, reducing the size of some projects and speeding up the pace of others.
Riyadh ’ s decision reflects an acknowledgement that there is too much optimism about Vision 2030, and many of its goals have been ambitious.
In a speech delivered at the World Economic Forum ’ s special meeting under the theme “International Cooperation, Growth and Energy for Development, ” Jadaan said the Kingdom is focused on ensuring the quality of future economic growth and recognizes that the challenges it faces require flexibility.
He said, “There are challenges.
We don ’ t have vanity, we ’ re going to change course, we ’ re going to adapt, we ’ re going to expand some projects, we ’ re going to reduce some projects, we ’ re going to speed up some projects. ”
Saudi Arabia is accelerating efforts to diversify its economy away from oil as part of a vision to develop sectors such as tourism and industry, expand the private sector and create jobs.
Non-oil activities significantly outperformed the expansion of the oil sector during the past year, registering growth of 4.4 percent, while the economy contracted by 0.8 percent on the back of oil production cuts and lower prices.
The International Monetary Fund said in its latest regional outlook report, on the back of continued production cuts, that Saudi Arabia ’ s economy is expected to grow 2.6 percent this year, a downward revision from October ’ s forecast of 4 percent growth.
Non-oil activity growth in the medium term is expected to exceed 5 percent annually, Jadaan said in February, yet the kingdom is likely to continue to rely on oil and gas revenues to drive investments in order to expand non-oil activities.
On Sunday, he reaffirmed the role of the expanded private sector in the implementation of Vision 2030.
“Vision 2030 is about empowering the private sector.
The role of the government is to put in place policies to enable the private sector without doing business on its own. ”
The International Monetary Fund forecasts that the Arab world ’ s largest economy needs oil to rise to $96.2 in order not to run a 2024 budget deficit.
Al-Jadaan ’ s statements did not surprise the Saudi and Gulf circles; they came after leaks published by Bloomberg about the Kingdom ’ s keenness to review projects in the vision, perhaps the most prominent of which is the NEOM project.
In an earlier report by Bloomberg, the agency said Saudi Arabia had scaled back its ambitions for the NEOM project, the largest of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ’ s plans.
Saudi authorities had planned to have 1.5 million people living in The Line, the futuristic $500 billion city with parallel, mirrored skyscrapers stretching 170 kilometers between mountainous and desert terrain, by 2030.
But now Saudi officials expect the project to accommodate fewer than 300,000 residents by the same date, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The source, who asked not to be identified, said officials expect to complete only 2.4 km of the project by 2030.
The Saudi government has found itself shouldering the bulk of the spending on mega-projects, and as a result at least one contractor has fired a number of workers it employs at the site, according to a document seen by Bloomberg.
Observers view the decision to reduce the NEOM project positively, pointing out that due to financial and economic factors, the implementation of the plan was never possible as initially presented.
They point out that the amount of wealth the Saudis generate from oil is not enough to fund NEOM, Vision 2030 ’ s most ambitious project.
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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 lessen reliance on oil.
To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy

The National Strategy for Industry offers 800+ opportunities worth SR1 trillion, targeting SR557 billion in industrial exports 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).

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

Non‑oil private‑sector momentum stayed strong in late 2023 amid rising activity and easing inflation.

Title:

Content: NEWS
Vision 2030 indicators.
Achieving 75% of its targets as the highest percentage since the start of measurement
The Council of Economic and Development Affairs reviewed a number of reports and topics on its agenda, including the periodic presentation by the Ministry of Economy and Planning on local and global economic developments, which included a detailed analysis of the latest international economic indicators and global geo-economic challenges.
The presentation dealt with the most important achievements of the national economic indicators, including the continued growth of positive indicators of the non-oil sectors in the Kingdom despite the global economic challenges, as well as the continued positive impact of investment spending of giant projects plans and support of the private sector.
The Board reviewed the presentation by the Office of Strategic Management at the Council of Economic and Development Affairs on the comprehensive report of the Saudi Vision 2030 programs for the third quarter of 2023, which included a comprehensive overview of the performance of the programs to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030, the most prominent achievements and future aspirations.
He pointed out that the performance of the programs to achieve the vision continued to progress in the third quarter of this year at the level of all three pillars, (a vital society, a prosperous economy, and an ambitious homeland), and an increase in the percentage of completed initiatives and indicators achieved compared to the previous quarter.
He also continued the presentation by the Office of Strategic Management on the completion of the definition of KPIs targets for the objectives of the first and second levels of the Saudi Vision 2030.
The Council discussed the presentation presented by the National Center for Performance Measurement of Public Agencies on the performance of public agencies for the third quarter of 2023, which included an analysis of the performance of public agencies and the achievement of their objectives, in addition to the performance of national strategies and future aspirations.
The detailed performance of the indicators of public bodies showed a continued increase in the performance of the vision indicators to reach 75 per cent of their targets, the highest rate since the start of measurement.
The Board made the necessary recommendations on these issues.
The non-oil private sector PMI rose in November 2023, and inflation continued to decline in October.
The percentage of completed initiatives increased from the total active initiatives compared to the performance of the second quarter of this year, and the percentage of indicators achieved their targets increased from the total active indicators compared to the previous quarter.
The focus continues to be on launching more initiatives and moving towards the completion of their implementation, which will have an impact on the achievement of the strategic objectives of Vision 2030.
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Digital transformation is accelerating, with the digital economy expected to reach 19.20% of GDP and 92% of government services digital by 2025.

Title:

Content: Promising opportunities and special programs.
How Saudi Arabia has prepared its citizens for a post-oil future
An ambitious strategy that has resulted in qualitative growth that enhances the opportunities of national companies and plans to diversify sources of income
On the road to building a digitally driven economy, the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 was present with unique goals to drive Saudi Arabia ’ s national transformation program and to prepare young people intellectually and practically for the post-oil era.
That strategy paid off quickly, with qualitative growth achieved by the Saudi economy, not as a result of high oil prices, but through the non-oil sector, which is expanding horizontally and vertically, through a program that promotes the growth opportunities of national companies, and plans to diversify the Kingdom ’ s sources of income.
Innovation Opportunities
While the Saudi economy is undergoing national transformations that did not previously exist, these transformations have generated opportunities for innovation in commercial and investment activities, which have been widely accepted and popular by Saudi youth, due to low risks in light of dependence on a diversified economy, which was not followed in the past.
From the womb of the new Saudi strategy, new sectors and tremendous opportunities were born for young people in trade and industry, from tourism and entertainment to logistics, technology, artificial intelligence and digital services, encouraging many of them to engage in those fields, some of which were previously restricted to non-Saudis.
Saudi youth have overcome the familiar barrier in professions and jobs; their fingerprints have become clear in all social, political and economic fields, and various sectors of development; it has become the backbone of those professions, within the framework of the Saudi strategy to localize these jobs, and push its children to fill them.
Breaking the Fashionable Barrier
From cooking, working in hotels to shops to opening workshops for mechanics and other crafts, young Saudis have broken the bounds of convention and taken roads paved by the kingdom, which is undergoing what has been described as a “revolutionary ” transformation as it seeks to get rid of the oil grip on the economy by diversifying its sources of income.
How did Saudi Arabia prepare its citizens for this step?
Saudi Arabia has set itself the goal of being a global hub of events, forming an alliance by Informa and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones to help diversify the kingdom ’ s economy.
Saudi Arabia has taken impressive steps to improve its business environment, attract foreign investment, and reduce its dependence on oil, noting that to achieve these ambitions, the Kingdom has realized the value of international events to build strategically important industries within the country.
Important Alliances
An alliance of Informa ’ s global expertise will create a world-class events sector to increase economic diversification, provide access to new markets for international companies, attract foreign investment and support the modernization of business activity in the Kingdom.
The alliance will also support the creation of new career paths for the Kingdom ’ s talented and digitally savvy youth, not only in events but also in the wider creative and digital economies, from communications and branding to digital marketing and digital product development.
The Alliance Academy will provide an annual group of young Saudi professionals with the opportunity to gain practical training and experience in international events, through a series of rotations, and make greater use of an industry-recognized professional accreditation program.
Michael Champion, Regional Executive Vice President, Informa, said: “Our events and local operations will support new job creation, knowledge sharing and professional development in the region.
Faisal Al Khamisi, Chairman of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, said the alliance will create job opportunities for Saudi youth in dynamic and professional sectors, and will also contribute to the diversification and general modernization of key industries in Saudi Arabia.
Booming Event Industry
Saudi Arabia has realized that its burgeoning events industry will create new jobs for the country ’ s digitally savvy youth — not just in events, but also in broader creative economies, ranging from communications and branding to digital marketing and digital product development.
Alliance-run events are expected to attract around 500,000 visitors a year by 2028, employing nearly 200 professionals in the next five years.
National Transformation Program
Saudi efforts were not limited to concluding agreements with external alliances; they were consistent with the objectives of the National Transformation Program, including developing the necessary infrastructure, creating an enabling environment for the public, private and non-profit sectors to achieve the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030, focusing on achieving excellence in government performance, supporting digital transformation, contributing to private sector development, developing economic partnerships, promoting community development, and ensuring the sustainability of vital resources.
According to the official website of Vision 2030, the National Transformation Program (NTP), which was launched in 2016 to achieve excellence in government performance and establish the necessary infrastructure to improve economic empowerment factors and raise the standard of living, contributed during the previous phase to achieve many important and influential achievements in developing government systems, improving services provided to citizens, providing job opportunities for Saudi youth in non-oil sectors, facilitating business, expanding digital transformation and technology solutions. Their participation in the labor force, as well as the development of the non-profit sector, and the development of the tourism sector.
Infrastructure
In the next phase, the program seeks to complete the work to develop the necessary infrastructure, enhance community development, ensure the sustainability of vital resources, achieve excellence in government performance, support digital transformation, and increase the attractiveness of the labor market, to create an enabling environment for the public, private and non-profit sectors to achieve the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030.
Top Targets by the End of 2025
The program aims for the digital economy to contribute 19.20% of GDP by 2025, in addition to bringing the level of maturity of the transformation of key government services digitally to 92%, and raising the volume of foreign direct investment flows to 95.4 billion riyals in the same period.
Did he make achievements?
According to the Vision 2030 website, the Kingdom has managed to rank first in the most advanced countries in digital competitiveness among the G20 countries, in addition to the economic participation rate of Saudi females and access increased to 35.6%.
Why are the expectations optimistic?
Saudi writer Dr. Salah bin Fahd al-Shalhoub says in an article that the high rate of growth in the Kingdom in the coming phase may be mainly caused by structural reforms in the current phase of the economy, including the phase of transformation and privatization of a group of government units, to be part of the private sector.
Al-Chalhoub pointed out that one of the steps that achieved great success during the past period in the Kingdom is to support the private sector to enhance the growth of GDP from the non-oil sector, which will achieve great results during the coming period as a result of the growth of companies and quality programs.
He pointed out that the challenges to reach a diversified economy with high efficiency and competitiveness; it is important to build competencies to work in various and diverse activities with high efficiency, and to be leaders in the next phase to increase the competitiveness of the Kingdom's attractiveness for investment from different countries of the world.
In a second article entitled "Indicators of Development Opportunities in the Saudi Economy", Al-Shalhoub said that the opportunities in the Saudi economy are diverse and will increase in light of the integration of development projects that are being worked on, leading to new and diversified opportunities for investors.
He pointed out that young people have a great opportunity in various economic activities, stressing the need to work on a range of programs to support thinking more comprehensively for young people in the search for opportunities in the sectors of trade, industry, tourism, entertainment, logistics, technology, artificial intelligence and digital services.
He also stressed the need for entrepreneurship to be a course in the educational stages directly at the university level and professional and applied programs, and included in the curricula in schools within the educational and training examples and extra-curricular activities.
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How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

Programs track social outcomes: higher homeownership, more kindergarten enrollment, and a 120% surge in research publishing.

Title:

Content: Saudi News
National transformation initiatives support the family and society and protect their rights
Thank you for reading the news of the national transformation initiatives that support the family and society and protect their rights and we assure you that we always seek to satisfy you and now with the details
The National Transformation Program (NTP) has been instrumental in supporting the family and society, being the first operational program of the vision and the largest in terms of the number of strategic objectives. Since its inception in 2016, the program has contributed to the launch of a number of qualitative initiatives that serve the family and the community.
Vision 2030 is based on three axes represented by the vital society, the prosperous economy and the ambitious homeland. Because society is the basis of achieving the vision, the vital society was the first of those axes and the solid base for the prosperity of the economy. Vision 2030 stipulated the importance of building a vibrant society, living in accordance with Islamic principles and the approach of moderation. They are supported by a strong family structure and two possible health and social care systems. ”
Increase the percentage of home ownership
The vision ’ s efforts to support the Saudi family in a number of areas, most notably the interest in raising the rates of home ownership for Saudis through the housing program, where ownership rates have increased during the past four years from 47% to 60% in 2020, exceeding the 2020 target by 8%.
On the other hand, the vision sought to build the personality of children and establish positive values in their personalities, by launching a human capacity development program, and working on a number of projects to develop the educational system, such as: the development and rehabilitation of more than 3,000 kindergarten classrooms in more than 1,000 schools, the launch of a number of digital platforms such as “virtual kindergarten ” and“ madrasati ”. A university that works to raise the quality of scientific publishing, which contributed to the continuation of the educational process despite the circumstances of the pandemic, and the increase in enrollment in kindergarten from 13% in 2015 to 23% in 2020, and the increase in publishing in scientific research by 120%, in addition to the Kingdom achieving the first position in the Arab world and the 14th in the number of published research on the pandemic.
Physical and mental health
The vision also stressed the importance of physical, psychological and social health of individuals, and sought to build a society where people enjoy a healthy lifestyle through raising the level of health care, optimizing hospitals and medical centers, improving the quality of health services in both preventive and therapeutic aspects, in addition to increasing opportunities to practice sports regularly and supporting citizens to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Vision to 43% in 2021.
Festivals and Events
In addition to the importance of culture and entertainment in the quality of life of the population, the vision sought to support efforts to establish festivals and events, contribute to the establishment and development of entertainment centers, encourage internal and external investment in this field, allocate appropriate land for cultural and entertainment projects such as libraries, museums, theaters, etc. This has contributed to the Kingdom ’ s achievement of the first position in the Arab world and the 21st globally in the Happiness Index for 2020, with an increase of 16 places since the beginning of the vision, and the establishment of more than 2,000 entertainment, sports and cultural events with the attendance of more than 46 million visitors, 1.7 million people benefited from 1,000 educational and entertainment clubs around the Kingdom, in addition to the increase in the number of entertainment venues from 27,154 in 2017. 7 in 2020.
The National Transformation Program has also been instrumental in supporting the family and society, as it is the first operational program of the vision and the largest in terms of the number of strategic objectives. Since its inception in 2016, the program has contributed to the launch of a number of qualitative initiatives that serve the family and society.
Development of cities
Based on the high levels of security and development enjoyed by the cities of the Kingdom, Vision 2030 sought to maintain this security by strengthening the existing efforts in the fight against drugs, adopting additional measures to ensure traffic safety and reduce road accidents and their effects. Recreation and recreation, which contributed to the decline in the rate of road accidents deaths per 100 thousand people from 28.8 in 2016 to 13.5 in 2020, the rehabilitation of more than 37 million m2 of gardens and green areas and the pruning, coordination and planting of more than 14 million trees and roses, and the increase of the per capita places and public squares to 5.24 m2 / person.
Protection of family rights
The National Transformation Program has launched a number of initiatives led by the Ministry of Justice to protect the rights of all members of society, especially the most needy groups such as children. Dependent close.
The program also worked to support family and social services, such as the initiative of the centers for the implementation of the provisions of custody, vision and visit « Shaml », which served more than 40 thousand beneficiaries of children and parents through 55 centers covering all regions of the Kingdom.
Promoting social development
The National Transformation Program (NTP) has launched a number of initiatives led by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, most notably the development of a strategy to accommodate orphans and people with special circumstances, with the aim of developing a comprehensive strategy to provide all aspects of care for orphans in foster families. The continuous and regular incubation of the family after the incubation, organizing the incubation procedures, which contributed to raising the awareness of the community of incubation, activating the role of the third sector, raising the incubation rate of orphans to 100% and reducing the survival rate of infants until incubation for those under two years to less than two months.
The National Transformation Program also amended the social security system and regulations, developed incentives to enable beneficiaries to integrate into the labor market, and introduced regulations to integrate the entities concerned with empowerment, with a view to developing a new social system that addresses social security issues from a broader, preventive and curative perspective.
The NTP initiatives also sought to strengthen protection from domestic violence through the operation and development of the Domestic Violence and Child Protection Reporting Center through the toll free number (1919), partnership with the third sector to increase the geographical coverage of social protection agencies, development of awareness campaigns to prevent society from domestic violence, development of an integrated package of programs to cover the needs of victims of domestic violence and aggressors. 2020.
Environmental Sustainability
Vision 2030 stressed the importance of preserving and protecting the environment, considering it a religious, moral and humanitarian duty, and a responsibility to future generations, as it is a basic component of quality of life, and sought to reduce pollution, combat desertification, develop vegetation and ensure the sustainability of vital resources. A reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 28 million tons per year, and a 40% increase in vegetation cover, which has had a 30% decrease in sandstorms and an increase in rainfall.
Contribution of the family to development
Vision 2030 considered children ’ s skills and abilities as one of the most valuable resources, and sought to make the most of their energies by adopting a culture of reward for work, providing opportunities for all, and providing them with the necessary skills to achieve their goals, through investing in education and training, providing children with the knowledge and skills needed for future jobs, and ensuring that every Saudi child, wherever he or she is, has access to quality education opportunities. production as the most important engine of economic growth.
The Kingdom ’ s efforts towards development:
• Creating jobs, supporting innovation and promoting exports
• Enact better regulations, easier financing and more international partnerships
• Greater share of local companies in government procurement and competition
• Support productive families by facilitating opportunities to finance microenterprises
• Motivating the non-profit sector to work on building the capacities of these families and financing their initiatives
• Development and accessibility of opportunities for all, including youth, women and persons with disabilities
• Increase the contribution of SMEs to GDP from 20% in 2016 to 29% in 2020
• Growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by 40% between 2016-2020
• Unemployment rate for Saudis (male and female aged 15 years and above) fell to 11.3% in the second quarter of 2021
• Female labour force participation rate increased to 33.8% in Q2 2021
• Increasing the percentage of employed persons with disabilities who are able to work to 12% by the end of 2020.
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How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

The Commission’s powers were cut to awareness, ending its policing of Islamic law.

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. ”
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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.

A 40‑year ban on concerts and cinemas was lifted with the General Entertainment Authority.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
What the first could not | Mohammed bin Salman.. Saudi Arabia ’ s answer to a question that no one asked
While the Middle East was looking to Western governments where young people assume leadership positions and their energies explode in order to elevate their homelands, no one expected to see a similar experience in our Arab countries soon, before circumstances gave us a chance to see the experience of Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday turned 37, the youngest crown prince in Saudi Arabia ’ s history.
On April 29, 2015, the royal order was issued to choose Prince Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince, amid a state of regional and international surprise at the unprecedented and “previous ” step, and amid anticipation of what this young man might do, the question was:“ Is he qualified to carry out the duties of this heavy position in such a great country? ”
The obvious truth is that Prince Mohammed bin Salman did more than this question and answer it, but it was an answer to a question that did not occur to him, a question about the revolution to change the face of the Kingdom and lead it towards the future.
How did the young prince change the face of the kingdom?
Prince Mohammed bin Salman has shown since his tenure the Kingdom ’ s era an open mentality that flushed the dust of reactionary and extremist thought about the Kingdom, a task that was not imagined that anyone would dare, the challenge of the common mistake is the task of misery, where he will not forgive you your sanity and will not protect you from doubt and denigrating, but the steadfast leader does not turn and go his way for the sake of his people.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman made history when his reign saw Saudi women allowed to drive and enter sports stadiums and then established the Entertainment Authority.
His views have always been clear in categorical terms, when he described “religious extremism ” as an outsider in Saudi society, and that there is no place to waste women ’ s rights according to misconceptions about Islam, as the kingdom under King Salman bin Abdulaziz abolished the guardianship system for women in 2016.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman told The Atlantic: “Before 1979 there were more flexible social customs, and there were no guardianship laws in Saudi Arabia. ”
He refers to a series of disparate pieces of legislation that have not taken the status of law since the late 1970s that have limited the rights of Saudi women as minors in need of a guardian.
Bin Salman was aware of a real understanding of the change he is leading, aware of the challenge and aware of the essence of Islam, where he described those who oppose the project of “Islamic awakening ” and the mixing of the sexes in work as“ extremism, ” saying: “These extremists are contrary to what the Prophet and the adult caliphs were like, ” and hinted at the imminence of allowing Saudi women not to wear the“ black cloak. ” It is a legal text that requires the abaya to be black or the veil to be black. ”
The decision to grant licenses to open cinemas in Saudi Arabia came after 40 years of prohibition, in addition to the decision to establish the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia.
Also, in the context of openness, in February 2020, several cultural bodies were established to take care of the Saudi cultural heritage, working to preserve and disseminate it at the national, regional and global levels after it was absent in light of the extremism prevailing in the Kingdom, and on the other hand to establish cultural sectors to contribute to economic diversification, including: the Heritage Authority, the Museums Authority, the Film Authority, the Music Authority and the Library Authority.
All this points to a young man who has a real intellectual approach and a strategy that clearly sees the future, knows how to go to it with the legacy of his country and its history.
A New Economy for Saudi Arabia
The most prominent project of the young crown prince is the "Saudi Vision 2030" plan, which aims to make the Saudi economy based on investment, in addition to not relying on oil as a basic and sole income, as he promised to end the relationship of dependence of the Saudi state on oil, which he described as "addiction".
The vision coincides with the date set for the announcement of the completion of the delivery of eighty giant government projects, which cost the least one of them the equivalent of four billion riyals.
Through this plan, and related programs, Mohammed bin Salman aims to increase Saudi non-oil revenues sixfold from about $43.5 billion annually to $267 billion annually.
In addition, the share of Saudi non-oil exports increased from 16% of Saudi GDP (in 2016) to 50% of Saudi GDP (in 2030).
As well as the giant NEOM project, the land of opportunities and dreams, announced by Prince Mohammed bin Salman in October 2017, which aspires to serve as a global commercial and economic capital that represents the spirit of the age associated with artificial intelligence.
NEOM is located in northwestern Saudi Arabia on an area of twenty-six thousand five hundred square kilometers in partnership with Egypt and Jordan.
Everything mentioned is just a tip of the iceberg, they are just examples to cite that the young prince has something beyond the youth and his enthusiasm, but he also has the vision and the necessary qualities and requirements to lead the change.

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?

Gender mixing is now allowed, and women can attend concerts.

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?

Saudi women own 45% of SME projects and hold 39% of leadership roles.

Title:

Content: Foreign Minister Opens International Conference on Women in Islam
Praise the leadership role in his care.
Condemns the violations and illegal practices against Palestinian women and the Palestinian people.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, welcomed the participants in the International Conference on Women in Islam Status and Empowerment, which is now being held in Jeddah. He said in his opening speech: "I welcome you all to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia." He thanked Karim for their response to the Kingdom's call to hold this important conference on women in Islam, which is under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the conference aims to clarify the status and role of women in our religion past and present and their rights guaranteed to education and Islamic values and their important role in the development process of our societies and countries and discuss the various challenges they face and ways to overcome them.
He added that the multiple challenges faced by women in war zones and armed conflicts such as violence, poverty, fear, marginalization and lack of health and educational care for their children make it imperative for us to work hard to protect and support these most affected and vulnerable groups.
“We are meeting today under the difficult circumstances that Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip are living under the continuous Israeli violations of international laws and humanitarian principles, in light of the silence and failure of the international community to carry out its duties and responsibilities to stop the escalation and bloodshed and ensure immediate access to urgent and necessary humanitarian assistance, ” he said.
He condemned and condemned in the strongest terms the violations, illegal practices and crimes against humanity to which Palestinian women and the Palestinian people are subjected by the Israeli war machine, praising their pivotal role and their great sacrifices for the justice of their cause.
He continued: “Muslim women today face many challenges, harassment and discrimination in some other countries in light of a wave of legislation restricting their rights to wear the hijab and others due to the weight of Islam, which is contrary to the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979. ”
He pointed out that "women are the pillars of the family and society, where our Islamic religion honored women, guaranteed their full rights, and legislated their duties and ordered us not to discriminate against them or hinder their opportunities, whether in political, economic, social, scientific or other affairs.
He pointed out that "despite this, women have not been spared from the injustice of some customs and traditions in some societies throughout the ages and attempts to link them to religion through some arbitrary readings and interpretations of those who are contrary to the tolerance of Islam."
He pointed out that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made great strides to achieve the empowerment of women under our ambitious vision 2030 so that Saudi women have become an indispensable partner in the process of transformation, development and growth in various fields. The Kingdom has enacted a set of legislations and decisions derived from Islamic Sharia to enhance women ’ s participation in economic and social development, ensure their rights and prevent discrimination against them in education, jobs and wages. Since 2016, it has owned 45% of SME projects and increased its representation in leadership positions from 17% to 39%.
“In this context, we commend the efforts of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to empower women and put them at the forefront of their concerns, including the establishment of a specialized organization for women ’ s development led by one of Saudi women ’ s competencies, ” he said.
In conclusion, he thanked everyone for responding to the invitation and participating in the conference, one of the most important outputs of which will be the official document entitled Jeddah Document for Women in Islam, which will cover all the rights of women in Islam and be a legal, legislative and intellectual reference document that contributes to achieving empowerment as a reality in our Islamic society.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs opened the exhibition accompanying the conference, which was prepared by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
The speeches followed where the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh delivered a speech in which she praised the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Highness the Crown Prince, and then explained what Muslim women are suffering in many countries.
In his speech, the OIC Secretary General stressed that this conference is an important and pivotal occasion that works to highlight the rights of women in Islam.
It is an occasion that would not have been possible without the great support we always feel from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the generous patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and their clear efforts in supporting the march of women inside and outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I would also like to extend my thanks and gratitude to all the women leaders from the OIC Member States, including women presidents, prime ministers, vice-presidents, ministers and directors of international organizations, directors of national bodies for women ’ s affairs, all in their name and proper status, and to all those who responded to our invitation to attend and honor this conference. This important event.
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How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

Women’s labor participation reached 34%, exceeding the 30% Vision 2030 target.

Title:

Content: Advertisement
Economics.
From reformation to fruiting.
Saudi Arabia completes "Vision 2030" at a steady pace
25-04-2024 | 15: 13
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A report monitoring the performance of the "Vision 2030" revealed that the plan to make a qualitative shift in the Saudi economy was able in its "middle of life" to achieve progress with most of its indicators set for the past year, while other key targets faced headwinds.
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The report pointed out that the government has developed a number of indicators to guide them towards the "right path", such as the index of calculating foreign investments, and one of its first effects was a downward adjustment on the total balance of direct investment by about 225 billion riyals, while foreign direct investment flows last year more than quadrupled from 8 to 33 billion dollars.
According to the report, 176 indicators out of 243 exceeded the expectations of 2023, 105 of which exceeded the targets of this year and next.
The ambitions of the "second phase" of the vision, according to the report issued on Thursday, are to develop promising and new sectors, support local content, engage the private sector, increase the effectiveness of implementation, facilitate the business environment and attract investment.
The most prominent successes that Saudi Arabia has been able to achieve in the framework of the indicators are the achievement of the private sector ’ s contribution to the GDP 45%, keeping pace with the target for the year, while the Kingdom is looking forward to reaching this percentage to 65% by the end of the vision period.
Another key differentiator is the labour market.
Out of six indicators, the Kingdom managed to achieve 2023 estimates in three of them, while achieving the vision targets prematurely in terms of unemployment levels among Saudis and women ’ s participation in the labor market.
The rate of women ’ s participation in the labour market over the past year has significantly exceeded the government ’ s target of 30% to 34%.
Saudi Arabia also recorded the lowest level of unemployment among Saudis ever, at 7.7%.
On the other hand, some indicators are lagging behind in achieving the 2023 targets, while the report noted that they are "subject to corrective measures to advance them towards achieving their targets."
(Bloomberg)
Source: Bloomberg
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Authorities scored highly on women’s economic rights in the World Bank assessment.

Title:

Content: Sunday 27 Dhu al-Qaʿda 1443 AH - 26 June 2022 |
Programs
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Saudi Arabia leads the Middle East and North Africa in the field of women ’ s rights
Saudi Arabia has made new progress for the second year in a row, according to the report.
Business Activities and Law 2021, published by the World Bank Group.
The report aims to compare the level of discrimination in gender systems in the field of economic development and entrepreneurship among 190 countries, where the Kingdom scored 80 out of 100, ahead of the score achieved in the results of last year ’ s report of 70.6, to raise its ranking among the leading countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
According to the World Bank report, this achievement is a confirmation of the strength and continued momentum of legislative reforms in laws and regulations related to women ’ s rights, as Saudi Arabia has achieved gender equality in all areas of employment to meet the needs of the labor market.
According to the report ’ s findings, the Kingdom achieved a full score of 100 in five of the eight key indicators measured by the report: mobility, access to pension, entrepreneurship, work environment, and access to pay, while maintaining its score in the other three indicators: marriage, child care, and assets and property.
These results place the Kingdom in the ranks of advanced economies, which have a historical depth in implementing women-related regulatory and regulatory reforms.

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

Saudi citizen unemployment fell to 9.7% in 2022, a near two‑decade low.

Title:

Content: Low unemployment rates among Saudis.
Are we close to achieving Vision 2030?
The decline was the largest in nearly 20 years.
Vision 2030 sets the goal of reducing the unemployment rate among Saudi citizens to 7% as a top priority, recognizing the importance of productive society in achieving economic and social stability, and that unemployment is one of the serious scourges on society psychologically, socially and economically.
The vision allocated an integrated program to develop human capabilities to seize opportunities and qualify national cadres, where the program seeks to have the capabilities to enable citizens to compete globally, through the promotion of values, the development of basic skills and future skills, and the development of knowledge.
The program focuses on developing a solid educational foundation for all that contributes to instilling values from an early age, preparing young people for the future local and global labor market, enhancing their work culture, developing citizens ’ skills through lifelong learning opportunities, and supporting the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Human Program was established as one of the innovative programs of the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030, in order to develop the capabilities of all citizens of Saudi Arabia, prepare them for the future and seize the opportunities provided by the renewable and accelerated needs, at the local and global levels.
Since the launch of the vision by His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in April 2016, there has been significant progress in this vital file, through the rehabilitation of citizens with the requirements of the labor market and the creation of jobs through the creation of new investments, despite the major challenges and difficulties faced by the entire world in the subsequent years of a pandemic that led to stagnation and delay of global supply chains, as well as the Russo-Ukrainian war. Recession, rising prices, and the prelude to a global depression.
Approaching the goal of the vision.
The latest bulletin of the General Authority for Statistics on the labor market for the second quarter of 2022 reflects that progress, as it recorded a new decline in the unemployment rate, reaching 9.7% for the first time in 20 years, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points compared to the first quarter of 2022, approaching the unemployment rate target of 7%, eight years before the proposed reduction date in 2030.
The bulletin also witnessed a clear improvement in the labor market indicators regarding the unemployment rate of Saudi males, as the unemployment rate decreased to 4.7%, a decrease of 0.3% from the first quarter of this year, which amounted to 5.1%, and a decrease of 1.4% from the second quarter of 2021.
These are figures and indicators that we have not seen since 1999.
This decrease in the unemployment rates of male citizens coincided with the expansion of the labor market, the growth of employment to a rise in the participation rate by 1.5% to 67.5%, and the rate of employed to the population increased by 1.6% to 64.3%.
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Saudi Arabia executed 147 people in 2022, drawing international criticism.

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.