Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS) has transformed Saudi Arabia’s internal and global image since becoming crown prince in 2017.

His leadership ended years of slow, consensus-driven change in favor of sweeping, state-led reforms focused on diversifying the economy and modernizing society.

MBS’s rise brought the launch of Vision 2030, a national development plan introduced in 2016 to reduce Saudi Arabia’s reliance on oil, attract foreign investment, and create a “vibrant society” with broader cultural and economic opportunities .

At the core of his reform agenda is a deliberate move away from religious conservatism.

The notorious religious police, whose authority stemmed from Saudi Arabia’s alliance with ultraconservative Wahhabi clerics, saw their powers sharply restricted.

No longer able to arrest or detain citizens autonomously, their influence over public life sharply diminished.

MBS also reduced the presence of conservative clergy in education and the legal system, signaling a shift toward a more moderate public sphere .

Women’s rights have advanced dramatically.

The ban on female drivers—long seen as emblematic of Saudi Arabia’s constraints—was lifted in 2018.

Reforms also expanded women’s ability to travel, secure passports, and conduct business without male guardian permission.

Vision 2030 set a target of boosting female workforce participation to 30 percent by 2030; the reality has already exceeded this, as over a third of Saudi workers are now women, and female unemployment hit a two-decade low.

Changes in labor and education policy, paired with loosening the male guardianship system, have rapidly increased opportunities for Saudi women .

Societal openness is another pillar of MBS’s program.

Activities once banned—including cinemas, live music, sporting events, and art exhibitions—are now common.

Saudi Arabia has rebranded itself as a destination for entertainment and tourism, as underlined by the introduction of tourist visas and a thriving events calendar.

These changes have reset global assumptions about the kingdom, signaling modernity and an embrace of cultural engagement .

Economically, MBS’s Vision 2030 seeks to spur growth beyond oil.

Major government investment targets technology, tourism, renewable energy, and industry.

The kingdom has privatized assets, expanded small and medium enterprises, and created special economic zones to encourage private sector development.

Non-oil sectors now make the highest-ever contribution to GDP, non-oil revenues have increased, and Saudi Arabia has become more competitive internationally .

Despite these transformative changes, elements of the old order persist.

Religious freedom remains tightly controlled: non-Muslims cannot worship publicly or build churches, and Shi’a and some Sunni groups face legal and social restrictions.

Much of the reform process remains top-down, while conservative opposition occasionally surfaces—even as MBS outmaneuvers dissent through arrests and consolidation of power .

The international response has been complex.

Western governments have cautiously welcomed reforms, viewing the country as a burgeoning economic partner and recognizing gains in women’s rights and social freedoms.

However, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 and Saudi Arabia’s continued crackdown on dissent have fueled criticism.

While Western leaders have criticized human rights abuses and the lack of broader political freedoms, many have renewed engagement with the kingdom, balancing strategic interests with advocacy for further reform .

MBS’s reforms present a paradox to the world: rapid social and economic modernization alongside stubborn political centralization.

Dissent and civil society activism remain limited, and religious practices are still tightly regulated.

Nonetheless, the face of Saudi Arabia has changed—women drive and work, concerts fill stadiums, and foreign investment is robust.

For American audiences, it remains essential to view the kingdom as a nation in transition: no longer bound entirely by old stereotypes, it now stands at the crossroads of tradition and bold new ambition .

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS) has transformed Saudi Arabia’s internal and global image since becoming crown prince in 2017.

Title:

Content: World News
The most impactful.
Crown Prince leads global opinion polls
“The future of the Kingdom, my dear brothers and sisters, is a great promising future and great potential, God willing.
Our precious country deserves the best.
Therefore, we will expand and develop our talents and capabilities. ”
With these words, the Crown Prince presented himself to become the godfather of the new vision, a man who has established himself as an influential figure in the world; 26 Ramadan 1438 (21 June 2017) at Al-Safa Palace in Mecca was not an ordinary day when he was sworn into the crown prince with great royal confidence.
That confidence extended to a people who dreamed of change, advancement and development and a new vision that would move Saudi Arabia to the ranks of the most prominent countries in the world.
Today everyone knows the name of Mohammed bin Salman who not only has a local influence, but also has an important global image.
With his methods and dedication in transforming Saudi Arabia into one of the best destinations on all levels whether economic, social or tourism, and with many places, mega projects and a vision to be realized day after day, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will change the global image of the Kingdom.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman leads the global scene among the most popular and influential leaders.
He was listed as one of the 50 most influential figures in economics, politics, culture and technology who influenced the course of world trade in 2017.
In 2018, Arab youth chose Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to be the most influential figure in a survey of young men and women from 16 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, versus a slew of international figures, including former US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and others.
The 2018 ASDA ’ A BCW Arab Youth Survey also found that the crown prince ’ s reforms, his fight against corruption, allowing women to drive, and his many steps to reform the region ’ s economy, society, and security were behind his choice of “an inspiring figure for Arab youth. ”
In 2021, the League of Arab States awarded the Crown Prince the “Development Action Shield ” for 2021, in recognition of his efforts in supporting and promoting joint Arab action and his role in promoting a comprehensive development approach in the Kingdom and the Arab world.
Great driving ability
In 2017, the SMT Center for Studies published the results of a survey it conducted in different regions of the Kingdom about the satisfaction with the performance of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to the center, 94.4% of respondents in different regions of the Kingdom are satisfied with the performance of the Crown Prince, and see this impact through a “significant ” improvement in overall political, economic and social performance, five months after taking office.
The center said on its website that the Saudis see his performance as “enabling him to build a better future for the kingdom. ”
The results of the survey indicated that 88% of the sample believe that Prince Mohammed bin Salman has shown great ability to lead the Kingdom at various levels, while 92% believe that his assumption of the position of Crown Prince as a young ruler constitutes a qualitative opportunity in moving towards the youth empowerment approach adopted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
Popularity Drifting
In 2022, a public opinion poll conducted by the Australian think tank Lowy Institute showed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the most popular figure among world leaders in Indonesia.
According to the results of the survey announced by the Australian Research Center on its website on April 4, 2022, the popularity of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Indonesia exceeded the popularity of US President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The most influential Arab leader
Also in 2022, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was named the most influential Arab leader according to a Russia Today poll.
The crown prince and prime minister won a 62.3 percent majority in the online vote.
The International Television News Network website said on Tuesday it received 7399,451 votes out of a total of 11,877,546.
Prince of Youth
Polls over the past years, especially those that track the attitudes of Arab youth across the Middle East, have shown that they express a high level of confidence in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his leadership, and in one of those polls “ASDA ’ A BCW ” survey conducted in 2018, 64% of Arab youth see him as a strong leader, 97% of Saudi youth consider him a strong leader, and 90% of Saudi youth confirmed that Prince Mohammed bin Salman leads the country. Right. Right.
The famous Time Poll Race
In 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman topped Time magazine ’ s poll for the 2017 Personality of the Year award.
The popular poll — published on an annual basis for 90 years — gives the chosen person “the greatest impact on news in the past 12 months. ”
Crown Prince Mohammed made global headlines that year as he spearheaded political and economic reform in Saudi Arabia.
Major reforms in Saudi Arabia included a move to allow women to drive, plans to sell a stake in national oil giant Aramco, and a crackdown on corruption.
After a race that lasted for days, the newspaper "Time" announced that he won the race it runs annually to determine the most influential person in the world.
Mohammed bin Salman thus became the “Person of the Year ” in 2017,“ garnering more votes than other global leaders, industry giants, entrepreneurs and activists. ”
The crown prince received 24 percent of the votes cast in the online poll, ahead of many political leaders and celebrities around the world.
Crown Prince ’ s influence locally and globally
- 2017: He was included in the "50 list" among the 50 most influential people in the field of economy, politics, culture and technology.
2017: Time Magazine Personality of the Year
2018: Arab youth chose Prince Mohammed bin Salman to be the most influential figure.
2021: The Arab League awarded the Crown Prince the “Shield of Development Action ” certificate for 2021.
- 2022: named the most influential Arab leader according to a poll conducted by Russia Today.
These were the most influential details of the news.
The Crown Prince is leading the global opinion polls for today, we hope that we have succeeded in giving you full details and information and to follow all our news you can subscribe to the alerts system or in one of our different systems to provide you with all that is new.
It is also worth noting that the original news has been published and is available on Al-Watan Online has been verified by the editorial team in Gulf 365 and may have been modified and may have been transferred in full or quoted from it and you can read and follow up on the news from its main source.
You may also read.

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

His leadership ended years of slow, consensus-driven change in favor of sweeping, state-led reforms focused on diversifying the economy and modernizing society.

Title:

Content: Mineral resources and economic and industrial growth in particular
|
Ma ’ aden announced the discovery of gold reserves of international standards.
A recent discovery spans more than 100 kilometers near a mine exploited by the northwest of the kingdom.
It is located within the region of the Arabian Shield, which is rich in minerals.
All of this is from God.
We ask him to give us thanks.
These findings mark the beginning of important discoveries for Ma ’ aden ’ s extensive exploration program, which was launched in 2022.
The program aims to develop Saudi Arabia ’ s resource base, enabling it to transform mining and its industries into a major pillar of the Saudi economy.
Our country has witnessed unprecedented achievements in the industrial sector during the past year 2023.
This was confirmed by Bandar Al-Khoref, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, while commenting on the performance of the mining sector in Saudi Arabia.
These achievements include renewable energy and mineral development to create diversified industries.
One of the latest news of this diversity was the International Conference and Exhibition on Dates held last month, which witnessed the establishment of factories for food from dates and others, and some outputs for export.
Over the years, since the discovery of oil, the process of economic development has begun in the modern sense.
But the vision seeks to diversify the foundations and sources of such development.
God has blessed us with many possibilities that allow the people and the country to reach a competitive and sustainable industrial economy.
Possibilities include privileged geographical location, rich natural resources, and the development and operation of ambitious industrial companies.
Natural resources, both mineral and non-mineral, are the foundation of economic growth.
The mere availability of resources is not enough.
How to exploit or invest with its elements of extraction, development, utilization and use of important elements in determining the degree of impact and utilization, and the development of the national economy.
One way of exploitation is to use resources to develop as many sectors and industries as possible.
But achieving the above is not easy.
There are challenges on top of which is attrition.
It is therefore important that exploitation be managed as sustainably as possible.
It is also important to take into account environmental and non-environmental impacts, thus reducing undesirable impacts.
How are natural and mineral resources used?
Big question.
Of course, there are many options, and the quality of selection is tested based on rules and criteria.
It is important to take into account the strengthening of self-reliance by reducing dependence on third parties from human hands and imported inputs.
This requires more attention to the quality of the construction, its techniques and its proportionality to the conditions.
Conditions include levels of local human hand skills and how they develop.
As well as input levels and processing tools locally.
In other words, long-term use of natural resources is required for the highest benefit to the national economy.
We move on to the topic of types of resources.
Understanding the qualities is a requirement for the quality of exploitation.
There are renewable resources by nature, and there are non-renewable resources.
Solar energy is at the top of renewable resources.
Thank God we have solar power.
Non-renewable resources, such as oil in a field, have a lifespan.
This requires greater attention to the efficiency and quality of exploitation.
At the forefront of non-renewable resources is land.
It is, of course, a non-renewable resource.
The quality of exploitation is therefore a fundamental requirement.
Environmental impacts are well taken into account.
That is why countries, including our own, are interested in good exploitation, especially of an environmental nature.
Mining natural resources in particular play a significant role in the growth and industrialization of the economy.
In addition to the development and development of income.
This is a long and complex topic, which does not allow us to enter here.
But this role has challenges.
One of the major challenges is the environment.
The development and exploitation of mineral, oil and natural resources in general is not without cost to the environment, water and soil.
Governments then put in place strict controls to minimize harm.
But for that, of course, there ’ s a price.
The details are beyond the scope of the article.
Global technical developments are a challenge.
It may not be available locally as requested.
This requires more attention to the aspects and topics of technical and scientific research and development in general, human training and so on.
One of the challenges is strong diligence in not being overly dependent on natural and unnatural resources.
Abundance of resources and blessings in general may lead to over-dependence, which is neither good nor legitimate.
He says almighty.
And when we bestow favor on man, he turns away from him, and when evil touches him, he is a great supplicant.
On the human mental side, many writings have appeared under the so-called sedition of resources.
Exporting natural resources of mineral and non-mineral brings abundant money easily.
Easy access to money tempts spending, rather than making optimal use of it.
Over time, the economy becomes heavily dependent on money from natural resource exports.
Evidence has shown that this concentration of exports arises with it and is associated with poor management and performance of public institutions.
Several studies using cross-sectional data and time series have shown a correlation between institutional structure and economic growth, based on a direct correlation between weak public institutions and slower economic growth.
God gave this country a leadership that realized what we are in from the so-called addiction to oil and the consequences of this addiction.
An ambitious vision was put forward to reform and develop the economy.
The vision consists of several programs, which are of strategic importance to achieve the vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2030.
One of the elements of the vision is to harness natural and mineral resources in particular for industrialization, taking into account the maximization of sustainable benefits for agriculture, water and others, and the environment in general.
He also addressed the issue of recycling.
These are big topics.
Publish it.

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

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

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

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

MBS’s rise brought the launch of Vision 2030, a national development plan introduced in 2016 to reduce Saudi Arabia’s reliance on oil, attract foreign investment, and create a “vibrant society” with broader cultural and economic opportunities .

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Terra Drone Corporation: Terra Drone Raises $14 Million from Aramco's Wa'ed Ventures

  • Terra Drone is the first Asian startup to raise funding from Wa'ed Ventures, the venture capital of the 2nd biggest company in the world by market cap, Aramco
  • The company will establish a new subsidiary for its operations in Saudi Arabia to conduct drone survey, inspection and unmanned traffic management (UTM) in Saudi Arabia

TOKYO, Jan. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Terra Drone Corporation, a leading drone and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology provider, has raised $14 million in funding from Wa'ed Ventures, the venture capital arm of the biggest oil producer in the world, Aramco. With this financing, Terra Drone will set up a new subsidiary in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Terra Drone Arabia, in line with the Saudi government's "Vision 2030."

First announced in 2016, the Vision 2030 reform plan aims to stimulate economic transformation in Saudi Arabia by reducing the country's dependence on hydrocarbons. Technology is at the heart of this initiative and the Saudi government is focusing its efforts to promote the use of drones in services such as asset inspections.

Wa'ed Ventures was founded in 2013 and specializes in fostering innovation by investing in startups to develop the Saudi Arabian economy. This is the first time Wa'ed Ventures is investing in an Asian startup, which is a testament to Terra Drone's vision, state-of-the-art digital solutions, and cutting-edge drone technologies. Terra Drone will support a new subsidiary by taking advantage of whole business experiences of Terra Drone in Global, No.1 drone solution provider in the world in the fields of survey, inspection and unmanned traffic management (UTM).

With the establishment of Terra Drone Arabia. Terra drone will provide oil-gas inspection services, The new subsidiary will also help Terra Drone, which is counted among the top two drone service providers in the world, to further its expansion globally. At present, Terra Drone provides drone and UAM solutions in 10 countries across the world.

Unifly is the leading UTM technology provider in the world, having strong presence in Europe and North America. Terra Drone is the largest shareholder of Unifly.

The new subsidiary Terra Drone Arabia will further promote drone inspections to support the Saudi economy, ensure safe and efficient UAM in the country, and invest in the growth of both verticals.

Special Site: http://aramco2023.terra-drone.net/en
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/terra-drone-raises-14-million-from-aramcos-waed-ventures-301729360.html

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

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

At the core of his reform agenda is a deliberate move away from religious conservatism.

Title:

Content: Paris Fashion Week: Mohammed Ashi brings CHANGE in Saudi Arabia's culture to the ramp

The Saudi fashion industry is just one facet of a broader strategy pursued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to diversify the country's economy and foster social changes.

First Published Jul 6, 2023, 2:10 PM IST

In a remarkable milestone for Saudi Arabia's cultural evolution, Mohammed Ashi, a Saudi designer, made his debut at Paris Fashion Week, marking a significant moment in the kingdom's push into the global fashion scene. Ashi, known for dressing top celebrities, described this achievement as the pinnacle of his career. The event coincided with Saudi Arabia's announcement of its own fashion week scheduled for October, as the country aims to tap into new retail opportunities valued at $32 billion annually.

Also read: Saudi documenting Hadith to stop misuse by Islamic radicals, terrorists

The Saudi fashion industry is just one facet of a broader strategy pursued by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to diversify the country's economy and foster social changes. This approach involves redirecting the nation's oil wealth towards investments in movies, sports, video games, tourism, and other cultural endeavors. While skeptics initially viewed these initiatives as mere smokescreens to deflect attention from human rights concerns, the reforms have surpassed expectations by introducing substantial and transformative changes.

A post shared by Ashi Studio (@ashistudio)

Yousef Akbar, a fashion designer who established his brand in Australia and has dressed renowned celebrities like Nicole Kidman and Rita Ora, expressed his astonishment at the magnitude of the transformation. He never anticipated such progress while growing up, and starting his fashion label in Australia seemed to determine the course of his career. However, he now operates his business from Jeddah, highlighting the growing opportunities within Saudi Arabia's burgeoning fashion scene.

"For the first two years, I almost didn't believe it was real, but then I realised, wow, it IS real," said 37-year-old Yousef Akbar, who began his eponymous fashion label in Australia in 2017.

"I really never thought when I was growing up that this would happen. When I started my brand in Australia, I thought my whole life would be there since I'm a fashion designer," Akbar added.

Also read: Why Saudi Arabia's oil production cuts are a risky gamble

The Saudi Fashion Commission aims to capitalize on newfound freedoms regarding public dress and the flourishing private sector, projecting a remarkable 48 percent surge in retail sales to $32 billion between 2021 and 2025. In line with this vision, the commission has launched the Saudi 100 brands program, fostering local designers and nurturing a homegrown industry.

Burak Cakmak, the CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, believes that the country's rich heritage and existing brand presence lay the groundwork for a thriving fashion industry, dispelling the notion that Saudi Arabia is starting from scratch.

"Just because the country wasn't exposed to the rest of the world doesn't mean they are starting now," he told AFP in Paris. "I had an event for a brand this week that's been running since the 70s."

A post shared by Ashi Studio (@ashistudio)

It is important to acknowledge that LGBTQ individuals face severe repression in Saudi Arabia, as the country criminalizes same-sex relations. Despite this, the authorities are apparently turning a blind eye to the influence of queer designers and couturiers within the fashion industry.

Susanne Koelbl, author of "Behind the Kingdom's Veil," suggests that as long as individuals maintain loyalty to the ruler and their families approve, the authorities are choosing to overlook these aspects.

"Maybe you can't dance naked on the table, but almost anything else is possible now, as long as your family is OK with it and you are loyal to the ruler," Koelbl told AFP.

With opposition largely repressed and religious leaders stripped of power, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman faces few obstacles in implementing his well-planned and long-scheduled reform agenda, which is dramatically reshaping Saudi society. This process of change brings new and significant opportunities, particularly for women, who are experiencing a shift in societal roles and expectations.

"It's a well-planned, long-scheduled reform process which is about to change the society completely," said Koelbl. "The Saudi people don't tend to be revolutionary and for the vast majority there are indeed new and big opportunities now, especially for women."

For those benefiting from these reforms, the excitement is palpable and inspiring. Witnessing the realization of what was once deemed impossible serves as a powerful motivation for individuals like Yousef Akbar, who see tremendous potential for their own businesses.

"It sounds cliched, but seeing something happen that we all thought was impossible is very inspiring for my own business," said Akbar.

Also read: Arab youth sees India as stronger ally than the US: New survey

Saudi Arabia's presence at Paris Fashion Week and its broader efforts to embrace cultural transformation are indicative of a nation striving to redefine itself on the global stage. As the kingdom continues to invest in various aspects of global culture, it signals a desire to not only diversify its economy but also to foster social progress and create opportunities for its people.

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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?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

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

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

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The notorious religious police, whose authority stemmed from Saudi Arabia’s alliance with ultraconservative Wahhabi clerics, saw their powers sharply restricted.

Title:

Content: In June, Saudi Arabia, along with two other Gulf states and Egypt, began putting pressure on Qatar on the grounds that Doha was providing financial support for international terrorism.
Saudi Arabia ’ s statements against Qatar could be taken as a joke, given that Riyadh itself has long financed the spread of fundamentalist Salafi Islam, which is often associated with extremism, writes Ayaan Hirsi Ali in an article for The New York Times.
Ivan Shilov IA REGNUM
The Saudis
On the one hand, Saudi Arabia ’ s actions against Qatar can be called a classic example of “whose cow is moaning ”.
On the other hand, Riyadh could use the smokescreen of the diplomatic crisis around Qatar to divert attention from the growing tensions within its own kingdom.
See also: Asia Times: US and China do not face the danger of the “Thucydides trap ”
The newly appointed crown prince of the Saudi throne, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, has promised to modernize the country ’ s economy, which includes measures to diversify the national economy to reduce its dependence on oil prices, expand trade, increase employment and eliminate some restrictions in public life.
However, within Saudi Arabia there are two factors that could put all plans of the crown prince in jeopardy.
First, the crown prince has a rival who can challenge him.
This is the former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef Al Saud, whom in November 2017 Mohammed bin Salman placed under house arrest and froze all his bank accounts.
The current crown prince has taken a very bold step, even by the standards of the royal dynasty.
However, Mohammed bin Nayef, who previously headed the secret intelligence of Saudi Arabia, can be a very dangerous enemy.
Ivan Shilov IA REGNUM
Saudi Arabia
Second, Mohammed bin Salman ’ s grand strategic reform plan, known as Vision 2030, poses a direct threat to the prestige and authority of the Wahhabi clergy in Saudi Arabia.
The clergy have influence, and they have a motive to try to thwart the Crown Prince ’ s plans.
If private enterprise begins to strengthen its position through reforms, the resources and influence of the clergy will decrease, therefore, the opportunities for retaining control over the kingdom will be reduced.
For centuries, the royal family relied on the support of the Wahhabi clergy to ensure the religious legitimacy of the ruling dynasty.
If modernization threatens to destroy the authority of the clergy, how long will it remain submissive to the crown prince?
Earlier, the crown prince made it clear that the influence of the clergy could become an obstacle to economic growth and reduce the dependence of the Saudi economy on oil.
In case of resistance of the clergy, the Crown Prince promised to take appropriate measures.
Most likely, the clergy will begin to openly resist the Westernization of the country with the same zeal with which Saudi Arabia seeks to attract foreign investors.
Since 1973, the Saudi government and its semi-official “charities ” have spent billions of dollars spreading Wahhabi ideology abroad.
The continuation of such a policy would be detrimental to the efforts of the international community to combat radicalization.
Saudi clerics have a powerful social network that provides a direct link to their supporters across the country.
The clergy can use this platform to undermine the plans of the Crown Prince and the position of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.
In this regard, there is a risk of fomenting unrest in a country with a high youth unemployment rate.
In an effort to stifle dissent, in September 2017, Saudi Arabia detained several influential clerics who opposed Saudi Arabia ’ s position on Qatar.
In November, the fight continued, only under the guise of anti-corruption purges, in which more than 200 officials, large businessmen and members of the royal family were detained.
See also: “On whom should the US make the main bet in the Middle East? ”
Riyadh
Saudi Arabia ’ s Wahhabi clerics have extensive ties to Islamist organizations around the world.
Qatar can use these ties to discredit the crown prince in the eyes of international public opinion.
As a response to diverting attention from Saudi Arabia, Riyadh may intensify the conflict with Qatar.
The stakes are very high.
If the crown prince manages to carry out modernization, it will strike a blow to radical Islamism.
If modernization plans fail, the country could roll back several decades, continuing to export extremism abroad.
From the point of view of most Middle Eastern political players, any compromise is seen as a disgrace to the country.
Instead of accepting an ultimatum from Saudi Arabia, such as closing the news agency and severing ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar has only strengthened its alliance with Iran and Turkey.
Back in June 2017, the diplomatic crisis around Qatar seemed like a minor event in the Middle East, in 2018 it could trigger a big conflict.

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

No longer able to arrest or detain citizens autonomously, their influence over public life sharply diminished.

Title:

Content: Sorry, this item is not available in your area.
Mohammed bin Salman..
A reform designed to bring prosperity to the Saudis.
And an iron fist to crush his opponents and enemies.
Conversation
By: Euronews
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to the British government headquarters in London 07 / 03 / 2018 - Alastair Grant / AP.
Saudi Arabia ’ s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is leading his conservative kingdom with ambitious radical reforms and accelerated social changes that began with his ascension to the leadership ladder five years ago.
In parallel, he worked to fortify his position as the de facto and future ruler of the world ’ s largest oil state by silencing all dissent.
However, US President Joe Biden ’ s visit to Saudi Arabia this week indicates that bin Salman remains the country ’ s main international modernizer.
After a quick jump to the top in one of the world ’ s wealthiest countries, the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at his country ’ s consulate in Istanbul in 2018 cast a shadow over Mohammed bin Salman ’ s one-year tenure as crown prince.
Khashoggi was writing articles critical of the prince ’ s performance in the Washington Post.
American reports concluded that bin Salman ordered his death, and this entailed attempts to isolate him on the international scene, although Saudi Arabia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the operation.
But the visit of the US president, who during his election campaign pledged to treat the kingdom as a “pariah state ” against the backdrop of its human rights record and the killing of Khashoggi, to Saudi Arabia appears to reopen external doors for Prince Mohammed.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman is strong, with a trimmed black beard and a hoarse voice.
One of his most prominent mega-projects as he seeks to diversify the kingdom ’ s oil-based economy is the construction of the futuristic mega-city of Neom at a cost of $500 billion.
But he is also seeking to cement his country ’ s position as a powerful regional power.
He has been the driving force behind Saudi Arabia ’ s military intervention in Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula ’ s poorest country, to support government forces against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
The 36-year-old crown prince, said to be fond of fast food and video games, is also extremely wealthy, owning a $500 million yacht and a mansion in France, while reports suggest he is the owner of a controversial painting by Leonardo de Vinci.
Unlike other Saudi princes who speak English with a British accent, wear elegant suits and have university degrees from foreign universities, the crown prince has clung to his nomadic roots.
He often wears a traditional robe and sandals, and takes friends and relatives to roast lamb meals in luxurious desert breaks.
After his meteoric rise, he oversaw the biggest shift in modern history for the kingdom, the world ’ s largest crude oil exporter and home to Islam ’ s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina.
"Master of everything."
As part of his reform drive, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which served as a powerful religious police, was dismantled, cinemas reopened and tourist visas issued for the first time to visit the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has organised a film festival, a Formula One race, free wrestling matches and concerts.
Women were allowed to drive.
In contrast, during his reign, Saudi Arabia witnessed a crackdown on activists and the increasing number of dissidents by imprisoning them.
As part of an anti-corruption campaign, dozens of princes and businessmen were detained at Riyadh ’ s luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in 2017 for months.
In his book “The Rise of Mohammed bin Salman to Power, ” the journalist Ben Hubbard says,“ Bin Salman is a deeply divisive figure.
His supporters praise him as a long-awaited game-changer in a region that yearns for it, and his enemies abhor him as a ruthless dictator in the making.
The prince is “determined to give the Saudis a bright and prosperous future and has an unwavering willingness to crush his enemies. ”
Born on August 31, 1985, Prince Mohammed is one of hundreds of descendants of Saudi Arabia ’ s founder, King Abdulaziz Al Saud.
He grew up in a palace in Riyadh with his mother Fahda, one of his father ’ s four wives, and has five brothers.
“As the sixth son of the founding king ’ s 25th son, there was little reason to expect him to rise to prominence, ” Hubbard writes,“ for most of his life, few people expected it. ”
Mohammed bin Salman received a law degree from King Saud University.
Upon graduation, he served as an adviser to his father, then governor of Riyadh.
When King Salman came to power in early 2015, he appointed him defense minister.
Within a few months, the young prince became responsible for coordinating economic policy and overseeing Aramco ’ s oil company and his country ’ s military intervention in Yemen.
Prince Mohammed ’ s positions have been so numerous that diplomats in Riyadh have called him “master of everything. ”
Unlike many princes in the royal family, Prince Mohammed is married to only one woman and has three sons and two daughters.
People close to him say he works 16 hours a day.
A torrent of ideas.
On 21 June 2017, with the support of his father, he was able to remove his cousin Mohammed bin Nayef and replace him.
In March 2020, bin Nayef and the king ’ s brother Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud were arrested on charges of orchestrating a coup.
Since coming to power, bin Salman has vowed to lead a "moderate, free" kingdom that is open to other religions.
Explaining the philosophy of change, he said during an investment forum in Riyadh in 2017, “We want to live a normal life, ” adding,“ We are just going back to what we were, to Islam that is open to all religions, traditions and peoples. ”
"Seventy percent of the Saudi people are under the age of 30, and frankly we will not waste 30 years of our lives dealing with any extremist ideas that we will destroy today," he said.
As his star began to shine, the crown prince toured the United States and was praised by the White House, Wall Street, Silicon Valley and even Hollywood.
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman spoke of a "flood of new ideas to change his country" that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke of in an interview.
At the start of his reign, Prince Mohammed escalated the confrontation with Tehran, led a three-year boycott against neighboring Qatar, and reportedly detained former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri for days before French President Emmanuel Macron intervened.
Mohammed bin Salman has had a close relationship with the White House under former President Donald Trump, especially with the president ’ s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner.
But in early 2021, with the arrival of Democratic President Joe Biden in the White House and allowing the publication of an intelligence report that concluded that the crown prince authorized the killing of Khashoggi, relations between Saudi Arabia and Washington cooled.
Biden ’ s visit is an implicit admission of the inability to bypass Prince Mohammed.
This may be an admission that bin Salman could rule Saudi Arabia for half a century or more.
ADDITIONAL SOURCES • AFP

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.

MBS also reduced the presence of conservative clergy in education and the legal system, signaling a shift toward a more moderate public sphere .

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 has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

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

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

Women’s rights have advanced dramatically.

Title:

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

Female executives cite "progressive leadership" for their achievements

Beta V.1.0 - Powered by automated translation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Updated: September 22, 2022, 5:15 AM
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How has Saudi Arabia empowered women and increased their labor market participation under Vision 2030?

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

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

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

What leadership roles have Saudi women achieved under Vision 2030?

Women have been appointed to municipal councils

and represented Saudi Arabia internationally; industrial employment increased from 7000 to 17,000 in 2020

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

and serve in the army and police
Women gained permission to drive

The ban on female drivers—long seen as emblematic of Saudi Arabia’s constraints—was lifted in 2018.

Title:

Content: Breaking news.
Social transformations and economic challenges.
Women come to work.
Social transformations and economic challenges.
Women come to work.
Jeddah - "Women 's News Agency"
Riham Al-Ahmad got out of the taxi she was riding with another woman in central Riyadh and entered the mall where she works four days a week selling cosmetics.
Reham, who has a high school diploma, became the first working girl in her family.
Her parents did not want her to go out to work, but eventually retreated after the cost of living in the capital increased.
With new high taxes and cuts in government subsidies in place, many families are increasingly dependent on women going out to work.
Women are negotiating a new place in the country ’ s delicate social fabric, a trend that has been celebrated by some, while others have been met with suspicion in a kingdom where conservative traditions are still deeply rooted.
Riham, a 24-year-old who lives with her parents and five younger siblings, has chosen a shop, most of whose customers are women, to ease parents' fears of mixing with men.
“I felt guilty when I asked my father for anything.
But since I started working, I am proud to be able to help my family. ”
Every day, thousands of women across the country go out to work, something that would not have come to mind just a few years ago, but has now become a norm under reforms led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to modernize the kingdom.
It highlights its progress on women ’ s issues, but does not allow political parties or elections to take place.
There are currently no women in the Saudi cabinet or in any senior advisory roles.
The Shura Council has only 30 women among its 150 members.
However, women now make up 33% of the total workforce, nearly double the proportion five years ago.
Women of different age groups and educational levels are now accepting jobs that were previously restricted to Saudi men and expatriate workers in restaurants, supermarkets, accounting firms and graphic designers.
As part of the reforms, women have been allowed to drive since 2018.
But Reham al-Ahmad, who earns 4,500 riyals ($1,200) a month, cannot afford driving lessons, aside from the price of a car.
“I spend about a third of my salary on a taxi, ” she said, adding that she was saving money to buy a car.
“But I ’ m really happy that I have a job where I get a private income at the end of the day.
I never thought it was possible for me. ”
A small number of women have long worked in Saudi Arabia, but their jobs have traditionally been in the government sector of teaching and medical care, following strict gender segregation rules in place, but with the easing of restrictions on mixing genders, driving cars and some aspects of male guardianship, companies have started hiring more women.
This is especially true in the retail and hospitality sectors, where a 2011 plan to replace cheaper expatriate workers with nationals was launched to tackle unemployment among Saudis, which now stands at 11 percent.
Economist Jennifer Beck said, “Many of the jobs held by women have traditionally been held by non-Saudis. ”
The new laws have made it easier for women to work in jobs that require direct interaction with customers.
Her research shows that the number of Saudi women in the private sector jumped to 935,508 in 2021 from 56,000 in 2010, and continues to rise.
In Unaizah, a city in the Qassim region at the heart of a conservative society, trends are changing, and more women are working, though some are wary of turning against tradition.
Ghada al-Salman, 33, after graduating from university, struggled to find work in Qassim, where unemployment among women is about 18 percent, three times the rate of unemployment among men.
It turned to the bakery industry, eventually opening three stores with 45 employees.
More recently, at the Dates Festival, she promoted the production of her bakery, Rose Raben Bakery (Pink Ribbon), one of the few women-owned businesses in Qassim.
She said, “If it weren ’ t for my parents, I wouldn ’ t have been able to do any of this. ”
“Most parents here still don ’ t approve of their daughters working all day with men, even if they are bosses and even if they wear the niqab, ” she said.
She wears face coverings and a long black cloak like most women in public places in Unaizah, but faces reproach from older conservatives.
A man in his 60s complained about the speed of social change, and he relishes eating one of her cupcakes.
The man, who asked not to be named, said the government “tells us that women should work, but it ’ s against our tradition. ”
Others believe that these changes are long overdue.
Rana al-Turki, 45, joined her father ’ s oil and gas company in 2000, and was one of the first women to work at the company, working for years in a gender-neutral office.
Rana al-Turki, who is now the owner and one of the directors of Rawabi Holding, said: “At the time, the men were not even polite.
No one would say good morning or ride the elevator with me, and they couldn ’ t even stand standing with me in one room. ”
He added: “Thank God things have changed.
In my day, we were even afraid to ask for a salary.
But girls these days come in and negotiate hard.
They know their value. ”
Yet the gender pay gap in Saudi Arabia stands at 49 percent, according to research by the non-governmental Al-Nahda Association.
“Social trends continue to govern women ’ s entry into the labor market, ” said Hala al-Dosari, a Saudi women ’ s rights expert who works in the United States, noting that most new jobs for women are poorly paid.
Although laws to prevent harassment and discrimination were in place, women continued to be harassed and denied their rights.
Economist Jennifer Beck said some employers still ask women for their guardian ’ s permission to work, despite recent reforms that give women more control over their lives.
An employer at one of the biggest companies told Reuters he preferred to hire women because they worked harder than men and earned half the pay.
Nearly 400 companies interviewed by Peak ’ s research group said Saudi women were paid less than men, and a third said women were more productive than men.
But for many Saudi women, these are only growing troubles.
Ghada al-Salman, the owner of the bakery, said: “Young women ask me all the time how they can achieve what I have achieved.
10 years ago, it was impossible.
Now the future is yours. ”
Women's News Agency

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?

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

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

Reforms also expanded women’s ability to travel, secure passports, and conduct business without male guardian permission.

Title:

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Oluwo and Sulu-Gambari scratching the nose with cobra head (1)

Before anything else, let’s do with some laughter because this is a sobering journey into time – a journey gathering hailstones, lightning and thunder – tools to be unleashed in the cases of royal injustice and intolerance in Iwo and Ilorin. A good laugh is a drink to wash down the two plates of stones-filled rice simmering in Osun and Kwara states, making the unpalatable palatable to the palate.

Skirting the border of rudery to baptise Manchester United FC in the river of sarcasm, 55-year-old British-born sports commentator, Peter Drury, had this to say about the Red Devils, “Manchester United is the most consistent team. One win in August, one win in September, one win in October, one win in November, and one win in December, it is just like the menstrual cycle! If they don’t win in January, know that they are pregnant.”

Drury showcases the dreary consistency of Manchester United as this article will showcase the consistency of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, in perpetrating lies and hate among the Yoruba.

Drury wasn’t done with the Red Devils yet. After a Liverpool 7-0 demolition in March 2023, he said, “For Manchester United, a crushing nadir: inexplicable, illogical, irrational, scarcely digestible, barely conceivable…”

I think Drury would use the same words if he were to describe the stopping of traditional worshippers by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, from celebrating a three-day Isese festival in Ilorin last month. Drury might have added, “The violation of Nigerians’ inalienable right to association and worship by Emir Sulu-Gambari, a former Justice of the Appeal Court, is unreasonable, ungodly, unkingly, despotic, inciting, insulting and abuse of power!”

I add, “Let the eagle perch, let the hawk perch; he that says the other shouldn’t perch, may its wings wither. The mane is to the lion what the stripe is to the tiger.”

Emir Sulu-Gambari travelled far and wide after he finished his secondary school education at Ofa Grammar School, Ofa, before reportedly moving to England’s Oakham Schools, City Westminster College, Middle Temple School and the University of London, where he bagged a degree in Sharia Law, oh, sorry, I meant English Law, in the 60s.

Before he became emir in 1995, Sulu-Gambari proudly and prominently bore the Yoruba name, Kolapo, as part of his official name during his years as a Justice of the Appeal Court, but upon his emergence as the 11th emir of Ilorin, he sent out a terse statement to newspapers, expressing his wish to be known and addressed henceforth as His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, dropping Kolapo. Kolapo, in Yoruba, means ‘may riches multiply’. If I ever have an opportune moment before the revered emir, I’ll inquire to know why he left Kolapo, the indigenous name of his youth, for Ibrahim, the foreign name of his adulthood, which means ‘father of many.’

But Sulu-Gambari wasn’t ready to be a father to all and sundry worshippers in Ilorin as he chose to side with the jaundiced devotees of his own religion, Islam, over indigenous religion adherents, saying the Isese festival was cancelled ‘to prevent (a) crisis’. Crisis? Crisis by who? Against who? The Isese festival advocates or some warmongering hounds playing god?

A statement from the palace of the emir last Friday laughably described the cancellation as ‘proactiveness’. So, it’s ‘proactive’ to deny some people their right to worship, while the people of your own sect, after threatening law and order, are pacified with the cancellation of other people’s right?! And you, a retired judge, say you’re acting in the interest of peace? What peace? Can there be peace in the absence of justice? The dripping sound I heard from the phallus of intolerance in Ilorin is that of piss and not peace. The piss is yellow, offensive, strong, and acidic; let those who have ears hear.

In the ultra-conservative kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from where Islam was brought to Nigeria, the trumpet of change has sounded, and far-reaching social reforms aimed at tempering religious hardlines are being taken, proving that the real owners of Islam have ears, and they’re using them.

Today in Saudi Arabia, women now vote, drive, run in municipal elections, take positions on the Shura Council, which advises the government, get a passport and travel abroad without requiring a male guardian’s permission. Now, Saudi has public movie theatres and global music superstars play in the kingdom.

Also, women can now be guardians to their children, register marriages, divorces, births and deaths, obtain family documents from the government, and do not need to live with male guardians.

According to foreign travel advice on the website of the United Kingdom government, www.gov.uk, “The Saudi authorities accept the private practice of religions other than Islam, and you can bring a religious text (i.e. Bible) into the country as long as it is for personal use.” Aside from scriptures, crucifixes, statues and carvings are allowed into the kingdom if they are for private use, and not to convert others.

Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, Ilorin is not. Saudi king, Salman bin Abdulaziz, is an ultimate ruler, but the Ilorin emir is not. Sulu-Gambari has no role in the Nigerian Constitution, Isese adherents have a place in the Nigerian Constitution.

The difference in the percentage of Ilorin natives, who are predominantly Muslims, and Ilorin settlers, who are predominantly Christians, is small even as the Isese population, which is the most tolerant of the three, is replete with Christians and Muslims, who are midnight Isese members.

Lack of understanding of the concepts of culture and tradition coupled with hypocritical intolerance, religious arrogance and gross misunderstanding of God is the reason behind some people taking up roles as God’s protectors. Only a powerless, blind, deaf and dumb God needs protection from his creations. God should be God all by Himself.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “Culture is a behaviour peculiar to Homo sapiens, together with material objects used as an integral part of behaviour. Thus, culture includes language, ideas, beliefs, customs, codes, institutions, tools, techniques, works of art, rituals, and ceremonies, among other elements.”

The adoption of the name, Red Devils, by Manchester United FC, reflects an epoch in the history of a club building from the ruins of a plane crash that killed 23 people, including players, coaches, and sportswriters, on February 5, 1958. In the second leg of the European Cup quarter-final, Manchester United had drawn 3-3 against Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia, and qualified on 5-4 aggregate, having won the first leg 2-1. Disaster struck after the plane refuelled in Munich and was about to take off en route to England, wrapping global football in a blanket of mourning.

Newly hired coach, Matt Busby, had loved Red Devils which the English rugby club, Salford, was called after touring France in the 1930s, wearing red shirts, and he adopted it in the rebuilding process.

The logo of Manchester United comprises a ship representing urban trade, at the bottom is the devil with a pitchfork, and to the right and left are soccer balls. The balls are placed between the semicircular frames with the words ‘Manchester United’.

I wonder what overzealous Muslim and Christian fans of Manchester United would tell their God on Judgment Day. Is it right to love the devil and hate and kill fellow human beings who are capable of redemption and receiving God’s mercy and salvation?

  • To be continued
  • BREAKING NEWS: Nigerians have now been approved to earn US Dollars legitimately, you can earn as much as $10,000 (₦8.5 million naira) Click here to start . Be sure to ask for evidence

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

By removing restrictions on freedom of movement

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

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

Vision 2030 set a target of boosting female workforce participation to 30 percent by 2030; the reality has already exceeded this, as over a third of Saudi workers are now women, and female unemployment hit a two-decade low.

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

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

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

Changes in labor and education policy, paired with loosening the male guardianship system, have rapidly increased opportunities for Saudi women .

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

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

Societal openness is another pillar of MBS’s program.

Title:

Content: King Salman Global Academy spotlights India’s role in promoting Arabic language

Special
King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi speaks to Indian scholars during the Arabic Language Month in New Delhi. (KSGAAL)
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King Salman Global Academy spotlights India’s role in promoting Arabic language

  • KSGAAL is hosting Arabic Language Month for Indian students and teachers
  • Initiative is in line with Human Capability Development Program of Vision 2030

NEW DELHI: India plays a significant role in promoting the Arabic language in the wake of growing commercial exchanges with Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom’s top linguistic institution has said, as it conducted a series of programs for Indian scholars and learners.

Students and lecturers from the Indian universities and colleges that teach Arabic courses are taking part in training sessions, workshops and competitions as part of the Arabic Language Month organized by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language.

The event, which aims to develop and improve the teaching of Arabic for non-native speakers in the world’s most populous nation, began online in late June and runs until July 26.

The main host is Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, which has been teaching Arabic for decades.

“India plays a significant role in promoting the Arabic language, driven by a growing demand for learning Arabic within its vast and diverse human, linguistic and cultural landscape,” KSGAAL Secretary-General Dr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi told Arab News on Friday.

“Despite India’s diverse multilingual landscape, there is a growing interest in learning Arabic, fueled by increasing commercial activities and cultural exchanges.”

The Arabic Language Month in India features a range of educational activities led by Saudi linguists affiliated with the KSGAAL — from competitions and workshops to enhance Arabic language teaching curricula at different educational institutions, to specialized sessions for instructors to familiarize them with the most recent teaching methodology.

“These activities are conducted in different educational institutions across India, with the primary goal of fostering stronger relationships with Indian universities that have an interest in teaching Arabic,” Al-Washmi said.

“Moreover, the Arabic Language Month serves as a platform to highlight the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s efforts in promoting and teaching the Arabic language through innovative methods. This initiative is in line with the objectives of the Human Capability Development Program, a key component of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”

Upholding and promoting the Arabic language is part of the Vision 2030 transformation strategy, which also focuses on the development of skills and academia.

“The program also focuses on enhancing the teaching skills of Arabic language educators, both locally and globally, particularly in non-native speaking communities,” Al-Washmi said.

“These initiatives include supporting modern activities for teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, enhancing the teaching competencies of instructors, and organizing scientific competitions to discover and encourage individuals with linguistic talents.”

KSrelief continues aid projects in Lebanon, Pakistan

Updated 20 July 2024
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KSrelief continues aid projects in Lebanon, Pakistan

RIYADH: Saudi aid group, KSrelief, has distributed 25,000 bags of bread in Akkar Governorate and Miniyeh District in Lebanon.

The distribution comes as part of KSrelief’s Al-Amal Charitable Bakery project to support Syrian and Palestinian refugee families, and the host community living in northern Lebanon, benefiting 125,000 individuals.

Elsewhere, KSrelief implemented the Saudi Noor Volunteer Program to combat blindness and eye diseases in Pakistan's provinces of Sindh and Balouchistan from May 15 to July 10.

During the program, rolled out in cooperation with the Albasar International Foundation, KSrelief's volunteer medical team examined 21,614 cases, distributed 4,683 eyeglasses, and performed 2,038 successful eye surgeries.

Saudi Arabia’s Mawhiba ties up with UNESCO to promote STEM education in Arab countries

Updated 20 July 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s Mawhiba ties up with UNESCO to promote STEM education in Arab countries

  • Partnership aims to enhance STEM education for students from 6th grade to 12th grade across Arab states
  • Special attention will be given to empowering Arab girls and young women, ensuring they have equal opportunities to excel in STEM fields

PARIS: Mawhiba, an endowment organization that aims to nurture talented Saudi students in the scientific field, has signed a partnership agreement with UNESCO to foster science, technology, engineering and mathematics education across Arab countries.

The agreement was signed on July 19 in Paris by Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Subail, Mawhiba deputy secretary-general for business development and communication, and Lidia Arthur Brito, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for natural sciences, Mawhiba said in a news release carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

Mawhiba is the short name for the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, which was organized in 1999 in honor of Saudi Arabia’s founding king.

Brito said that the partnership aimed to enhance STEM education for students from 6th grade to 12th grade across Arab states, ”focusing on refining their scientific knowledge, nurturing creativity, and fostering critical thinking.”

It sought ”to provide young people with the necessary knowledge and capabilities and to motivate them to use science, technology, engineering and mathematics to meet global challenges,” she said.

Brito said that the experience would help in exchanging these experiences globally, adding that ”there is potential for expanding these efforts to Africa and other parts of the world to promote sustainable development goals.”

Special attention would be given to empowering Arab girls and young women, ensuring they had equal opportunities to excel in STEM fields, she said.

Mawhiba has identified 97,000 gifted students out of more than 300,000 tested in more than 100 cities and villages across the Kingdom. Its sponsorship of more than 54,000 students and its participation in international science competitions for talented youth has reaped global recognition for the Kingdom.

Saudi students have so far won more than 397 medals and prizes in these competitions, developed in excess of 16,000 ideas, acquired 15 patents, and more than 1,000 Saudi students were accepted in the world’s top 50 prestigious universities in distinguished disciplines that met the needs of national development plans, the SPA report said.

Mawhiba Secretary-General Amal bint Abdullah Al-Hazzaa emphasized the shared commitment to empowering young Arab minds and advancing sustainable development through education and innovation. She underscored the importance of this collaboration within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030.

Central to the initiative is the MAWHIBA-UNESCO Online STEM Oasis, which will serve as a global platform for local, national and regional science and engineering fairs.

The partnership will focus on training Arab science teachers to lead research and guide students in scientific projects, thereby enhancing the overall quality of STEM education, the Mawhiba news release said.

“Mawhiba is committed to expanding the use of the UNESCO Open Science Portal and the UNESCO Science-2-Innovation Network to build the capacity of young scientists and women in STEM education globally.

“Over the past three years, Mawhiba has supported 839 students from Arab states through enriching STEM programs, setting a precedent for regional cooperation and development in STEM education,” it added.

By joining forces with UNESCO, Mawhiba aims to amplify its ability to address global challenges such as climate change, health crises and technological disruptions, it said.

Saudi Arabia, MWL welcome ICJ ruling on Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories

Updated 20 July 2024
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Saudi Arabia, MWL welcome ICJ ruling on Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories

  • The Kingdom calls for practical steps to reach a just solution to the Palestinian cause
  • MWL says the ruling is "a positive step towards the human and legal right of the Palestinian people to reach a just and comprehensive solution to their cause"

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has welcomed a ruling by UN’s top court that Israel’s settlement policy on Palestinian territory breaks international law.
The Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement that the Kingdom welcomed the advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice and called for practical steps to reach a just solution to the Palestinian cause.
The World Court issued the judgment, which is non-binding, on Friday.

In a separate statement, the Saudi-based Muslim World League described the ICJ ruling as "a positive step towards the human and legal right of the Palestinian people to reach a just and comprehensive solution to their cause."

MWL Secretary-General Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, who is also chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars, said the decision, although non-binding, ensures that Palestinians "obtain their legitimate rights to self-determination and establishing their independent state in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international legitimacy resolutions."

The court panel found “the transfer by Israel of settlers to the West Bank and Jerusalem as well as Israel’s maintenance of their presence, is contrary to article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
The ruling comes against the backdrop of Israel’s devastating bombardment on Gaza, following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on Israeli settlements adjacent to the Palestinian enclave.
Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem in 1967, but Palestinians consider the areas as integral part of a future independent state.

The Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday condemned the “continued genocidal massacres” against the Palestinian people amid Israel’s battle with Hamas in Gaza.
The Kingdom wants an independent state for the Palestinian people, encompassing the 1967 borders.
The US and regional players have been attempting to end the conflict in Gaza through a peace deal between Hamas and Israel, which would include the release of Israeli hostages and a form of lasting cessation of military activities.

(With SPA)

How Saudi Arabia and its Asian partners are driving green development ahead of COP29

Updated 20 July 2024
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How Saudi Arabia and its Asian partners are driving green development ahead of COP29

  • Asian nations share a common vision for climate action that does not hinder growth and prosperity
  • From the Saudi Green Initiative to Azerbaijan’s adoption of solar, Asia seeks harmony between humans and nature

QINGDAO, China: As one of the world’s largest economies and contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, China is seen as having a particular responsibility among nations to help address climate change and promote sustainable development.

As such, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization invited Asian countries to participate in a two-day Green Development Forum in Shandong earlier this month to discuss solutions for a greener future.

China’s President Xi Jinping has expressed his desire to strengthen cooperation with regional parties to work toward common social and economic development goals, while at the same time fostering harmonious coexistence between people and nature.

Shen Yueyue, vice chair of the national committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and chair of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the SCO, reiterated the need to foster this link between development and the environment.

“Development is development for all, and good development is green development,” Shen said in her keynote address at the forum, which was themed: “Joining hands in green development, together promoting harmony between humans and nature.”

Opinion

This section contains relevant reference points, placed in (Opinion field)

Green development is a focus for many countries, including Saudi Arabia. Indeed, one of the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform agenda is ensuring sustainable practices in social and economic development.

Two such strategies launched by the Kingdom to promote green development and a low-carbon future are the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative.

Together, these initiatives aim to increase vegetation cover in Saudi Arabia and across the region by planting billions of trees to mitigate the effects of climate change and to help slow the rise of global temperatures in line with the Kingdom’s net-zero commitments

Another regional state that is making green development a key priority is Iran.

During the SCO conference in Shandong’s port city of Qingdao, Ali Salajegheh, vice president and head of Iran’s Department of Environment, discussed his country’s commitment to fighting climate change.

One example of this is the country’s role in hosting the International Conference on Sand and Dust Storms in 2023.

However, Salajegheh believes that addressing social and political issues is crucial to preventing a deepening of the environmental crisis in the region, including the need for economic stabilization and poverty reduction.

“Developing countries should make sure of their social and economic development as the main priority because the fight against poverty and the development of health and the provision of housing and energy is still for a significant part of the developing world considered a basic priority,” he said, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.

These efforts and more will be on the agenda at the 29th UN Climate Change Conference — COP29 — in Baku this November. In the run-up to this major event, host nation Azerbaijan has been working hard to achieve its green development goals.

DID YOUKNOW?

Azerbaijan’s capital Baku will host COP29 in November.

COP29 Presidency aims to raise ambition and enable action.

Baku is committed to developing the nation’s renewable energy potential.

Policies include tax breaks on electric vehicles and investment in education.

Although Azerbaijan is a major player in the global oil and gas industry, ranking 20th in the world for proven oil reserves, one of the key pillars of its green development strategy is the rapid expansion of renewable energy infrastructure.

The country has made significant changes to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, begin the transition to renewable energy, and participate in the global effort to combat climate change.

In 2020, an agreement was signed between Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Energy and UAE firm Masdar to establish the country’s first solar energy facility — the 230-megawatt Garadagh Solar Power Plant.

The project occupies 550 hectares and currently boasts 570,000 bifacial photovoltaic panels, which capture the direct light of the sun and the reflection of sunlight from the ground.

Murad Sadikhov, the Garadagh Solar Power Plant’s country manager, told Arab News the facility has thus far achieved 24-gigawatt capacity. “But we have set a very ambitious goal to reach 100 GW by 2032,” he said.

Alongside the implementation of renewable energy projects, Azerbaijan is also encouraging the public to shift from using fossil fuel-intensive vehicles to adopting green modes of transport.

“The government is promoting a green agenda, not only in terms of establishing generative capacity but also on the demand side,” said Sadikhov.

“They promote electrical vehicles. They started the electromobility master plan. They hired prominent consultants. They established new rules and legislations such as the tax relief for EVs and are promoting EVs for public transportation, trying to maximize the use of electric transportation.”

Azerbaijan is also investing heavily in raising public awareness about environmentally friendly practices and training the next generation of sustainability professionals. “Most of the universities now have special programs for renewable energy,” said Sadikhov.

Although green development strategies have been adopted by several nations across Asia, experts and officials are keenly aware that more needs to be done to respond to the climate challenge without undermining social and economic development.

Better in the long run: how Riyadh’s running clubs beat the heat

Updated 10 min 39 sec ago
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Better in the long run: how Riyadh’s running clubs beat the heat

  • From new sports projects, physical activity is soaring, and running is no exception

RIYADH: For many, summer in Saudi Arabia is a time to relax on the couch, turn up the air conditioning, and watch other people play sports on TV, with those who dare to challenge this approach often ending up with heatstroke.

Yet, running clubs in the Kingdom are busier than ever, and show no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

Seema Ghannam, who regularly takes part in Riyadh Road Runners club sessions, told Arab News: “You can keep active wherever you are. There is no limit to movement anywhere you go because you already have hands, arms, and legs. This is what you are born to do, to keep moving.”

Until recent years, physical activity in the Kingdom was almost nonexistent outside of schools and designated football teams. People were discouraged by the lack of facilities, suitable outdoor spaces, and the hot weather. Now, all that is changing. From the growing number of padel courts to the new projects at Sports Boulevard, physical activity is soaring, and running is no exception.

To find out how these runners manage to keep up their routines in the heat, Arab News visited Riyadh Road Runners, established in 1978, at one of the club’s 7:30 p.m. Monday sessions at the Eid Villas Compound. Runners were doing laps, climbing stairs, and completing full-body workouts.

The group, made up of a variety of ages and nationalities, began with a warmup before moving to strength training and then running laps around the court, focusing on proper technique.

FASTFACTS

• Until recent years, physical activity in the Kingdom was almost nonexistent outside of schools and designated football teams.

• Now, all that is changing. From the growing number of padel courts to the new projects at Sports Boulevard, physical activity is soaring.

Coach Amr Hafez has the runners break up their runs occasionally with bodyweight and stair exercises to increase stamina and muscle strength. The session ends with a final lap around the whole compound. At the end of a very sweaty workout, the runners take a dip in the pool to cool down.

Ghannam, who is also a yoga teacher and swimming instructor, added running to her exercise routine two years ago. She said that she enjoys Hafez’s holistic approach to the body, training the abs, hips, glutes, and thighs.

“We focus on trying to learn different kinds of running, how to run, how to place your toes, what shoes you should use.”

Ghannam said that she enjoys running outdoors because “you want your skin and your body to get used to the temperature.” But to manage the heat, runners should choose a time that is best for them, whether at night or early in the morning.

Hafez, a national sales manager at a Saudi food company, has coached with Riyadh Road Runners for more than three years. He has three key rules when it comes to running in summer. One is to stay well hydrated, two is to control your breathing, and three — much to our dismay — is high-intensity interval training.

The coach said that when he first started running, he used martial arts moves as part of his training, a fitness trick he learned from his first running coach.

“Runners need to build all their muscles to have great ability,” he said. “Combining strength with fitness helps people develop running ability for doing long distance.”

Hafez said that he used to think running served no purpose, and was simply a means of punishment when a school coach thought someone was slacking off. He never imagined he would one day run a marathon or be teaching other people to do the same.

“Most of the team when they first started couldn’t jog even 1k,” he said.

Omar Al-Ansari, a coach with Riyadh club R7, has six marathons under his belt. R7 runs in Wadi Hanifa, where the location offers protection against the heat.

“The trails are naturally shaded by the trees, and the breeze from the lake provides a 3–4-degree difference in temperature from the rest of the city,” he said.

Like Riyadh Road Runners, R7 emphasizes staying hydrated. “Always run with water, take electrolytes to preserve what is being lost through sweating,” Al-Ansari said.

He also advises runners to wear light-colored clothing, to complete their workouts before sunrise or after sunset, and to choose a garden or wadi as a location, or exercise indoors.

“And never forget your sunscreen,” he added.

Many runners told Arab News there is no longer any excuse for being inactive in the Kingdom.

“We are seeing a broader awareness about the importance of having an active lifestyle in the country, and despite our difficult weather in the summer, there are ways to go about it,” Al-Ansari said.

Hafez offered Arab News this simple suggestion: “Start by walking and go from there.”

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

Activities once banned—including cinemas, live music, sporting events, and art exhibitions—are now common.

Title:

Content: Saudi King appoints Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as prime minister
Saudi Arabia ’ s King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued three royal orders on Tuesday, including appointing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as prime minister in his place, and making a cabinet reshuffle that kept the foreign and oil ministers in their posts.
Announcement
Saudi Arabia ’ s King Salman bin Abdulaziz has appointed his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of the oil-rich kingdom, as prime minister in his place, a royal order said Tuesday evening.
The royal order, published by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, stipulated that "the cabinet sessions we attend shall be chaired by us," meaning that the octogenarian king will preside over the sessions in which he participates despite the appointment of his young son, 37, to his post.
The king of Saudi Arabia is usually prime minister and will remain in office until his death.
The royal orders also included the appointment of Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz as defense minister after he was deputy minister.
He has been defense minister since the beginning of 2014.
According to the official Saudi Press Agency, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman retained the post of energy minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan as foreign minister, Mohammed al-Jadaan as finance minister and Khalid al-Falih as investment minister.
The kingdom has for years sought to refute speculation about the health of the 86-year-old king, who has ruled the world's top oil exporter since 2015.
In 2017, it denied reports and speculation that the king was planning to abdicate in favor of his son.
King Salman has been hospitalized twice so far this year, most recently for a week in May, according to state media.
The Saudi monarch was expected to keep his country on a steady conservative path when he came to power, but instead made a big difference in the kingdom and opened the door to power to a younger generation of the House of Saud family.
Fortify his position.
The crown prince, on the other hand, is leading his conservative kingdom with ambitious radical reforms and accelerated social changes that began with his ascension to the leadership ladder five years ago.
But at the same time, he has fortified his position as a de facto and future ruler by silencing all dissent.
The changes included granting women the right to drive, opening cinemas, welcoming foreign tourists, limiting the authority of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and hosting pop stars, heavyweight duels and other sporting events.
In parallel, he has jailed his critics and in a widespread purge of the country ’ s political and economic elite, arrested around 200 princes and businessmen at Riyadh ’ s Ritz-Carlton Hotel in a 2017 anti-corruption crackdown that has helped tighten his grip on power.
After a quick jump to the top, the brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at his country ’ s consulate in Istanbul in 2018 cast a shadow over the career of Mohammed bin Salman, who had been crown prince for a year.
Opening the doors again.
US President Joe Biden ’ s visit in July, after he had pledged during his election campaign to treat the kingdom as a “pariah state ” over its human rights record and Khashoggi ’ s killing, appeared to have reopened the outer doors for the young ruler.
The sharp rise in energy prices triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine has spurred a number of Western leaders to travel to the kingdom to appeal for increased production.
Among his major projects as he seeks to diversify the kingdom ’ s oil-based economy are the construction of the futuristic mega-city of Neom at a cost of $500 billion and the economic diversification plan “Vision 2023 ”.
It also seeks to establish its position as a powerful regional power, and has been the driving force behind Saudi Arabia ’ s military intervention in Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula ’ s poorest country, to support government forces against the Iran-backed Houthis.
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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?

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

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

Saudi Arabia has rebranded itself as a destination for entertainment and tourism, as underlined by the introduction of tourist visas and a thriving events calendar.

Title:

Content: WEF: Experts call for reskilling of global workforce as job losses threaten to outpace growth

WEF’s report predicts that the fastest-growing jobs in the next five years will be in artificial intelligence.
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Updated 24 sec ago

WEF: Experts call for reskilling of global workforce as job losses threaten to outpace growth

  • WEF Future of Jobs 2023 predicts in next five years 23 percent of jobs will be disrupted
  • Collaboration, self-learning are key to future labor market success, UAE education ministry says

GENEVA: Experts on Tuesday called for urgent reskilling and upskilling of the global workforce, warning that major changes to the world of work in the next few years will see job losses outpace growth.

 Economists, ministers and policymakers gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, on the first day of the World Economic Forum’s “Growth Summit: Jobs and Opportunities for All” to discuss the state of the job market and future opportunities and challenges ahead.

During the event, Saadia Zahidi, managing director at the WEF, argued that looking at macro-trends such as advancement of technology, green transition and shifting supply chain, over the next few years “about a quarter of the jobs that currently exist will be disrupted in some form of the other.”

She said that although some jobs would be lost and others added, the picture “seems manageable, provided that we focus on the reskilling and upskilling of workers. The future of jobs may be disruptive, but it need not be dystopian.”

According to a new report released on Sunday by WEF, within the next five years 23 percent of jobs will be disrupted, with an estimated 83 million roles disappearing and only 69 million emerging, equal to a net decrease of 14 million jobs, or 2 percent of current employment.

The “Future of Jobs 2023” report suggests that while certain sectors such as green transition and localization of supply chains will create new jobs, economic challenges — such as high inflation, slower economic growth and supply shortages — represent the greatest threat.

WEF’s report predicts that the fastest-growing jobs in the next five years will be in artificial intelligence and machine learning while the largest is expected in education, agriculture and digital commerce.

These jobs include technology specialists, sustainability specialists, business intelligence analysts and information security specialists.

But as Kirsten Salyer, head of editorial strategy and thought leadership at WEF pointed out during one of the panels, “the report found that one of the greatest barrier to business transformation is the skill gap.”

Over the past few months, the rapid advancement of generative AI technology has been seen as a threat to the labor market, particularly in the service sector.

However, in reality, the report indicates how technological advancement represents both a challenge and an opportunity and, ultimately, an overall net positive in job creation.

“AI is going to change every job, how we do it, in the service sector, but will not eliminate many jobs,” argued Richard Baldwin, professor of international economics at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.

“It is essentially ‘wisdom in a can’ giving more power to all workers, but especially those average workers. I think it would be uplifting for the middle class but would be extremely disruptive in the sense that every job will change.”

“What I say on Twitter all the time is: AI will not take your job, it is somebody using AI that will take your job. So you better learn how to use AI,” Baldwin said.

Human capital development, including reskilling, upskilling and transforming the educational sector to ensure resilience, was one of the central topics of discussion at the WEF summit on Tuesday.

Zahidi was among those who stressed the importance of a better framework to support the transition to the jobs of the future, saying that “governments and businesses must invest in supporting the shift . . . through the education, reskilling and social support structures that can ensure individuals are at the heart of the future of work.”

UAE Minister of Education Ahmad Belhoul Al-Falasi also reiterated the importance of strengthening collaboration between the different entities to better prepare the workforce for the future labor market.

He argued that while it was difficult to predict what skills would be required by the labor market in the future, the focus should be on preparing people to be lifelong learners, highly adaptable, and aware that their jobs will drastically change.

Al-Falasi talked about how his country was moving toward “instilling that capacity of self-learning much earlier in the process.”

“You want to push that responsibility more to the students by allowing them to take choices at an early age and allowing them to self-learn at a younger age,” he said.

Al-Falasi said that the proliferation of digital technology has made it easier to provide digital learning content.

Many of the discussions also turned to the importance of ensuring jobs that dignify and protect the rights of workers.

Younes Sekkouri, Morocco’s minister of economic inclusion, small business, employment and skills, stressed the importance of considering not only skills but also the added value that jobs brought to people.

He said that talent retention would be a key challenge for policymakers and businesses to address, particularly in developing countries.

The WEF is an international non-governmental organization committed to improving the state of the world through public-private cooperation.

Each year, the WEF hosts two major events: the Annual Meeting and the Growth Summit, where global leaders from business, government and civil society convene to discuss some of the world’s most pressing issues.

The 2023 Growth Summit brings together experts from diverse sectors to discuss three core themes: Enabling resilient growth, developing human capital, and accelerating economic equity.

Saudi PMI hits 59.6 in April as non-oil business activities improve

Updated 27 min 10 sec ago

Saudi PMI hits 59.6 in April as non-oil business activities improve

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s overall non-oil business activities witnessed an improvement in April, as strong domestic demand triggered an increase in new orders at the fastest rate since September 2014, an economy tracker revealed.

The latest Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers’ Index report, formerly known as the S&P Global Saudi Arabia PMI, revealed that the Kingdom’s PMI went up to 59.6 in April from 58.7 in March. This is fractionally lower than the eight-year peak in February, when the metric hit 59.8.

According to the index, PMI readings above the 50-mark show non-oil private sector growth, while those below 50 signal contraction.

Naif Al-Ghaith, the chief economist at Riyad Bank, said: “April PMI data highlighted another steep expansion of business activity across the Kingdom’s non-oil private sector economy. We have witnessed rising tourism numbers, higher consumer spending and new business opportunities related to major infrastructure projects.”

“Moreover, long-term business expansion plans have made the rate of job creation slightly stronger than seen on average in the first quarter of 2023,” he added.

According to the report, job creation continued in April, as signaled by a rise in total employment numbers for the 13th month in a row.

World Economic Forum report: 36 percent of experts expect weak economic growth in MENA

Updated 02 May 2023

World Economic Forum report: 36 percent of experts expect weak economic growth in MENA

  • Chief economists surveyed for forum’s latest Outlook report were evenly split on the question of whether or not there is likely to be a global recession this year
  • Although growth expectations have improved since the previous report in January, but they vary wildly across regions with Asia displaying the greatest potential

DUBAI: Experts are evenly divided on their economic predictions for the near future, in particular the prospects of a global recession this year: 45 percent of those surveyed said it is likely and the same proportion said it is unlikely, according to the latest Chief Economists Outlook report by the World Economic Forum.

“The latest edition of the Outlook highlights the uncertainty of current economic developments,” said Saadia Zahidi, the forum’s managing director.

The May 2023 edition of the quarterly report contained some signs of emerging optimism but the disruption in the banking industry this year has adversely affected global prospects. Almost 80 percent of chief economists believe central banks face a trade-off between managing inflation and maintaining the stability of the financial sector, and a similar percentage expect central banks to struggle to reach their inflation targets.

Although a majority (69 percent) view the recent disruption of the financial sector as an isolated episode rather than a systemic issue, they nevertheless anticipate further bank failures this year.

Since the release of the previous Outlook report in January, growth expectations have firmed up but vary widely across regions. Asia is anticipated to experience the strongest rebound, with China playing a significant role in its recovery.

In fact, the vast majority of chief economists expect a significant rebound this year in China. And more than 90 percent expect at least moderate growth in both East Asia and Pacific, and South Asia.

The outlook for other parts of the world is less optimistic, with 75 percent of chief economists expecting weak or very weak growth in Europe, and more than half expecting weak growth in Latin America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa.

The predictions for the Middle East and North Africa region are mixed, with 36 percent of respondents expecting weak growth, 32 percent hopeful of strong growth, and 32 percent predicting moderate growth.

The regional prospects have been affected by the OPEC+ decision to cut oil production, according to the report. This is due, in part, to the resulting revision of the International Monetary Fund’s forecasts for gross domestic product in Saudi Arabia, which predict a steep decline from 8.7 percent growth in 2022 to 3.1 percent in 2023.

Although views on growth in the US have become more optimistic since January, the chief economists remain evenly split on the degree, with half expecting moderate or strong growth and half expecting weak or very weak growth.

The rising cost of living and inflation rates around the world have caused concern among economists for some time now, and the report confirms that this remains the case, with 76 percent saying they expect the cost of living to remain high in many countries.

The cost-of-living crisis is particularly acute in some developing economies, especially those in which domestic price dynamics are exacerbated by currency depreciation. In the Middle East and Central Asia, for example, food prices shot up by 46 percent between January 2020 and January 2023.

Meanwhile, 52 percent of economists expect inflation to run high in the MENA region this year, while 39 percent predict moderate rates.

The economists also expect inflation to be an issue in most of the developed world, with 90 percent expecting rates to be high or very high this year in Europe, and 68 percent in the US. China is the only exception, with only 14 percent of economist predicting high inflation in the country.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains around the world, forcing businesses and governments to rethink strategies and business models, and the chief economists overwhelmingly believe global supply chains will continue to evolve.

The changes they think are most likely as part of this reconfiguration include: adaption to geopolitical fault lines (94 percent); the prioritization of resilience over efficiency (91 percent); diversification of suppliers (84 percent); and an increased focus on environmental sustainability (77 percent).

China in particular is expected to be affected by this reshaping of supply chains, with 69 percent of chief economists expecting a somewhat negative effect on the nation’s economic prospects.

The changes are also expected to have some effects on other regions, although not as significant as the impact on China and mostly positive. The MENA region, for example, can expect somewhat positive effects, according to 31 percent of economists.

“Labor markets are proving resilient for now but growth remains sluggish, global tensions are deepening, and the cost of living remains acute in many countries,” Zahidi concluded.

“These results confirm the urgent need for both short-term global policy coordination as well as longer-term cooperation around a new framework for growth that will hardwire inclusion, sustainability and resilience into economic policy.”

Saudi Tourism Authority signs MoU with Visa to develop region’s first tourism data lab

Updated 02 May 2023

Saudi Tourism Authority signs MoU with Visa to develop region’s first tourism data lab

RIYADH: A first-of-its-kind tourism data lab is set for the Middle East after Saudi Arabia reached an agreement with global digital payment solution provider Visa to travel trends insights.

Saudi Tourism Authority has signed a memorandum of understanding with the financial services company to explore innovative ways to enhance the visitor experience and advance the Kingdom’s hospitality industry.

The partnership will be supported by the payment database VisaNet, which delivers a variety of data on incoming tourists and substantial information on how governments can maximize their cashless approach, the press release added.

The collaboration is in line with Saudi Arabia’s National Tourism Strategy, which seeks to attract 100 million visitors by 2030.

Abdulkarim Aldarwish, president of Middle East and Africa markets at STA, said: “The agreement with Visa, the world leader in digital payments, confirms that the Saudi Tourism Authority is keen to enhance its capabilities by providing, exchanging, and analyzing data as well as offering products and promotional package programs that improve the experience of tourists and attract more segments from the main markets in the region.”

The MoU, signed at the Arabian Travel Market 2023 being held in Dubai, will also look into options to deploy Visa’s digital payments solutions and exclusive packages, according to a press release.

“Saudi Arabia is fast emerging as a tourism hub with diverse and enriching experiences awaiting visitors. The industry is also a pivotal pillar in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify the economy and create new job opportunities,” said Walter Lironi, senior vice president for Visa consulting and analytics for the central Europe, Middle East, and Africa region.

He added that the company is pleased to enter this partnership with STA as it will allow them to “explore multiple pathways ... (to) enhance the tourism experience of visitors to Saudi Arabia and support the government’s tourism ambition.”

One of the fastest-growing destinations in the region, Saudi Arabia has been investing substantial sums to upgrade the country’s tourism infrastructure while launching new projects to attract travelers from across the world.

During a monthly meeting with citizens in February, the Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Aqil Al-Khatib revealed that Saudi Arabia’s tourism spending surged 93 percent in 2022 to hit SR185 billion ($50 billion), up from SR95.6 billion the year before.

Tourism and venture capital play key roles in Vision 2030 strategy, says Saudi minister

Updated 02 May 2023

Tourism and venture capital play key roles in Vision 2030 strategy, says Saudi minister

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will not “shy away” from boosting its tourism sector as it seeks to become a global hub for travelers, one of the Kingdom’s ministers has pledged.

Speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Al-Ibrahim talked up Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification ambitions, also identifying the venture capital sector as ripe for development.

The move is part of the Saudi Vision 2030 strategic plan launched in 2016 to reduce the Kingdom’s reliance on oil exports and diversify its economy by developing and expanding into new industries and sectors.

Tourism is a key part of that, with Saudi Arabia aiming to get 100 million visitors by 2030.

“We won’t shy away from investing in tourism and tourism-related sectors. These are sectors that did not exist in the past, and we’re trying to catch up,” said Al-Ibrahim, according to Bloomberg.

He also said that Saudi Arabia has a “very large and rapidly growing venture capital ecosystem,” noting that they still have a “long way” to go, but it is something the Kingdom prioritizes.

Saudi Arabia’s attempt to diversify its economy beyond oil coincides with new initiatives to attract foreign investment and workers.

It is part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambition to open the country to global markets.

During the 6th edition of the Future Investment Initiative forum held in Riyadh in October 2022, the minister noted that Saudi Arabia would have an industrial base compatible with all the requirements of the fourth industrial revolution as the Kingdom increases its efforts to move away from oil as a dominant source of income.

Referred to as Industry 4.0, the revolution is a new phase of global industrialization in which robotics, cloud computing, and sensors are employed to boost manufacturing facility productivity.

“Our long-term economic challenge is to diversify our source of growth and Vision 2030, and everything you see here is for us to diversify our economy and to give it a stronger, more resilient structure,” he told Arab News on the sideline of the FII.

According to the International Monetary Fund, Saudi Arabia will remain the fastest-growing economy in the G20, despite the turmoil caused by rising inflation and soaring interest rates.

Closing bell: Saudi bourse continues downward trend amid economic uncertainties

Updated 02 May 2023

Closing bell: Saudi bourse continues downward trend amid economic uncertainties

RIYADH: The Tadawul All Share Index continued its downward trend on Tuesday, losing 67 points, or 0.59 percent, to close at 11,218.61, primarily driven by expectations of interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve and dropping oil prices.

While the parallel market Nomu also dropped 299.51 points to close at 20,863.29, the MSCI Tadawul Index slightly gained 0.13 percent to 1,521.24.

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index on Tuesday was SR5.52 billion ($1.47 billion).

On Tuesday, Brent crude dropped $0.26, or 0.33 percent, to $79.05 a barrel at 3:45 p.m. Saudi time, while US West Texas Intermediate crude slid $0.27, or 0.36 percent, to $75.39.

The top performer of the day was Saudia Dairy and Foodstuff Co., whose share prices surged 5.45 percent to SR294.

Other top performers of the day were City Cement Co. and City Cement Co., whose share prices increased 3.98 percent and 2.86 percent, respectively.

Saudi Vitrified Clay Pipes Co. was the worst performer of the day. The company’s share prices slipped by 2.88 percent to SR45.55.

On the announcements front, Riyad Bank, revealed that its net profit for the first quarter of 2023 advanced 30 percent to SR2.01 billion, compared to SR1.55 billion in the same period of 2022.

In a statement to Tadawul, the financial institution attributed the rise in net profit to an increase in total operating income, despite facing an uptick in operating expenses.

Alinma Bank also announced its financial results for the first quarter on Tuesday. The bank posted a net profit of SR969.9 million, up 17.61 percent compared to the same quarter in 2022.

Yamama Cement Co. revealed its year-on-year net profit almost quadrupled in the first quarter of the year to SR112.4 million compared to SR29.6 million in the same period in 2022.

However, this did represent a quarter-on-quarter drop of 16.2 percent, as the company’s net earnings in the preceding three months were SR134.15 million.

Meanwhile, Jahez International Co. for Information System Technology announced it had signed an extension for the share purchase agreement to acquire The Chefz SPV, as the original agreement period has expired.

The company informed the Saudi Stock Exchange that the signing parties have agreed to extend the share purchase agreement until July 31, 2023.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

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

These changes have reset global assumptions about the kingdom, signaling modernity and an embrace of cultural engagement .

Title:

Content: His Highness the Crown Prince
Since assuming the crown prince nearly seven years ago, many observers have seen that Prince Mohammed bin Salman will radically change traditional concepts locally, rehabilitate institutions and structure, fight corruption, and reconsider the kingdom ’ s relations with the world.
He outlined his strategic ideas in the ambitious Vision 2030.
This sudden change in the Saudi system of government has left many Western followers - so-called allies and friends - confused, and tried their best to approach it and learn about its methodology in managing the country politically, economically, socially and culturally.
What struck them was that it began with the big heads around which there were many charges of corruption and abuse of influence for the purposes of illicit enrichment, including members of the royal family.
He wanted to tell the world that the Kingdom is not an open house for looters, exploiters and reputational abusers; rather, guards who are keen on its security, stability, independence and cultural and religious specificity, do not accept compromise on its interests and principles, and do not accept any dictates or interference in its internal affairs under various pretexts.
“We are not a banana republic, ” Mohammed bin Salman told them, and those who want to deal with us have to deal with fairness, equality and mutual respect; otherwise, there are many alternatives and options in this world.
Like all the changes, Prince Mohammed has faced resistance from the forces of reverse tension and currents driven by external agendas and suggestions, as well as obstacles as a result of the fatal mistakes of some intruders, in addition to the war in Yemen, and from forces that believe that their political system and values are the highest; at a time when we see them suffer dozens of consequences in dealing with political and humanitarian issues when it comes to Arab and Islamic peoples.
The years that followed Prince Mohammed bin Salman ’ s accession to the throne were difficult and full of challenges and mines from regional, “friend ” and“ ally ” powers, but they were also years of steadfastness and victory. Despite the attempts to obscure the world scene, the prince ’ s glamour returned to shine in the wake of the Ukrainian crisis and its aftermath. Many observers saw it as a prelude to U.S. President Joe Biden ’ s visit to the kingdom next month.
An old proverb says, “If the elders come, preach the shadow, ” and it was the clearest example of this round that resolved outstanding differences and laid new foundations for cooperative relations in many fields.
Although Egypt is heavily indebted (about $350 billion), the Kingdom has not stopped extending its hand; the agreements amounted to nearly $8 billion in joint economic and investment projects, in addition to a financial deposit of billions.
As for Jordan, there is no doubt that the relations between the two brotherly countries went through stages of agreement in some issues and divergence in other issues, and during the visit the two parties put an end to all the confusion, and a clear agreement on the overall issues.
It is certain that the Kingdom, which extends a helping hand to many countries of the world, will not spare Jordan ’ s help; human relations and common ties must be strengthened, upgraded and preserved, as reflected in the tradition of King Abdullah II to His Highness the highest Jordanian medal, and in the warm embrace of His Highness the Crown Prince.
His visit to Turkey has been described as "unprecedented", as His Highness received the welcome and hospitality he deserves, which he has earned, and restored relations with Turkey to the previous one, after the differences have become a thing of the past.
"Turkey and Saudi Arabia confirm their intention to launch a new era of cooperation in bilateral relations, including political, economic, military and security," the statement said, stressing that "we intend to continue and develop cooperation on the basis of historical brotherhood to serve the future of the region."
There is no doubt that the strengthening of strategic relations serves the interests of the two brotherly countries, Turkey is a strong and reliable friend and its leadership positions are distinct; despite its membership in NATO, it is a "feisty" country and rejects the herd policy, and has proved this in diversifying its sources of weapons despite the anger of the US administration, and sided with Azerbaijan in its war against Ukraine. The United States withdrew its Patriot missiles.
In the talks with the leaders of the three countries, His Highness stressed the Kingdom's constants, especially with regard to the Palestinian issue and the rights of the Palestinian people, a position that the Kingdom will not compromise on in the upcoming talks with the American side.
The visit of His Highness the Crown Prince to Turkey aroused the anger of many parties, and during the reception ceremony of His Highness in the countries he visited, he drew the attention of everyone that His Highness broke the protocol of bow to the guard of honor, and replaced it with the greeting of Islam "Peace be upon you".
Muhammad bin Salman does not bow to anyone except Allah and then to the father of the people, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, so his lovers said.
O son of Salman and Abu Salman..
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What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

Economically, MBS’s Vision 2030 seeks to spur growth beyond oil.

Title:

Content: Vision 2030
Vision 2030...
It pays off after eight years.
Mohammed Hassan Mohammed Al Nuaimi
Posted in: Last Updated:
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The journey of the future towards progress and prosperity began on the 25th of April 2016, where the launch of the Saudi Vision 2030 by the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, was a real transformation through one of the largest national transformation programs in the world.
Before April 25, 2016, it was not the same for the Saudis, nor for the region, nor even for the world, as the “Saudi Vision 2030 ”, which surprised the Saudis and the world first with an ambition unprecedented in the region in the modern era.
Following the announcement of the Kingdom ’ s vision, King Salman said at the time: “My first goal is for our country to be a successful and leading model in the world at all levels, and I will work with you to achieve that.
“I am pleased to present to you the vision of the present for the future, which we want to start working on today for tomorrow, so that it expresses the aspirations of all of us and reflects the capabilities of our country, success stories always start with a vision, and the most successful visions are those that are built on strengths. ”
Eight years later, Vision 2030 has been achieved.
The hopes of the Saudis and the achievement of the Kingdom ’ s regional and global status, especially as the world is experiencing very rapid changes, and the vision has achieved over the past 8 years many achievements on many levels and dimensions, which included environmental, economic, social, sports and entertainment aspects.
It was amazing to observers locally and internationally, the speed with which the Saudis adapted to a new and rapid start for their country according to a modern compass set by the nascent vision, the vision became present in the councils of Saudis and their religious and private and public conversations, discussing and touching its impact on their lives and seeing it as an eye view in the rapid reforms they experienced day by day since 2016 until the moment.
Eight years have passed since Saudi Arabia and the Saudis were able to dazzle the world with their modern achievements, and identify those who do not know their vision through hundreds of conferences and exhibitions globally, and they are waiting for their arrival to achieve their vision after eight years while their dreams fly away.
Looking forward to Vision 2030.
The Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 is on track at the speed of light, as it is a roadmap for a journey to build a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation through an unprecedented transformation of the Kingdom over several years to 2030.
At the forefront of these major transformations that have resulted from Vision 2030 …, non-oil activities recorded the highest levels of contribution to GDP in history by 50%, non-oil government revenues increased to reach 457 billion riyals, and the real GDP of the Kingdom increased by 0.9%, with inflation levels falling by the end of 2023 to reach 1.6%, which is in line with the vision ’ s objectives to achieve a prosperous economy through diversification of growth engines....
In view of the vision...
The Kingdom continued its progress in the annual book of global competitiveness, achieving 17th place globally out of 64 countries, and third place among the G20 countries, and the Kingdom ’ s ranking in the economic performance axis reached third place, government efficiency in 11th place, and business efficiency in 13th place, while the infrastructure axis advanced the Kingdom to 34th place.
Recent IMF forecasts indicated that the Saudi economy is poised to achieve the second best economic performance among the G20 countries in 2025, at 6% after India, whose economy is expected to grow 6.5%.
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What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

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

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

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

Major government investment targets technology, tourism, renewable energy, and industry.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

Growth in renewable energy
Growth in tourism

To drive development in renewable energy

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?

The kingdom has privatized assets, expanded small and medium enterprises, and created special economic zones to encourage private sector development.

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).

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

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

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

Non-oil sectors now make the highest-ever contribution to GDP, non-oil revenues have increased, and Saudi Arabia has become more competitive internationally .

Title:

Content: Saudi Arabia’s ambitious space program provides foretaste of exciting collaborations to come

Col. Chris Hadfield believes investment in space technologies also provides societies with a sense of optimism and raises public aspirations. (Supplied)
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Updated 27 sec ago

Saudi Arabia’s ambitious space program provides foretaste of exciting collaborations to come

  • The Saudi Space Commission was launched in Dec. 2018 under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform agenda
  • The state-funded body has struck cooperation agreements with the European Space Agency, UK, France and Hungary

JEDDAH: More than half a century ago, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to set foot on the surface of the moon. Since this historic milestone, governments, scientists and now entrepreneurs have set their sights on more distant and ambitious goals.

From Jeff Bezos’ forays into space tourism with Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s dream of establishing colonies on Mars to NASA’s launch of the James Webb Space Telescope and the UAE’s Hope probe mission to Mars, space, it seems, is once again all the rage.

The Apollo astronauts’ momentous moonwalk of July 20, 1969, marked the culmination of more than a decade of breakneck scientific advance, fueled by the fierce Cold War-era contest between the US and the Soviet Union known as the “space race.”

Decades later, and with the benefits of vastly superior technologies, private sector finance, and a global profusion of scientific and engineering talent, a new space race led by the world’s emerging economies and wealthiest individuals is now underway.

A recent entrant in this new space race is the Saudi Space Commission, or SSC, launched three years ago by royal decree — its mission: To accelerate economic diversification, enhance research and development, and raise private sector participation in the global space industry.

Since its launch in December 2018, the Kingdom’s state-funded space program has struck deals with the European Space Agency, the UK, France, and Hungary to further cooperation.

The agency has also signed agreements with aerospace giant Airbus, joined the International Astronautical Federation, and launched illustrious scholarship programs to allow Saudi students to attend the world’s best universities offering courses in space sciences and aerospace engineering.

Although its space agency is relatively new, the Kingdom has a long history of involvement in satellite technology, much of it emanating from the King Abdul Aziz City of Science and Technology in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia also played a key role in the Arab League’s formation of Arabsat, a satellite communications company, which launched its first satellite in 1985.

“The beauty is that you’re not starting from zero,” Col. Chris Hadfield, retired Canadian astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station, told Arab News in an exclusive interview.

“Even NASA, when they were formed in the late 1950s, they weren’t starting from zero. NACA, which was the predecessor to NASA, had been around since the 1920s, when the government recognized that aeronautics was coming.”

Hadfield is well known for his hugely popular video segments depicting life aboard the ISS, which famously included a zero-gravity guitar rendition of David Bowie’s "Space Oddity."

A heavily decorated astronaut, engineer and pilot, his many awards include the Order of Canada, the Meritorious Service Cross and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. He was also named the top test pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and was inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame.

Hadfield has flown three space missions, building two space stations, performing two spacewalks, crewing the Shuttle and Soyuz, and commanding the ISS.

Now retired, he is an adjunct professor at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, an adviser to SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, board chair of the Open Lunar Foundation, and the author of three international bestsellers. His TED talk on fear has been watched 11 million times.

In Hadfield’s view, the SSC should now set out to clearly define its goals for the future of Saudi space exploration.

“The real key is to have a clear purpose for what the space agency is trying to accomplish, aims that are in line with serving the people of Saudi in the short and long term,” he said.

The ISS remains a potent symbol of human fraternity as well as the huge technological and scientific possibilities on offer when societies work toward a common end.

The space station’s history began on July 17, 1975, when Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov and American astronaut Deke Slayton shook hands in microgravity, having docked their spacecraft high above the French city of Metz.

The handshake was the byproduct of a 1972 agreement between the two nations to cooperate on the Apollo-Soyuz Test project. The US built a docking module for the Apollo shuttle that was compatible with the Soviet docking system to allow a flawless rendezvous.

Their meeting became a powerful symbol of unity, which paved the way for the joint Shuttle-Mir program and later the ISS itself.

Building a space agency is no easy feat. As a multidisciplinary domain, the industry demands a wide range of skills and expertise. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in the sector and already has several achievements to its name.

In February 2019, the Kingdom launched its first domestically developed communications satellite — SGS-1 — from the Guiana Space Center. The launch was the result of a partnership between KACST and US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.

In 2020, Saudi Arabia announced plans to invest $2.1 billion in the space program as part of its Vision 2030 reform agenda, the Kingdom’s long-term plan to diversify its economy away from oil and embrace a wide array of next-generation industries.

“In the time we live in now, space is becoming a fundamental sector of the global economy, touching every aspect of our lives on Earth,” Prince Sultan bin Salman, the first Arab, Muslim and royal in space, said at the time.

“Space business and the space economy are expected to grow into the trillions of riyals as we go forward. We believe there are a lot of opportunities that exist in the space sector and we, in Saudi Arabia, intend to tap these opportunities at all levels.”

In order to excel in space, the Kingdom will need an army of technical specialists in areas as diverse as cybersecurity, avionics and robotics, together with experts in propulsion, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

“If you look right across the world’s governments, there’s some subset that is working in the areas that are naturally space related, like telecommunications, atmospheric physics, weather forecasting or the military side of threats; there’s always the high ground advantage,” Hadfield told Arab News, highlighting the benefits of building a domestic space industry.

“It’s scientific in just trying to understand the Earth better. If you can go around (Earth) 16 times a day, if you can set a geostationary satellite that is looking at the whole (Arabian) peninsula, that whole part of the world, there is a huge amount of information to be gathered that is really difficult to gather from the surface.

“Then there is the technological development side. If you’re going to challenge yourself to build a satellite or build rocket ships or train people to fly to space or be part of the space station, start setting up a permanent human habitation on the moon, that’s a big technological challenge and that is good for the country from the academic side right through to the manufacturing side.”

But more than the obvious economic, scientific and strategic benefits, Hadfield believes investment in space technologies also provides societies with a sense of optimism and raises public aspirations.

“Apart from the scientific research and the technical development, it is raising people’s eyes beyond the horizon,” he said.

“Space exploration has a significant role in inspiring people to visualize a different future, to attempt things with their own lives, to train themselves to gain a new set of skills and turn themselves into somebody different in pursuit of being an astronaut that otherwise they might never have done with themselves. That, to me, that’s an important component.”

Saudi Arabia is well placed to capitalize on falling costs of launching rockets, advances in technology, and a growing public interest in space exploration. Its willingness to work with other space agencies is also a foretaste of exciting collaborations to come.

Reflecting on his own career in space, Hadfield said it is this kind of human fraternity, together with an enduring sense of duty, that will empower further innovations and new milestones in space exploration.

“It’s a life of service,” he said. “Service to agency, service to country and service to others.”

When a Saudi went to space
Prince Sultan bin Salman speaks exclusively to Arab News about his 1985 NASA mission and how he became the first Arab, Muslim and royal in space

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Saudi National Parks Program will benefit environment, communities and tourism, organizers say

The planting of more wild trees will be carried out by staff from the center, along with workers from environmental associations and organizations. The program will be implemented in phases. (Supplied)
Updated 22 January 2022

Saudi National Parks Program will benefit environment, communities and tourism, organizers say

  • The program, launched this month, includes plans to establish 100 national parks within five years and showcase the Kingdom’s natural splendor and treasures

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s recently launched National Parks Program will benefit the environment and local communities, and provide a boost to sustainable tourism and by attracting local and foreign visitors, according to the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.

The program, unveiled by the center this month, includes plans to establish and enhance 100 national parks within five years and showcase the Kingdom’s natural splendor and treasures. It also includes the planting of 50 million trees as part of the Saudi Green Initiative.
Abdul Rahman Al-Dakhil, a spokesman for the center, said that the program will help to achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 development and diversification project and the Saudi Green Initiative.
He added that the center will promote and develop the parks program by supporting afforestation efforts and sustainable ecotourism initiatives, while helping to protect the environment in partnership with governmental organizations.
“The program will be implemented in phases, whereby the first phase will target 100 national parks and turn them into sustainable landmarks, followed by other phases and goals,” Al-Dakhil told Arab News.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The program, unveiled by the center this month, includes plans to establish and enhance 100 national parks within five years and showcase the Kingdom’s natural splendor and treasures. It also includes the planting of 50 million trees as part of the Saudi Green Initiative.

• Some areas of land allocated for the development of national parks have special historical, cultural, geological or archaeological significance. The project includes some of the most important sites in the Kingdom, including the Edge of the World, which is located northwest of Riyadh and was formed about 180 million years ago, and the ancient Muawiyah Dam, also known as Saysad Dam.

“Achieving tourism and environmental balance is one of the most important criteria while developing any park.”
The planting of more wild trees will be be carried out by staff from the center, along with workers from environmental associations and organizations.
Some areas of land allocated for the development of national parks have special historical, cultural, geological or archaeological significance. The project includes some of the most important sites in the Kingdom, including the Edge of the World, which is located northwest of Riyadh and was formed about 180 million years ago, and the ancient Muawiyah Dam, also known as Saysad Dam.
Abdulrahman Alsoqeer, chairman of the Environmental Green Horizons Society, said that the Kingdom is experiencing an environmental renaissance, focused on preserving vegetation and expanding afforestation efforts, that is attracting global attention. The National Parks Program is part of this green renaissance, he added.
“Allocating lands for national parks is an important primary step in protecting the vast areas of government lands that are scattered and untapped, and converting them into vast vegetation reserves,” Alsoqeer told Arab News.
He said that there are a number of benefits to establishing and maintaining national parks, including the restoration of vegetation cover that has deteriorated drastically in the recent decades. It can also improve the quality of life by reducing the intensity of dust storms, improving the climate, and enhancing the visual landscape with the addition of more greenery.
In addition, a number of products can be derived from the plants cultivated in the parks, including honey provided by bees that will thrive among the wild plants.
Local communities in the vicinity of the parks will also benefit from increased employment and investment opportunities, enhanced biodiversity, the protection of endangered plant and animal species, and the enhancement of ecotourism and recreation options.

World’s top tenor Bocelli wows AlUla crowd again

Updated 58 min 53 sec ago

World’s top tenor Bocelli wows AlUla crowd again

  • The Italian flautist Andrea Griminelli also joined Bocelli for a mesmerizing duet

ALULA: Singing at AlUla is “one of my favorite experiences,” the world’s favorite tenor said after another memorable concert in the ancient desert city.
Andrea Bocelli performed to a packed auditorium on Friday in the iconic mirrored Maraya venue, and millions more watching live on TV and online.
“It is always an incredible experience to sing in the middle of the desert in AlUla,” he said. “Coming from the noise and chaos of the big city, it is an educational experience for me to find myself in this idyllic and peaceful place away from the world.”
It was Bocelli’s fourth performance at Winter at Tantora, the Kingdom’s original music and cultural festival. He was accompanied on stage by Italy’s Asti Symphony Orchestra and sopranos Christine Allado, Serena Gambero and Clara Barbier Serrano.
The Italian flautist Andrea Griminelli also joined Bocelli for a mesmerizing duet that sparked rapturous applause and had the audience calling for more.
Winter at Tantora, one of four festivals under the AlUla Moments banner, continues until Feb. 12.

First phase to document the path of Prophet’s journey completed

Documentation of the path was mainly done by panoramic photography 360. Later, the migration of the Prophet will be digitally documented using 4K drones. (Supplied)
Updated 22 January 2022

First phase to document the path of Prophet’s journey completed

  • The initiative is part of the preparations to inaugurate Jabal Thawr Cultural Center in Makkah, which seeks to enrich and broaden tourists’ experience

MAKKAH: The organizers of “Rihlat Muhajir” (An Emigrant Journey) have announced that the first phase of the initiative to document the path of the Prophet’s emigration has been completed.

The work with specialists and researchers in the Prophet’s biography is part of the preparations to inaugurate the Jabal Thawr Cultural Center in Makkah, which seeks to enrich and broaden tourists’ experience. This is the aim of Samaya Investment, a company specializing in cultural projects, including national museums, exhibitions, and activities.

Samaya CEO Fawaz Al-Merhej said the “Muhajir” initiative is documenting the path of the Prophet’s emigration using modern technology in aerial documentation and panoramic photography 360.

He said that in the first phase, which was launched on Dec. 20 last year, the team sought all the locations that were cited on the path of the Prophet’s emigration, starting from Cave Thawr on Mount Thawr in Makkah, passing through 40 stations all the way to Quba Mosque in Madinah.

He said the idea of documenting the route came up when they were considering how to present the story of the Prophet’s migration in the Jabal Thawr Cultural Center.

Documentation of the path was mainly done by panoramic photography 360. During the second stage the migration of the Prophet will be digitally documented using 4K drones based on the locations’ coordinates.

The biggest challenges they faced, he said, were the bumpy roads, and the fact that some historical sites had their names changed over time.

A number of scholars specialized in Islamic history and the Prophet’s biography helped in this investigation, including Professor Mohammed bin Samil Al-Salami and Professor Saad bin Musa Al-Musa, of the Department of History and Islamic Civilization at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, and Professor Sulaiman bin Abdullah Al-Suwaiket and Professor Abdul Aziz bin Ibrahim Al-Omari, of the Department of History and Civilization at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, who are also members of the scientific committee of the Atlas Biography of the Prophet. Professor Abdullah bin Mustafa Al-Shanqiti, specialized in the landmarks of Madinah and the Prophet’s Biography, also participated in some stages of the project.

Diriyah’s historic At-Turaif ‘a new lifestyle destination’ in Saudi Arabia

Dalya Mousa shed light on the culture, history and heritage of At-Turaif and revealed that six museums and an art district are being developed as key cultural sites in the district. (AN photo by Basheer Saleh)
Updated 22 January 2022

Diriyah’s historic At-Turaif ‘a new lifestyle destination’ in Saudi Arabia

  • The historic district will offer world-class education to nurture the future cultural leaders of the Kingdom, including the opening of King Salman University, six academies and new public schools

RIYADH: A two-day Diriyah art forum is building links between Saudi cultural authorities as part of a broader plan to make the At-Turaif district a lifestyle and culture destination.
The Diriyah Gate Development Authority, the body overseeing the development of the historic site, is taking part in the event.
Dalya Mousa, DGDA director of culture, spoke about new projects and developments set to take place in Diriyah, including At-Turaif district, the first capital of Saudi Arabia and an important political and historical site.
Speaking on the importance of At-Turaif — one of six heritage sites recognized by UNESCO in the Kingdom — Mousa told Arab News: “When we are talking about At-Turaif, we are talking about the first Saudi capital in the 18th century.

“We are talking about the foundation of the Kingdom, with really diverse cultural landscapes and architecture that goes back 300 years. We aim to show the world how people used to live here and we will include museums, galleries and ancient palaces in the plans.”
The director also shed light on the culture, history and heritage of At-Turaif and revealed that six museums and an art district are being developed as key cultural sites in the district.

Culture plays a vital role in our lives. It reflects our identity and shapes our future. Our mission is to create a best in class culture platform that connects Diriyah’s past with its present and future.

Dalya Mousa, DGDA director of culture

Mousa said: “Culture plays a vital role in our lives. It reflects our identity and shapes our future. Our mission is to create a best in class culture platform that connects Diriyah’s past with its present and future.
“When we talk about art and culture, it includes visual art, performances, commissions, collections, traditional arts and crafts, multimedia urban intervention and more,” she added.
“At-Turaif will have cultural museums, cultural academies, a cultural district and most importantly, art commissions across the master plan. We’re talking about digital libraries and archives, in-house expertise, capacity building, traditional arts and craft schools, and more.”
The historic district will also offer world-class education to nurture the future cultural leaders of the Kingdom, including the opening of King Salman University, six academies and new public schools.
Diriyah will also contain boutique hotels and resorts as part of its strategy to become a premium lifestyle destination where visitors can shop and dine in the presence of unique cultural history.
Mousa said that “working with and for the local community” will strengthen Diriyah’s creative ecosystem across cultural sectors in alignment with the Ministry of Culture’s plan to celebrate the town nationally, regionally and globally.
Launching Diriyah as the culture capital of the Middle East 2030, the Diriyah Gate Development Authority partnered with the Ministry of Culture and Diriyah Biennale Foundation on a series of multidisciplinary cultural programs to achieve that goal.

Saudi aid agency rolling out relief projects worldwide

KSrelief rolling out aid projects worldwide. (SPA)
Updated 23 January 2022

Saudi aid agency rolling out relief projects worldwide

AMMAN: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has rolled out aid projects in numerous countries.

Winter supplies, including 8,840 blankets and 4,420 winter family packs, were distributed in the governorates of Amman, Balqa, Karak, Tafileh, and Mafraq to needy Jordanian families and Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Jordan.

This aid is part of a project implemented by the Kingdom to alleviate the suffering of disadvantaged families during winter and meet their basic needs.

Meanwhile, the prosthetic limbs and physical rehabilitation center in Seiyun, Yemen, has continued to provide medical services for Yemenis through the support of KSrelief.

FASTFACT

Since its inception in May 2015, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has implemented 1,814 projects worth more than $5.5 billion in 77 countries.

The center provided 1,433 services for 432 beneficiaries in one month, including the manufacturing, fitting and maintenance of prosthetic limbs for 169 patients, covering delivery, measurement and maintenance services.

It provided other treatments for 263 patients, including physical therapy and consultation sessions.

It comes as part of the Kingdom’s efforts, represented by KSrelief, to improve the capacities of the health sector in Yemen.

In Afghanistan, KSrelief is distributing food and providing shelter to needy families as part of the Saudi relief airlift to support the Afghan people. It distributed nearly 19 tons of aid, which included 300 food baskets, 600 flour bags and 250 blankets in the Qala-e-Fathullah district of Kabul, helping 300 families.

The center has continued to distribute aid to those affected by the floods and to the neediest families in Sudan. It distributed more than 12 tons of food baskets in the Omdurman locality, benefiting 2,100 people.

Worldwide, KSrelief has implemented 1,814 projects worth more than $5.5 billion in 77 countries, carried out in cooperation with 144 local, regional and international partners since the inception of the center in May 2015.

According to a recent KSrelief report, the countries and territories that benefited the most from the center’s various projects were Yemen, Palestine, with projects worth $368 million, Syria ($322 million) and Somalia ($209 million).

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

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

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

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

Despite these transformative changes, elements of the old order persist.

Title:

Content: Moderate ideology: The silent Saudi revolution

Sports events, movie screenings, art exhibitions and music concerts are becoming increasingly common in the kingdom, and Saudi citizens are lapping them all up.

Published: 25th July 2023 12:34 AM  |   Last Updated: 25th July 2023 12:45 AM   |  A+A-

It has been ‘work in progress’ for some time now. Saudi Arabia is changing the tone and texture of its ideology from what has always been considered obscurantist to something that keeps with the times. Sports events, movie screenings, art exhibitions and music concerts are becoming increasingly common in the kingdom, and Saudi citizens are lapping them all up.

The kingdom has rapidly secured its position as a centre for cultural events, art exhibitions and film screenings. The nation’s Vision 2030 envisages and fully supports the expansion of the entertainment market to SR30 billion. Almost every domain of entertainment for which Saudi citizens earlier travelled far and wide is now available at home. This is thanks to a break from the past that the de facto ruler, Mohammad bin Salman (MbS), the Crown Prince, has initiated. It makes eminent sense in a nation seeking to develop itself beyond the energy sector with three visionary themes: a vibrant society, a thriving economy and continuity in terms of ambition in comprehensive development.

All this translates into a modern civilisational outlook with technology, intellectualism, private investment, trade, tourism, academics and more, all becoming the prime domains of functioning. The traditional worldwide perception of Saudi Arabia as the centre of the obscurantist ideology of Islam and a nation with an anti-reformist outlook has persisted, and not without reason. A brief understanding of this is important to appreciate the degree of change that Prince MbS has been able to generate.

As the custodian of the Holy Shrines of Mecca and Medina and the land where Islam’s first message was delivered, the Saudi rulers and clergy have always been all-powerful, even more so after adopting the core ideology expounded by Saudi thinker Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. There is a long history behind this.

A virtual pact between the powerful clergy and the Royal Family has existed to promote the Wahhabi ideology in return for the powers that the Royals enjoyed. The pact saw enhanced clergy power after 1979 when the Shia Revolution occurred in Iran, the Saudi Ikhwan attempted a takeover of the Holy Shrine at Mecca, and the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Wahhabi ideology was about going back to the basics and making the faith much less tolerant by supporting ‘Takfir’, or the power of declaration of a believer as an apostate if Wahhabi tenets are not adhered to. The militant part of the ideology started to come to the fore after 1979. From segments of the Arab world to Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of India, Indonesia, Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations, militancy promoting the Saudi brand flourished, giving rise to the notion of a clash of civilisations.

Saudi Arabia’s energy resources always dictated US policy. A grey zone existed here with simultaneous US support to Israel and Saudi Arabia, stacked primarily against Iran and the collective Arab will against Israel. A couple of factors brought the trigger for change. Among them were the discovery of shale gas in the US and the progressive decline in US dependency on Saudi energy resources. Second was the dwindling Saudi economy and the realisation that in an energy-based economy, without expansion into other domains of economic development, such as trade, technology, tourism, investments, entertainment and intellectual research, Saudi Arabia would waste its opportunities and resources. The tremendous advantage of being the centre of the Islamic world could give it enduring leadership status if it could neutralise the rising militancy within Islam. Nations all around, such as the UAE, had fully utilised their possessions and drawn major economic attraction due to pragmatism followed in all domains, including faith issues. The position of women in Saudi society, in particular, had a damning effect on the nation.

Nothing changes without a leader and a vision. Saudi Arabia was fortunate to get MbS, although his personal equation with the US has remained strained for various reasons, not the least being the Khashoggi factor. However, none of that has affected his intent of modernising the nation and for that, a more moderate form of Islam within the kingdom is necessary. To his credit, he has convinced the clergy of the need to follow his vision, which will also project Islam differently to many others who follow the Saudi guidelines on faith.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, from Saudi Arabia, who recently visited New Delhi for six days, is the Secretary General of the Muslim World League. The organisation was once at the forefront of promoting obscurantist ideology but is now transformed, as is evident from Sheikh al Issa’s message in New Delhi. The Sheikh’s belief which he transparently shared is that a whole generation of Muslims has grown up with an ideology that has given them a negative view of other faiths and an intolerantly sectarian understanding of their own.

In his several meetings with intellectuals, leaders and clergy from diverse faiths in India, he emphasised the role of the clergy in any faith. He admitted that Islam had earned a bad name for itself due to the acts of a few and the refusal of the followers to condemn those acts. He spoke of the role of family and education and decried religious teachers’ unsupervised education of young Muslim children. He mentioned that when intolerance and militancy were rising, people feared confronting them. His most poignant argument was that such obscurantism and militancy cannot be eliminated in the typical military way; they have to be removed from the roots by narratives stronger than the ones expounded.

Sheikh Al-Issa’s visit to India was symbolic of what appears to be the fading of the intolerant and militant element of Islam, but we cannot read too much into this. That change is taking place at the ideological centre is positive, but there is no guarantee of permanency. It is also not necessary that the message from Saudi Arabia is gelling with the vast Muslim populations worldwide. These populations are enmeshed with their local cultures and unlikely to follow examples. What is true is that a message supporting reformation has emanated from the nation considered the custodian of the shrines and, by many, of the faith. Nurturing this and taking it beyond is now the challenge.

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

Former Commander, Srinagar-based 15 Corps. Now Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir

(atahasnain@gmail.com)

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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.

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

Religious freedom remains tightly controlled: non-Muslims cannot worship publicly or build churches, and Shi’a and some Sunni groups face legal and social restrictions.

Title:

Content: Recommended

Watchdog warns of 'alarming development' that undermines Saudi narrative of religious freedom reform

A new report by a congressionally mandated watchdog committee in the United States warns that "an alarming development" is underway affecting religious freedom in Saudi Arabia, challenging the government's narrative of reform amid the ongoing power shifts from the religious establishment to the ruling family.

While there is some improvement in the country's atmosphere, Shi'a Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and other non-Muslim communities continue to face restrictions and targeting, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom stated in an update.

"The ongoing power shifts from the Saudi religious establishment to the ruling family has created some opportunities for reforms to guardianship laws, textbooks, and social policies impacting religious freedom," a statement from USCIRF, which is tasked with advising Congress and the State Department, reads.

"However, the trend of retrying prisoners and sentencing others to decades in prison for peaceful religious dissent is an alarming development that undermines the Saudi narrative of reform."

The kingdom is "issuing egregiously long sentences against those who dissent from its singular interpretation of Sunni Islam," the commission warns, adding the kingdom doesn't even spare Sunni dissidents.

Shi'a Muslims who participated in protests against religious discrimination over a decade ago remain tied up in legal battles or imprisoned. Some facing execution were minors when they allegedly committed their offenses, the report notes.

"Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and other non-Muslim communities are prohibited from building houses of worship or manifesting their beliefs in public in Saudi Arabia," it adds.

While public worship continued to be prohibited for non-Muslim minorities in Saudi Arabia, these communities were reportedly subjected to less harassment by security officials than in years past, the report acknowledges.

In Saudi Arabia, a leading U.S. ally, most citizens are Muslim, primarily Sunni. But according to some estimates, about 1.5 million Christians, mostly foreigners, live in Saudi Arabia. Wahhabism, described as "ultraconservative," is the dominant form of Islam in the kingdom.

One problem in Saudi Arabia is, the report suggests, that the kingdom continues to treat freedom of religion as a privilege granted by the state rather than a right guaranteed under international law.

This attitude "undercuts the Saudi narrative of progress toward being a global cosmopolitan hub of business and tourism," it says, adding, "These initiatives are a driving force in Saudi domestic and foreign policy, including its relationship with the United States."

"The Saudi government has made meaningful initial reforms of the religiously-based male guardianship system but has not yet addressed its underlying structural, religiously justified elements that position women as legal minors for life," the report concludes.

Although the U.S. State Department has repeatedly designated Saudi Arabia as a "country of particular concern" (CPC) since 2004, an indefinite waiver was put in 2006 on taking an otherwise legislatively mandated action as a result of the CPC designation.

Countries subject to the State Department's CPC designation face negative consequences, including the possibility of crippling sanctions.

Human rights defenders say Western governments need to take religious freedom more seriously in their dealings with Saudi Arabia and not trade it for other strategic needs.

In the report, USCIRF recommends that the U.S. government "continue to publicly and privately express to Saudi government officials its great concern over Saudi Arabia's particularly severe religious freedom violations."

"Such restrictions impede Saudi progress toward its goal of becoming a regional economic hub and raise the cost of public U.S. government engagement with Saudi Arabia," USCIRF contends.

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Much of the reform process remains top-down, while conservative opposition occasionally surfaces—even as MBS outmaneuvers dissent through arrests and consolidation of power .

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

Has consolidated his power and removed potential rivals

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

The international response has been complex.

Title:

Content: Saudi Arabia on path of reconciliation

Saudi Arabia, it seems is ready to renounce its enmity with its old foes and ready to amend ties with both Iran and Israel.

Indications to the change in the Saudi view towards Iran and Israel came last week. In an interview given by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) to SPA, the Saudi state news agency, and quoted by several international magazines, he is reported to have expressed desire to mend ties with Iran and Israel, its old foes.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman said Israel could become a “potential ally”; if the conflict with the Palestinians is resolved. On Iran MBS is reported to have said that the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia “are neighbours. Neighbours forever. We cannot get rid of them, and they can’t get rid of us. … So it’s better for both of us to work it out and to look for ways in which we can coexist.”

He is believed to have said that hopefully, we can reach a position that’s good for both countries and is going to create a brighter future for this country and Iran.

Saudi-Israel Ties

On restoring ties with Israel, he said that Saudi Arabia looks at it as a potential ally but before that it should solve its problems with the Palestinians. Historically Jerusalem and Riyadh do not maintain official diplomatic relations but do share many regional interests, especially with respect to their mutual foe, Iran.

Extensive behind-the-scenes diplomatic and intelligence cooperation between the Gulf kingdom and the Jewish state have been reported over the years in recent time and Israeli has made no secret of its wish to have Saudi Arabia join the historic Abraham Accords, as Bahrain and the UAE did, earlier. Saudi position has always been that, such a move could only be pursued after the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ends.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly reiterated its commitment to the Arab parameters for peace with Israel expressed in the 2002 Saudi-proposed Arab Initiative, which calls for normalising relations with Tel Aviv in return for withdrawal from territories occupied in 1967.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move that has never been recognised by the international community.

The recent overtures contrast to the Saudi stand and reactions to various Israeli activities in Palestine. In November last year, it condemned a visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to the Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank city of Hebron to celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

Saudi Foreign Ministry had described the act as a “flagrant violation of the sanctity of the mosque, hostile and hurting feelings of Muslims all over the world”, adding the Israeli occupation will bear the consequences of this move. Prince Mohammed had then described the move “as a strong and wrong signal”.

Hebron is home to roughly 1,60,000 Palestinian Muslims and about 800 Jewish settlers. The latter live in a series of Jewish-only enclaves heavily guarded by Israeli troops.

After the 1994 massacre of 29 Palestinian worshippers inside the mosque by extremist Jewish settler Baruch Goldstein, Israeli authorities had divided the mosque complex between Muslim and Jewish worshippers. However, now the 36-year-old MBS has described Israel as a “potential ally” and with many interests that we can pursue together… But we have to solve some issues before we get to that.”

In an interview with the Riyadh-based Arab News daily last year, Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, the kingdom’s permanent representative to the UN, had said Riyadh is committed to the Arab Initiative for peace, which calls for the end of the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories occupied in 1967 and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital in return of normalising ties with Israel.

“The official and latest Saudi position is that we are prepared to normalise relations with Israel as soon as Israel implements the elements of the Saudi peace initiative that was presented in 2002,” Al-Mouallimi had said. Last year only Israeli media had reported that a delegation of some 20 American Jewish leaders had visited Saudi Arabia and met with senior officials including at least six government ministers and senior representatives of the Saudi royal house in an effort to review possibilities of establishing ties between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

Also there have been reports that now you can travel from Saudia to Israel easily, with immigration authorities overlooking Israeli visa on your passport. Earlier there have been many instances where a Saudi visa was denied as you had an Israeli visa on your passport. In addition many Saudi travel companies are now offering pilgrimage packages to Israel.

Saudi-Iran Relations

The Saudi relations with Iran, blamed by Gulf states for creating chaos in the region, have at the same time showed signs of improvement with several rounds of talks hosted by Iraq. MBS is reported to have said that it would be better for both Saudi and Iran to work it out and to look for ways in which they could coexist, and hopefully, can reach a position that’s good for both countries and is going to create a brighter future for his country and Iran.

Iran seems to have welcomed these remarks by MbS. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told state news agency IRNA, last week that it is a sign of Riyadh’s “desire” to restore severed ties, and welcomed these overtures.

In 2016, protesters had attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed revered Shiite cleric Nimr Al Nimr. Riyadh had responded at the time by cutting ties with Tehran.

Recently the two countries have held four rounds of talks in Iraq since April aimed at improving relations. These talks have been described by the Iranian diplomats as creating a good atmosphere and have delivered results, albeit small ones. Iran has also appreciated Saudi desire to take the path of dialogue, though both parties have different views and approaches on some issues in the region, but the management of differences by the sides can serve the interests of the two nations much better.

MBS, who is seen as the harbinger of change in the tradition-moulded kingdom, has embarked on several projects to make Saudi economy more resilient to the global changes and demands. He has also ushered in some societal reforms and is being credited with planning and delivering the Neom city, which is being billed as a completely new concept in human dwelling habits.

His latest views on both Israel and Iran seems to be inspired by his futuristic vision for the kingdom but are also seeped in traditional wisdom and a will to change old ways as per the requirements of the new world. With reports of his father being very ill, these steps are also aimed at improving his image as a national leader globally, besides portraying him as a leader who is ready to change with the winds of change.

(Asad Mirza is a political commentator based in New Delhi. The views expressed are personal)

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Western governments have cautiously welcomed reforms, viewing the country as a burgeoning economic partner and recognizing gains in women’s rights and social freedoms.

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

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

However, the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 and Saudi Arabia’s continued crackdown on dissent have fueled criticism.

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

While Western leaders have criticized human rights abuses and the lack of broader political freedoms, many have renewed engagement with the kingdom, balancing strategic interests with advocacy for further reform .

MBS’s reforms present a paradox to the world: rapid social and economic modernization alongside stubborn political centralization.

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?

Has consolidated his power and removed potential rivals

Dissent and civil society activism remain limited, and religious practices are still tightly regulated.

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

Nonetheless, the face of Saudi Arabia has changed—women drive and work, concerts fill stadiums, and foreign investment is robust.

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

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

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

To attract foreign investment
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?

For American audiences, it remains essential to view the kingdom as a nation in transition: no longer bound entirely by old stereotypes, it now stands at the crossroads of tradition and bold new ambition .

Title:

Content: Saudi News
Vision 2030 is reshaping the Third Kingdom on solid foundations
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Thank you for reading Vision 2030 is reshaping the Third Kingdom on firm foundations and we assure you that we always seek to provide you with all that is new and exclusive and now we get into the details
RIYADH (Reuters) - In seven years since its announcement in 2016, the Kingdom has witnessed tangible progress in many areas achieved as a result of the continuous efforts of the wise leadership to reformulate the third Kingdom on firm foundations and solid foundations from which the country will move towards prosperity and sustainable development.
Creativity and insight
The writer added in his article in the newspaper “Riyadh ” entitled“ Continuous Progress ”, that the progress achieved by the Kingdom was continuous and qualitative, reflecting the size of the official efforts exerted, and the efficiency of planning, so as to achieve the target, this progress was not limited to what was stated in the periodic reports of government agencies, but also witnessed by various international organizations, which saw that the Kingdom succeeded in achieving everything it sought and planned with rare ingenuity, It relies on the creativity of its leaders and their innovative thinking, and the determination of its children and their serious desire to bring about radical change, and keep pace with global development. ”
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Advance in various fields
“During the years of vision, Saudi progress has been a lot and diverse, not the first of which is the progress in the education, health and digital infrastructure index of the country, not the last of which is the progress in the global competitiveness index and government performance, to what the Kingdom achieved hours before moving to the sixth place in the values and behaviors index of the business sector, according to the annual report of global competitiveness“ 2022 ” published by the International Institute for Management Development.
New investment sectors
“This ranking reflects excellence in the development of four main categories, including economic performance, governance efficiency, business environment efficiency, and infrastructure, including business efficiency, alignment with international standards, openness to foreign investment, business competitiveness, economic development, business flexibility, and digital transformation. ”
The writer continued, “It is not possible to separate the Saudi progress in the values and behaviors index of the business sector, and the progress achieved by the national economy in the years of vision, through the introduction of new investment sectors, the announcement of quality projects, diversity in sources of income, attracting foreign investments, and reducing dependence on oil income. ”
Exceptional hard work.
“What has been achieved for the Kingdom in the international indicators is not a mere coincidence, but is the result of a hard and exceptional work, blessed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and led by the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to translate the vision programs and plans into tangible achievements, sensed by the follow-ups of the Gulf 365 and the resident, and praised by the world. ”

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