Mohammed bin Salman has been Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince since 2017, implementing economic reforms under Vision 2030.

Vision 2030 aims to diversify the economy and reduce oil dependence.

The reforms have included allowing women to drive and reintroducing cinemas, film festivals, and various sports competitions.

The participation rate of women in the labor market rose from 17% to 31.8% in 2020, with over 30% holding middle and senior management positions.

Saudi women now make up over 41% of the civil service, significantly improving their public sector representation.

The labor system grants equal rights, duties, and pay for equal work, regardless of gender.

Vision 2030 targets 30% female workforce participation by 2030, with a 17.4% increase in the last five years.

Mohammed bin Salman's economic reforms have led to significant growth, including record results in the third quarter of 2022.

The Kingdom achieved a surplus of 135 billion riyals in 2022, driven by improved oil revenues and other sectors.

GDP grew 11.8% year-over-year in Q2 2022, the highest since 2011.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has introduced significant reforms in Saudi Arabia, reducing the role of the conservative religious police and promoting a new Saudi nationalism.

The reforms have earned Mohammed bin Salman popularity among the country's youth, who comprise two-thirds of the population.

Vision 2030 prioritizes fighting extremist ideas and partisan ideologies.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman vowed to eliminate extremism and return to moderate Islam.

The US has recognized Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's economic and social reforms, with President Biden considering meeting with female entrepreneurs who have benefited from them.

Most Saudi youth believe Vision 2030 will ensure a strong economy and they will have a better life than their parents.

Saudi Arabia's 2022 GDP growth rate was 8.7%, the fastest among G20 countries.

The tourism sector achieved a historic performance in Q1 2023, growing 64%.

Mohammed bin Salman has been Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince since 2017, implementing economic reforms under Vision 2030.

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Content: Confidence decision and stage vision
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After a decade-long series of rises, oil prices fell dramatically in 2015, and with it the Saudi economy faced a very complex situation, amid widespread concern about the continued state of the oil market saturated with production and stocks, and the dependence of the Saudi economy on this single resource.
The economy of the Kingdom was on the verge of repeating the experience of falling prices at the end of the 1980s, and the wheel of development stopped until the oil market regained its balance.
The difficult situation of the main fuel "oil" to the state treasury coincided with the pledge of allegiance of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who made rapid structural changes from the first moments to avoid a repeat of the economic crisis in the 1990s, beginning with the establishment of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs headed by Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
No one realized at the time the importance of the decision and its profound impact on the Saudi economy, enabling a new generation of young leaders to achieve the historic role assigned to them at this important stage.
It was not long before the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 shone in April 2016, seeking to exploit the Kingdom ’ s strengths, namely its vital strategic position on the world map, investment power, Arab and Islamic depth, and harnessing all potential to achieve great national ambitions.
The vision promised at that time a huge challenge in all its numbers, and the exact timing of its completion, but most importantly the emergence of the personality of Prince Mohammed bin Salman as an able leader with scientific and practical knowledge of the capabilities and capabilities of his country and people.
His speeches and speeches to the international and local media clearly reflected his vision of the place that the Kingdom should achieve among the countries of the world, especially in important national issues such as national transformation, diversification of sources of income, empowerment of the private sector, fighting corruption and extremism.
The challenges of national transformation began with extensive changes in ministries and leadership and the establishment of bodies with unprecedented transparency, under the supervision and diligent follow-up of the Crown Prince, which contributed to accelerating progress.
The period following the structural changes of the ministries required extensive tours of Prince Mohammed bin Salman around the world to achieve several objectives, most notably reforming the oil market and opening the doors to Saudi investments led by the Public Investment Fund in its new version.
After Prince Mohammed bin Salman assumed the crown prince on June 21, 2017, work continued on maximizing the vision ’ s output.
History records the praise of heads of state and international organizations for his efforts and ability to reform the mechanisms of decision-making in the oil market, which culminated in the production of "OPEC +" with careful governance of its work, which restored prices to levels before the collapse of 2015.
Saudi Arabia is now the world ’ s fastest-growing country among the G20, with 13 percent in the first half of this year, which is witnessing the suffering of many countries with severe economic, social, administrative and political problems.
The current growth is more sustainable than ever because of the actions taken.
The non - oil sector grew by 8.2 per cent.
Already, the Kingdom has overcome difficult circumstances in five years, to crown today the world summit in several indicators, where it advanced eight ranks in the report of the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2022, ranked 24th out of 63 countries considered the most competitive in the world, and the second best performance in the world, and the financial market achieved the best performance in 14 years.
G20 countries topped the flow of international tourist arrivals in the first seven months of last year, according to the latest reports from the World Tourism Organization, at a rate of more than 121 percent.
Within one year, several programs, plans and designs were launched, including the design of The Line, Oxagon, Trogina and ENOA, which deals with innovations and the energy, water and hydrogen industries, NEOM Digital Technology, as well as sustainability projects in Riyadh with more than 68 initiatives in five sectors, worth more than 346 billion riyals, City Visions and Downtown Jeddah.
There is no secret when it is said that all the previous projects, plans and initiatives have been implemented and implemented under the personal follow-up of the Crown Prince, and to achieve sustainability for development, and to complement the mega projects comes the Royal Order appointing him as Prime Minister, to consolidate the firm and lay the foundations of the Kingdom of the future.
There is no doubt that the wisdom of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was manifested in choosing the right time for this decision, coinciding with the stage of change, reform and development to reach the Kingdom - as the Crown Prince - the highest heaven.
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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?

Vision 2030 aims to diversify the economy and reduce oil dependence.

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Content: PM, Saudi Royal court adviser discuss ways to boost economic ties

Pakistan

They reviewed the progress on the Saudi investment in Pakistan

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RIYADH (APP) - Adviser at the Royal Court and General Secretary of Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council Mohammed bin Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Saturday and discussed the ways to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

Both sides expressed exceptional warmth for further promoting economic relations between the two countries. They reviewed the progress on the Saudi investment in Pakistan, during the visit of the delegation led by Saudi foreign minister to Pakistan.

Al-Tuwaijri and his delegation expressed deep interest in the Saudi investment by the Saudi government and companies in Pakistan.

He said after the visit of Saudi Foreign Minister to Pakistan, work had started on priority basis on the Saudi investment in Pakistan.

The work has started on war footing in investment in Pakistan, which includes investment from both the public and private sectors, he added.

He said a delegation comprising Saudi business community and investors would soon visit Pakistan.

Al-Tuwaijri, who is In Charge of the Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia, told the prime minister in detail about the said project.

He said, “We want that the economic relations of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia should move forward in the backdrop of Saudi Vision 2030.”

According to the Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia would provide all kinds of assistance for providing training to the Pakistan workforce and government officials.

A detailed briefing was given to the prime minister on the reforms agenda of Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan wanted to benefit from the successful reforms policy of Saudi Arabia to modernise governance structure of Pakistan.

He said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had fraternal relations which were strengthening with the passage of time, adding economic relations of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had entered a new phase.

He said notable progress was made regarding investment in different sectors in Pakistan by Saudi Arabia, during the visit of the delegation led by Saudi foreign minister.

“We are moving with a lightning speed after the progress made during the visit of the Saudi delegation to Pakistan,” he added.

The PM said the people of Pakistan had immense regard and respect for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques His Excellency King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

He thanked the Saudi Crown Prince and the Prime Minister for their warm welcome and magnificent hosting.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Petroleum Musadiq Malik, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Power Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Jehanzeb Khan and high level officials were also present.

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How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

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

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

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

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

The reforms have included allowing women to drive and reintroducing cinemas, film festivals, and various sports competitions.

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

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

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

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

Women gained permission to drive
attend sporting events

The participation rate of women in the labor market rose from 17% to 31.8% in 2020, with over 30% holding middle and senior management positions.

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Content: ...
...
...
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Women and the Economy in the Kingdom
Fadwa Saad Al Bawardi
Posted in: Last Updated:
One of the main pillars of Vision 2030 is the empowerment of Saudi women through activating their leadership role in the labor market, in order to participate in achieving the strategic objectives of the Kingdom, which include the diversification and sustainability of the Saudi economy, and raising the Kingdom to become among the top 15 economies in the world with a GDP of more than 6 trillion riyals.
Also, because one of the goals of Vision 2030 is to attract global investment, it promotes the creation of huge job opportunities for all Saudis, men and women.
One of the most prominent achievements of Vision 2030 is the launch of the National Transformation Program, in which Saudi women play a key role through their assumption of leadership, administrative and operational positions, to achieve eight strategic dimensions of the National Transformation Program.
These strategic dimensions include improving health care, enabling community groups to enter the labor market, achieving excellence in government performance through digital transformation and enhancing the concept of digital government, as well as contributing to the empowerment of the private sector, developing the tourism sector and national heritage, and promoting community development and other strategic objectives.
The Kingdom has achieved qualitative leaps in terms of raising the efficiency and empowerment of women and increasing their economic participation in the labor market. The reform efforts and legislation undertaken in recent years in accordance with the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 have reflected the objectives of empowering women by overcoming some obstacles related to freedom of movement, work, education, obtaining travel documents and completing many government transactions.
The Saudi Ministry of Justice has given women the ability to document company incorporation contracts, agency issuance and dissolution, mortgage, real estate emptying, debt declarations and repayment, and other necessary transactions.
This has helped to double the participation of women in the labor market from 17% to 31.8% in 2020, and the proportion of women in middle and senior management positions is more than 30% in the public and private sectors.
The indicators also showed that the percentage of Saudi women in the civil service rose to more than 41%.
One of the most prominent gains and achievements of Saudi women is their participation in many tracks of economic development, where she was nominated in municipal councils and chambers of commerce, and also became an ambassador, deputy minister, cultural attaché, and a leading member of the Shura Council and regions. year 2020.
The women also joined the military sector at the Ministry of Defense, where the first batch of the training center for women cadres of the Saudi Armed Forces was graduated in various military ranks in several sectors such as the Royal Land Forces, Air Defense Forces, Royal Navy and others, in addition to joining the Hajj and Umrah security force at the Grand Mosque.
In addition to all of the above, Saudi women have a remarkable presence in the field of entrepreneurship within the Kingdom, ranging from small projects to the opening of factories, for example: a Saudi female entrepreneur was able to produce and manufacture military products and clothing, and was able to design and produce a suit for thermal and optical disguise with a 100% Saudi homemade industry.
Another example of a Saudi female entrepreneur who managed to cover the Saudi market with a pure national industry, for products that are ISO and UNIDO certified, and also contributed to the employment of a large number of Saudi girls in this project.
Kafalah, the financing guarantee program for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), announced that the total number of enterprises owned by businesswomen benefiting from the program during the first half of this year reached 456 establishments with a funding of 432 million riyals, thus increasing the percentage of benefiting businesswomen to 124%, compared to the same period last year.
The Kingdom, through the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, has launched a number of projects supporting women, such as the National Platform for Women Leaders, which serves as a tool to enable entities to communicate and nominate women leaders for leadership and military positions, boards of directors or official delegations in international forums based on smart search criteria among female applicants.
There is also a leadership training and mentoring initiative to enrich the knowledge of Saudi women leaders, among other initiatives.
The total number of establishments owned by Saudi businesswomen during the first half of 2021 amounted to more than 450 establishments funded by SR 432 million, thus increasing the percentage of benefiting businesswomen to 124%, compared to the same period in 2020.
One of the great historical achievements for the empowerment of Saudi women is the crowning of Riyadh as the “Capital of Arab Women ” in 2020, coinciding with its chairmanship of the 39th session of the Arab Women ’ s Committee, which highlighted the national will to support women ’ s gains in all fields, including increasing women ’ s economic participation and effective presence in administrative positions.
One of the fruits of the vision on women ’ s empowerment is that the Kingdom has made significant progress in four global indicators on women ’ s empowerment, including achieving first place in “achieving gender equality in enrollment in higher education ” based on the results of the“ Gender Gap ” index issued by the World Economic Forum.
In addition, the Kingdom achieved the largest improvement in the Women, Business and Law Index, a jump of 150.7% from 2017, according to the results of the World Bank ’ s Women, Business and the Law Index released in February 2021.
The Kingdom also advanced 33 places in the index of “equal pay between women and men in similar jobs, ” according to the report issued by the World Economic Forum.
With regard to equality between men and women and the fight against discrimination in employment, the labour system does not differentiate between women and men in terms of rights and duties. There is also no discrimination in remuneration when the value and quality of work is equal.
There is full equality between men and women in the job-search subsidy, as well as in the support for training and employment, there is equality in terms of the amount of support for training costs, remuneration or duration of support, as well as in the retirement age for men and women.
The Kingdom's regulations also guarantee all citizens the right to education free of charge without any discrimination, and equal access to higher education scholarship programmes.
Saudi women have proven that they have a leading role in building the economic renaissance through sustainable participation, being a key partner in building and strengthening the country ’ s capabilities and achieving sustainable economic development.
* Quotes from "Money" newspaper.
Disclaimer: All published articles represent the opinion of their authors only.

Saudi women now make up over 41% of the civil service, significantly improving their public sector representation.

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

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

The labor system grants equal rights, duties, and pay for equal work, regardless of gender.

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

Strengthened women's rights
gender equality

Vision 2030 targets 30% female workforce participation by 2030, with a 17.4% increase in the last five years.

Title:

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

Female executives cite "progressive leadership" for their achievements

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

Mohammed bin Salman's economic reforms have led to significant growth, including record results in the third quarter of 2022.

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Content: Friday, 27 Safar 1444 Hijri, corresponding to 23 September 2022 AD
On the National Day...
Positive indicators of budget performance and economic strength
Contact – Editorial Team:
The Kingdom continues to strengthen the domestic economy, with significant positive results and record growth for the third quarter of this year, as well as the strength of the general budget performance for the second quarter and the first half.
Today, as the Kingdom celebrates the 92nd National Day, at the same time, it presents before it the economic achievements achieved on the ground, which push to achieve more.
Rising Surplus and GDP
The Kingdom achieved a surplus of 135 billion riyals, supported by improved oil revenues and higher contributions from other sectors, while a report issued by the General Authority for Statistics revealed that GDP grew at constant prices on an annual basis 11.8% during the second quarter of this year, recording the highest growth recorded since 2011.
Forecasts of the International Monetary Fund
Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said earlier that “the Saudi economy is stronger than ever, ” referring to the International Monetary Fund ’ s forecast for this year ’ s GDP growth of 7.6%.
The Kingdom is the only G20 country to have twice upgraded its growth forecast this year, with high growth rates expected to continue in 2023 and also over the medium term.
Also read:
by 173%.
Saudi Arabia ’ s foreign trade surplus achieves 1.32 trillion riyals
"Business": in numbers.
Significant growth in enterprises and companies in 8 years
Fastest Growing Pace
Economic expert and member of the Shura Council, Fadl bin Saad al-Buainain, said that the recent national economic growth indicators of 11.8% in the second quarter, the fastest pace since the third quarter of 2011, indicate the success and solidity of the economic reforms initiated by His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
As well as the ambitious package of vision programs, and the high capacity and efficiency of the economy to get out of the repercussions of the Corona pandemic and the crises of the global economy, according to the country.
Giant National Projects
The economic expert considered that the economic transformation strategy is a qualitative investment of the strength of the economic components that are no less important than oil, especially with the major projects, especially "NEOM", "The Line" and "Red Sea" and other projects and cities of the future and the strategy of tourism and manufacturing and the advancement of the logistics system.
He pointed to the renewable energy projects, technology and modern industries associated with the fourth generation, and the vital strategic role of the Public Investment Fund, which is clearly focused on pumping huge investments and enhancing the role of the private sector.
As well as attracting qualitative partnerships, developing sectors promising major projects and creating jobs, in line with the prosperity targeted in the Kingdom ’ s Vision 2030 for the economy and sustainable development.
Largest economy in the Middle East
For his part, Dr. Salem bin Saeed Baajajah, Professor of Accounting at the Faculty of Economics at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, said: “The Saudi economy is one of the twenty largest economies in the world and the largest economy in the Middle East, and the Kingdom has the second most natural resources in the world with a total value of $35 trillion. ”

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

The Kingdom achieved a surplus of 135 billion riyals in 2022, driven by improved oil revenues and other sectors.

GDP grew 11.8% year-over-year in Q2 2022, the highest since 2011.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has introduced significant reforms in Saudi Arabia, reducing the role of the conservative religious police and promoting a new Saudi nationalism.

Title:

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

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

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 reforms have earned Mohammed bin Salman popularity among the country's youth, who comprise two-thirds of the population.

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

Vision 2030 prioritizes fighting extremist ideas and partisan ideologies.

Title:

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

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

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman vowed to eliminate extremism and return to moderate Islam.

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

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

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

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The US has recognized Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's economic and social reforms, with President Biden considering meeting with female entrepreneurs who have benefited from them.

Title:

Content: Magazine

Washington and the world

Opinion | Biden’s Saudi Arabia Opportunity

The president’s first trip to the Middle East offers a chance to make meaningful gains.

The U.S.-Saudi relationship has lately endured some of the worst tensions in its history. But President Joe Biden’s first visit to the Middle East next month, with stops in Israel and Saudi Arabia, offers a surprising opportunity — if both sides will take it.

A wide range of issues have stoked disagreement and mistrust between the longtime partners: Iran nuclear talks, the war in Yemen, the Saudi posture on U.S. rivals Russia and China, human rights (including the murder of Jamal Khashoggi), social reform in the Kingdom, oil production and prices, and the U.S. commitment to the Middle East.

That’s a lot to tackle in one presidential visit of perhaps 24 to 48 hours. As senior officials from both countries travel between Washington and Riyadh to lay the groundwork, they should be realistic about what is achievable. One principle that should guide preparations: Not all bilateral differences can be resolved at once. However tempting a grand bargain may be, the relationship is more likely to be repaired step-by-step.

What is most critical to address first? Each side has core strategic interests for which they need to see the other side demonstrate concern. Cementing a set of understandings around these issues would make a visit valuable, even while other disagreements remain.

For Saudi Arabia, the core strategic interest is ensuring its defense against the threat posed by the regime in Iran and its proxies, particularly the Houthis in Yemen, who, with Iranian backing, training and arms, have launched dozens of rockets against Saudi civilian targets. Closely related is the Saudis’ desire for confidence that the United States is committed to stopping Iran’s development of nuclear weapons and that Washington retains a strategic commitment to the Middle East and to its regional partners, even as it addresses other strategic priorities in the Indo-Pacific and Europe.

Here, Biden’s experience cultivating the close U.S.-Israel alliance, while also navigating real differences, is relevant. His career-long bond with Israelis is evidence that as long as one demonstrates clear understanding and empathy for a partner’s major security fears, it is possible to have very tough discussions on a range of topics and work through areas of disagreement.

Biden and Saudi leaders may not agree on returning to the Iran nuclear deal, for example; neither do Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (nor do the authors of this article, for that matter). One side sees the agreement as the least bad available alternative to buy the most time delaying Iran’s nuclear program, while the other side argues it only delays the inevitability of an even worse Iranian nuclear breakout and fuels Iran’s other regional aggressions through major sanctions relief.

The bridge to overcome this disagreement is to achieve understandings on what follows the nuclear talks, whether they collapse or result in a renewed nuclear deal. In either case, Iran’s implacable hostility can be expected to fuel escalation. Recognizing the severe threat Iran and its proxies will continue to pose to U.S. forces and partners necessitates clear U.S. commitments, underscored by its ongoing presence in the region: to assist in development of integrated regional air defenses; to sanction and designate Iranian entities engaged in terror and its ballistic missile and drone programs (even while the nuclear agreement lifts terrorism sanctions on Iran’s central bank and oil and tanker companies); to facilitate interdictions of weapons shipments to proxies; to rally international condemnation of the regime’s interference in its neighbors’ affairs and abuse of its own people; and to prepare military deterrence and defense options, alone or with others, to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. That should include a clear and credible threat by Biden to use military force to stop an Iranian nuclear weapon. And the Saudis, who were shaken by the lack of any U.S. response to the Iranian attack on its major oil facility at Abqaiq in 2019 under the Trump administration, must have confidence that they will not be left alone in the event of similar attacks in the future. These commitments, which apply both to a renewed Iran nuclear deal and its sunsets and to a no-deal scenario, and which do not rule out maintaining deescalation channels to Iran, should also elicit a Saudi commitment to take no steps toward developing its own uranium enrichment capability.

For Biden, the core strategic interest that must be addressed is ensuring that Saudi Arabia continues to orient its policies toward the United States, rather than hedge its bets by leaning toward Russia and China. There are many aspects to such commitments, from avoiding acquisitions of major Chinese and Russian military systems to standing with the United States in condemning outrages like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s persecution of Muslim Uyghurs. In the context of the war in Ukraine, it also requires Saudi Arabia to agree to increase oil production to bring down prices, so sanctions on Russia have deeper bite and European energy supply needs can be met by non-Russian sources. Abandoning the oil production quotas the Kingdom and Russia established in the OPEC+ agreement will be a clear sign that the Saudis are prepared to give as well as receive, and understand that to be treated as partners, they must act like partners.

That is the essence of the bargain for both sides: the restoration of a partnership. It has always been somewhat transactional — a steady and cheap supply of oil in exchange for security — but its critical elements remain relevant even in the face of serious, perhaps unbridgeable, differences between the countries’ leaders. Saudi Arabia has no serious alternative to the United States as a guarantor of its security against the very real threats it faces. Facilitation of Saudi Arabia’s own defense capabilities, and assurances of U.S. intentions, are fundamental to the Kingdom’s success. Meanwhile, today’s oil price spike underscores the critical role that Riyadh has often played during past geopolitical crises in stabilizing oil markets. And in an era of global superpower competition, keeping key Middle Eastern nations aligned with the United States is imperative.

These are the central requirements that would make a visit to Saudi Arabia worthwhile. And yet it would leave important issues unresolved, from U.S. concerns over Saudi human rights violations to Saudi complaints that its dramatic social reforms underway have not been recognized. Biden should acknowledge these profound changes, perhaps by meeting dynamic female social and business entrepreneurs only recently allowed by Saudi leaders to pursue their ambitions, which they attribute to decisions of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). Biden can give credit where due and encourage a positive trend. But the Saudis should go further: They need to release key human rights activists from prison, especially those who pushed for the very social reforms MBS has now embraced, and commit not to imprison them in the future. They should also allow Raif Badawi and Loujain al-Hathloul, recently released from prison for advocating these social reforms, to secure a clemency from travel bans that would allow them to leave the Kingdom and, in Badawi’s case, reunite with his family in Canada.

The Khashoggi murder will continue to hang heavily over this relationship, as it should. In a clear, direct, private conversation between Biden and MBS, it must be made clear that it is a stain that will remain; that there is genuine remorse; that the Khashoggi family’s needs will be met; that no such crimes will be committed again; and that a pragmatic partnership on broader interests must proceed on this basis.

Beyond the confines of this visit, it’s in the broader interests of both countries for Saudi Arabia to eventually join the Abraham Accords. This is a priority that Biden should advance, and a stabilized bilateral relationship should enable him to do so in the remaining years of his first term. Growing Israeli-Saudi military and intelligence cooperation suggests the promise of greater commercial, technology and people-to-people cooperation, and eventual full diplomatic relations. Cementing a coalition of moderate states in the region, advancing Saudi modernization, development and economic diversification goals, and — handled sensitively — offering the Palestinians a path to participate in normalization that improves, rather than impedes, prospects for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement are all mutual goals that normalization can advance. Biden’s trip may include a signal of what is possible, with a limited step like the resolution of the status of Saudi islands in the Red Sea while ensuring freedom of navigation for Israeli ships, or the expansion of Israeli civilian overflights of Saudi territory. Extending the current U.N.-negotiated truce in Yemen will also help sustain a stabilization of U.S.-Saudi ties, while leaving open the path toward a more permanent settlement.

The mutual interests served by stabilizing this partnership should lead Biden and the Saudi leadership to embrace a framework to recognize and advance their respective core strategic interests. This approach will serve one other critical cause: helping ensure that the U.S.-Saudi partnership is not subject to drastic swings with every change of U.S. administration. Biden is a known skeptic of the Saudis, views he held long before he called them a “pariah” during the 2020 election campaign. Precisely for this reason, in striking such a deal he is well-positioned to strengthen bipartisan support in Congress and among the American people for the principle that this complicated, yet vital, relationship is worth preserving. That is an interest that surely Biden, the Saudis and most Americans can agree on.

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?

Most Saudi youth believe Vision 2030 will ensure a strong economy and they will have a better life than their parents.

Title:

Content: Saudi youth: Vision 2030 guarantees a strong economy and a better future
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Saudi Arabia ’ s 92nd National Day celebrations, under the slogan “We Have a Home ”, will be an important occasion during which almost all Saudi youth show confidence that the Kingdom is moving in the right direction and that their coming days are better, as revealed by the results of the 14th annual ASDA ’ A BCW Arab Youth Survey announced yesterday.
Almost all young Saudis surveyed (99%) are confident that Vision 2030 will ensure a strong economy for the Kingdom, while a similar 97% believe their next days are better, while they also believe that the Kingdom ’ s economy is moving in the right direction, nine out of ten believe they will have a better life than their parents. Jobs and economic growth.
Recent government reforms to the private sector are very popular among Saudi youth, with 96% saying they support measures that stimulate private sector participation in the national economy, 93% saying they strongly support reforms that encourage citizens to play a greater role in the business sector, while more young Saudis say they prefer business over government jobs and a quarter (23%) say they would like to work independently or with their families....
Equal rights
In the face of Western stereotypes of Saudi Arabia, more than two-thirds of young Saudis (68%) say men and women have equal rights, 61% say they have equal employment opportunities, and 96% believe a greater presence of women in the labor market will benefit the kingdom.
More than two-thirds of Saudi youth (69%) believe religion is the most important element in expressing their identity, 82% believe that preserving their religious and cultural identity is more important than building a more globalized society. At the same time, three-quarters of young Saudis (79%) say religion plays too much of a role in the Middle East.
High Popularity
For their part, Saudi youth are among the most prominent users of social media.
Their most popular platforms are WhatsApp (98%), Snapchat (84%), YouTube (83%), Twitter (73%), TikTok (60%), and Facebook (55%). The popularity of Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter has risen to 60%, while the daily use of Facebook has dropped from 82% in 2020 to 55%, and social media is the most prominent news source for 43% of Saudi youth surveyed, followed by television 27% and electronic sources 23%.
The number of Saudis who shop online has doubled over the past five years, with 58% saying they buy products and services online and social media at least once a month in 2018, to almost all respondents who said they currently shop online.
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What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

Saudi Arabia's 2022 GDP growth rate was 8.7%, the fastest among G20 countries.

Title:

Content: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Crown Prince Delivers Annual Royal Speech at Shura Council
Our Fastest Growing Economy and Positive Results Promises More Success
He said: “The Kingdom is moving forward in its development renaissance according to its vision and ambitious programs.
The vision will contribute to maintaining the Kingdom ’ s advanced position.
His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, confirmed that the Saudi economy is the fastest growing at the G20 level for 2022, revealing the growth of the Kingdom ’ s GDP 8.7%, and the non-oil GDP 4.8% during 2022.
This came within the annual royal speech delivered today on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the Shura Council headquarters with the opening of the fourth year of the Shura Council in its eighth session.
His Highness said: The Kingdom is continuing its development in accordance with its vision and ambitious programs, and Vision 2030 will contribute to maintaining the Kingdom ’ s advanced status, and we will continue to work in the process of economic transformation in accordance with the objectives of the vision.
In detail, His Highness the Crown Prince said: On behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may God protect him, we open the work of the fourth year of the Shura Council in its eighth session, and we thank God for the many blessings bestowed on us, and for the huge achievements achieved at various levels.
He added that your country is continuing its development in accordance with Vision 2030 and its ambitious programs, which will contribute - God willing - to maintain the Kingdom's advanced position globally, and achieve more development and prosperity and provide a decent life for citizens.
He added: "Our country has achieved advanced positions in many fields, including its progress in more than 50% of the indicators of sustainable development of the United Nations, and the development of the Saudi economy to be the fastest growing, at the level of the G20 countries in 2022, with a rate of 8.7% growth in GDP, as well as growth in non-oil GDP by 4.8%, and reach among the 20 most competitive countries in the world."
In the field of tourism, our country achieved a historic performance in the first quarter of 2023 with a growth of 64%, and we will continue to work on the path of economic transformation in accordance with the objectives of the vision, and the positive results herald more successes to achieve economic reforms and strengthen the financial position of the Kingdom to enhance the overall economic growth of our country.
He said: In order to facilitate the performance of Hajj and Umrah for the largest possible number of pilgrims and Umrah; the Kingdom has welcomed more than (1.800.000) pilgrims who performed Hajj rituals, and more than (10.000.000) pilgrims during the past year, which is one of the results of the service program of pilgrims pilgrims pilgrims, one of the programs of Vision 2030.
His Highness the Crown Prince continued in his speech: Based on the Kingdom ’ s position at the regional and international levels, and its influential presence at all levels, the Kingdom has worked to strengthen its constructive relations with brotherly and friendly countries, where it hosted a number of major summits that brought together more than 100 countries last year.
He said that the selection of the Kingdom to host the Expo 2030 comes as a confirmation of its global prestige and confidence, and to be an ideal front for hosting the most prominent international forums.
His Highness added that the Kingdom held an extraordinary joint Arab and Islamic summit to confront the painful events facing our brothers in Gaza, through which the Kingdom worked to create a joint Arab and Islamic movement to pressure the international community to take serious and firm positions to stop the Israeli aggression and allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip.
The Crown Prince stressed that "the Kingdom's firm approach is based on respect for the national sovereignty of all countries, non-interference in their internal affairs, permanent commitment to the principles of international legitimacy and its resolutions, adherence to the principles of good neighborliness and peaceful resolution of disputes, and taking all that would enhance security and stability in the region and the world."
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The tourism sector achieved a historic performance in Q1 2023, growing 64%.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?