Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, or MBS, is driving Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, a plan to diversify the economy and reduce oil dependence.

The Vision 2030 plan aims to invest in the country's strategic location, investment power, and Arab and Islamic depth.

MBS has promoted Vision 2030, focusing on economic diversification, private sector empowerment, and combating corruption and extremism.

As Crown Prince since 2017, MBS has focused on implementing economic reforms to maximize Vision 2030 outcomes.

MBS's economic reforms have been accompanied by social changes, including increased women's rights.

The Saudi government has implemented reforms to boost economic growth and stability by improving the business environment and investing in non-oil sectors.

The Public Investment Fund's assets grew from 570 billion riyals in 2015 to over 1.8 trillion riyals by 2021, contributing 8% to the country's GDP.

MBS has launched projects like Neom, a $500 billion futuristic city, and 'Vision 2030' to diversify the Saudi economy.

MBS has implemented policies to restrict the Wahhabi establishment's influence in Saudi Arabia, including reducing the CPVPV's role.

The policy of openness has introduced previously banned activities like music, dance, and cinema in Saudi Arabia, despite opposition from some.

MBS has championed women's progress, empowering them in the labor market by allowing them to run businesses and have authority without a male guardian.

The percentage of women in Saudi Arabia's workforce has risen to 37% and they now own 45% of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Women's rights in Saudi Arabia remain a concern due to the ongoing guardianship system.

The Saudi economy is expected to grow, with its digital economy projected to exceed $50 billion.

The government must continue reforms and improve the investment environment to mitigate risks to Saudi economy modernization efforts.

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, or MBS, is driving Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, a plan to diversify the economy and reduce oil dependence.

Title:

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.
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?

The Vision 2030 plan aims to invest in the country's strategic location, investment power, and Arab and Islamic depth.

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

MBS has promoted Vision 2030, focusing on economic diversification, private sector empowerment, and combating corruption and extremism.

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?

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

As Crown Prince since 2017, MBS has focused on implementing economic reforms to maximize Vision 2030 outcomes.

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 economic reforms have been accompanied by social changes, including increased women's rights.

Title:

Content: King Salman of Saudi Arabia released after a week in hospital
RIYADH (AFP) - Saudi Arabia's state-run media reported that the elderly King Salman had been hospitalized for a week after undergoing a colonoscopy and had been discharged from hospital.
Footage aired by the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) late yesterday showed King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 86, walking on crutches out of King Fais Hospital in Jeddah, the Red Sea seaside city, accompanied by officials including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Specialist Hospital).
The Saudi news agency said on Twitter that he (King Salman) "went through the examination, completed the treatment plan and spent the recovery period before leaving (the hospital)."
Saudi Arabia has been trying to quell speculation over the health of King Salman for years.
King Salman has governed the world ’ s largest oil exporter since 2015.
A week ago, Saudi state-run media reported that King Salman ’ s colonoscopy was “good ” but that doctors“ decided to let him rest in the hospital for a while. ”
In 2017, media reports and speculation that King Salman planned to abdicate and be replaced by Crown Prince Mohammed Salman, who actually took power, were refuted by Saudi Arabia.
King Salman underwent gallbladder removal surgery in 2020.
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King Salman was hospitalized in March after state media said he had undergone a "successful medical examination" and replaced the battery of the heart rate regulator.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed Salman, Saudi Arabia has embarked on ambitious economic reforms for the post-oil era, empowering women and adopting a more assertive foreign policy, including military operations in neighboring Yemen.

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

And women's workforce participation doubled to 36%

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

allow recreational activities; Saudi women benefit from relaxed restrictions

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

What leadership roles have Saudi women achieved under Vision 2030?

Women have been appointed to municipal councils

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

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

The Saudi government has implemented reforms to boost economic growth and stability by improving the business environment and investing in non-oil sectors.

Title:

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

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 Public Investment Fund's assets grew from 570 billion riyals in 2015 to over 1.8 trillion riyals by 2021, contributing 8% to the country's GDP.

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

MBS has launched projects like Neom, a $500 billion futuristic city, and 'Vision 2030' to diversify the Saudi economy.

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.
France 24 / AFP
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What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

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

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

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

MBS has implemented policies to restrict the Wahhabi establishment's influence in Saudi Arabia, including reducing the CPVPV's role.

Title:

Content: After the call to stop the "Riyadh Season"
The Saudi youth.
Between the closed hammer of Wahhabism and the anvil of loose entertainment
Monday 20 December 2021 - 03: 58 GMT
Mohammed bin Abdulwahab, the grandfather of the Al-Sheikh family, is the first to spread the doctrine that bears his name, the Wahhabi doctrine, in the land of Arabia, with the sword of Mohammed bin Saud, the grandfather of the Al-Saud family, and ironically, the end of this doctrine, or almost, at the hands of the grandson of the first, Turki Al-Sheikh, head of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, and the grandson of the second Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
The World as a Collection
The Saud family had the upper hand in the context of the historical alliance that arose between Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab and Mohammed bin Saud, given that the elements of power were in the grip of Ibn Saud, and when the role of Mohammed bin Salman, to reach the throne, a young man did not exceed the age of 20, felt that the road will not be impassable to the throne as long as the Wahhabi institution in the joints of the state, To get rid of both.
In the beginning, he ended the power of the sheikhs of Wahhabism, and reduced the role of the Authority for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, in order to win young people to his side, after Wahhabism kept their breath, and in the second removed everyone who felt that he was competing with him, the Sultan of Al Saud and others and imprisoned them under various pretexts.
Since the youth represent the vast majority of the people, bin Salman tried to get closer to them, through the policy of openness, which he entrusted the implementation of one of the grandchildren of Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab, called Turki al-Sheikh, who headed the entertainment authority, and used the wide powers granted by bin Salman, and opened the doors of Saudi Arabia wide to music groups, singing and dancing, and held loud and mixed concerts. Cut, gambling clubs and wine bars.
It is remarkable that the Saudi people, was the victim, to the grandparents and grandchildren of Sheikh Wal Saud, the grandparents and grandchildren, dealt with the Saudi people superior treatment, the grandparents imposed on him the closed Wahhabi doctrine, which was a distorted and false reading of the true Islamic religion, and spawned all the bloody Takfiri groups that appeared in the world without exception, and today imposed grandchildren, dissolution and moral decline In its western version, without any red lines, as entertainment!!
One of the most important symbols of moral laxity in the policy of openness led by Turki al-Sheikh in Saudi Arabia, is the "Riyadh Season", where mixed dance concerts are held, which do not find a counterpart even in countries known for opening to such concerts for many decades, but what happened in the current Riyadh season, made activists in Saudi Arabia, ringing the bell of danger, because of the dangers of moral deviation. They live in the shadow of Wahhabism.
Since Monday morning, the hashtag “Stop _ Riyadh _ Season _ Muttalib ” has been trending on Twitter in Saudi Arabia, where activists expressed their anger at the inappropriate behavior witnessed during the Riyadh season in the past days, thousands have tweeted this hashtag posting pictures and clips of young men and women dancing to loud music, and wearing bold clothes, stressing that these practices do not suit customs and traditions. The Saudi people, and it is absurd not to represent them.
Many commentators directed their contributions to the organizers of this season, considering that it is a waste of money and an alienation from the religion, customs and traditions that Saudi society still maintains to this day. Others felt that the gathering of huge crowds in light of the threat of Coronavirus and the mutated new strains is not wise, calling on the concerned authorities to stop the events immediately to avoid returning to point zero in relation to the spread of the epidemic.

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

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

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

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

What internal changes has MBS implemented in Saudi Arabia?

Suppressed dissent--especially Islamist opposition

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

Combating extremist and ideological thinking

The policy of openness has introduced previously banned activities like music, dance, and cinema in Saudi Arabia, despite opposition from some.

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?

MBS has championed women's progress, empowering them in the labor market by allowing them to run businesses and have authority without a male guardian.

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 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?

The percentage of women in Saudi Arabia's workforce has risen to 37% and they now own 45% of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Title:

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

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

Women's rights in Saudi Arabia remain a concern due to the ongoing guardianship system.

Title:

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

The Saudi economy is expected to grow, with its digital economy projected to exceed $50 billion.

Title:

Content: FOLLOWING
Cyber Security Challenges Continue to Diversify in Saudi Organizations in Light of Technological and Cloud Developments
Saudi Arabia ’ s digital economy is expected to grow to more than $50 billion in the future
Jeddah: The Country
Emil Abu Saleh, Senior Manager at Proofpoint Middle East, Africa and Turkey, confirmed that the digital economy in Saudi Arabia is on a fast track to growth.
in this framework.
The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) announced the adoption of the “Cloud First ” strategy in 2019, which paves the way for companies in the public and private sectors to transition to cloud technology to enhance business performance.
The strategy aims to connect the Kingdom to a thriving digital economy by fostering innovation, sustainability, growth and business partnerships.
In this context, investments of more than $9 billion have been injected this year to promote digital transformation efforts in various sectors of the Kingdom, and the size of the digital economy in Saudi Arabia is expected to reach more than $50 billion in the future.
He added: “Strengthening cybersecurity and data protection systems contribute to achieving the goals of this agenda.
It should be noted that the levels of cyber readiness in the region are not up to the required level, exposing employees to these attacks and thus exposing institutions to many risks.
Proofpoint ’ s “CISOs Perspectives 2023 ′ ′ report shows that most CISOs in the region have returned to the heightened fears they experienced at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Saudi Arabia, 68% feel at risk of a physical cyberattack in the next 12 months, compared to just 48% last year.
Moreover, 61% believe their organization is not prepared to deal with a targeted cyber attack, compared to 50% last year.
“With the increased risk of human factors – which is worrying – the report indicates that human error is the biggest cyber vulnerability in their organisation, as expressed by most heads of information security in the Kingdom.
This year, 48% of respondents said human error is one of the biggest areas of risk, compared to 38% in 2022.
At the same time, 40% of CISOs believe employees understand their role in protecting the organization, compared to 43% in 2022 and 62% in 2021.
All of the above calls for the need to strengthen security systems and build a security culture that keeps pace with the times. ”
In the post-pandemic period, the rise in telecommuting has complicated the issue in terms of human factor risks: employees work remotely away from the traditional security boundaries of the organization, use personal devices to access corporate networks, and move from place to place.
Of course, this weak security environment is explained by new security risks and vulnerabilities, which always puts the security of the organization under threat and causes data theft.
In addition, job transitions associated with the pandemic have resulted in workers changing or leaving their jobs at higher rates than in the past, making it difficult for organizations to protect data and leading to data loss due to internal procedures.
According to the 2023 Proofpoint report, 63% of CISOs reported that they had dealt with the loss of sensitive data material in the past 12 months, and 82% agreed that employees who left the organization contributed to the loss of data.
“We are also seeing an increase in supply chain attacks through email fraud and third-party software.
In these attacks, hackers hack into suppliers or service providers in order to attack their customers and partners.
The primary threat to suppliers is often via phishing or malware.
Once hackers enter the vendor ’ s system, they can masquerade as email accounts to initiate phishing attacks, billing fraud, or other types of attacks against customers. ”
Once hackers can penetrate customer systems, they can steal confidential data, install ransomware (or use access to run another wave of phishing attacks or email fraud).
Lack of adequate cyber training for employees creates vulnerabilities that enable hackers to infiltrate an organization ’ s infrastructure.
A proactive approach to protecting individuals from being victimized by people-focused cyber attacks are essential steps to deter any cyber attacks as well as monitoring collaboration tools to detect warning signs to stop fraud before it occurs.
Organizations must recognize that individuals are their biggest asset, and keeping them safe means keeping data safe.
By building a release focused approach to compliance and security, and strengthening data protection against external sources of risk, organizations can accelerate their response to risky behaviors.
This includes training users to recognize and report suspicious email to scammers, as well as transferring the knowledge and skills needed to protect the organization from human-generated threats.
For example, warning users when sending a message from an external sender or a newly registered domain can help them make more targeted decisions about uncertain email.
“Monitoring all relevant tools and platforms in real time to detect compliance or policy violations is very important.
Finally, having step-by-step defences, including a specialized insider threat management solution and robust security awareness training, ensures that Saudi institutions are well protected against human-centered threats as the baseline. ”

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

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

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

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

The government must continue reforms and improve the investment environment to mitigate risks to Saudi economy modernization efforts.

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.

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

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To attract foreign investment