Kingdom has been transformed since Vision 2030 was announced 
Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, one of the sporting world’s most high-profile events, highlights the tremendous transformation our country has experienced since the announcement in 2016 of Vision 2030 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, under the guidance of King Salman.
The past eight years mark one of the most remarkable periods in the Kingdom’s history, and perhaps one of the most rapid transformations in the history of humanity. A country of 37 million people has been changed dramatically in a short period of time, yet with great steadiness and respect for society and its traditions. I would like to recount here how much our country and society have altered.
When I was a young boy growing up in Saudi Arabia, we lived in mud huts without running water or electricity, with flies everywhere and high infant mortality rates. A first transformation occurred with the discovery of oil, and particularly with the acknowledgement of its true value to the world in the 1970s.
Lying at the center of Islam, Saudi Arabia has always attracted the attention of the world, especially of its Muslims. Today, almost 2 billion Muslims consider Makkah as their reference point, many of them turning to pray toward the holy city five times a day. The reputation Saudi Arabia has gained as a reference point for Muslims, as a reference point for the Arab world, and as a reassuring source of stability for global markets and global politics is remarkable for such a seemingly small country in the desert. Today, the changes our country has seen over the past eight years have surprised everyone.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 set three main objectives: building a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation. The fact that these goals ring so true today shows what a tremendous job our leadership has done. King Salman, as one of King Abdulaziz’s youngest sons, showed remarkable ability and foresight by appointing his young son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. They have formed an incredible team, confidently and with great composure setting about changing the lives of the Saudi people. Never could we have expected such profound change in our country, our lives and our society in such a short amount of time. Every day it feels we are welcoming new changes and watching new opportunities open up for our fellow citizens, shining a prism of hope and optimism throughout our country.
I would like to speak first about the role of women in Saudi Arabia, who once veiled not only their faces but also their capacity to contribute to every aspect of society. Today, Saudi Arabia has emphasized equal rights for women, with truly inspiring results. Women represent over 35 percent of the Saudi workforce today (rushing past the objective of 30 percent set by Vision 2030), almost half of public sector employees, and almost 39 percent of middle and senior management. Women participate fully in daily life, in sport and in cultural activities, and are finally able to travel, to marry and to decide on family matters independently. Unsurprisingly, the effects of these changes on the lives of all Saudis have been truly refreshing and invigorating.
A significant investment in universities, research and entrepreneurship has transformed the lives of young Saudis and made the Kingdom a pioneer in a number of areas, including energy innovation, artificial intelligence and sustainable development. With almost 20 percent of the national budget dedicated to education, Saudi Arabia now boasts 63 universities. The flagship King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has become a world-class and cutting-edge research hub, a source of innovation and startups across multiple areas. Female students make up 60 percent of the Kingdom’s university graduates. Daily lives have also been transformed by digital government services, the promotion of a digital economy and cashless society. In parallel, the country has seen an explosion in cultural events, from a variety of concerts to major sporting events, from film festivals to art exhibitions and heritage festivals.
In economic matters, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has greatly diversified investments and provides substantial funding for projects such as NEOM City. Saudi Arabia’s capital markets now rank among the world’s largest by market capitalization, with increased IPO activity and interest in sectors like fintech and healthcare. As we have mentioned before, the Saudi economy is diversifying through investment in areas such as renewable energies, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and health care. Non-oil revenue has grown by over 20 percent annually as a result.
To just briefly mention a few of Saudi Arabia’s ground-breaking megaprojects, NEOM represents a $500 billion investment in a futuristic smart and sustainable city for nine million residents, powered entirely by renewable energy and accompanied by a floating industrial city, ski and island resorts. AlUla seeks to develop Saudi Arabia’s key cultural and heritage sites with the objectives of cultural preservation, sustainable tourism and economic diversification. The New Murabba Project is transforming the heart of Riyadh through smart and sustainable urban planning, improving the quality of life of residents, while attracting tourists to a new center of economic, cultural, and lifestyle innovation.
The changes throughout the Kingdom have been fantastic, marked by an extraordinary sense of optimism and enthusiasm that has swept across the country. It is a splendid time for the Saudi people, allowing us to breathe in the fresh air, sip our tea or coffee in the morning, and explore something new. Where Saudi Arabia was once so hesitant to initiate change, today we marvel at its results. Most of all, we are open to getting things wrong and correcting, adjusting, adapting along the way. This is the new Saudi Arabia, a vision dusting the clouds for us to see the sun, and our own moon to guide us even at night.
- Hassan bin Youssef Yassin worked closely with Saudi Arabia’s petroleum ministers Abdullah Tariki and Ahmed Zaki Yamani from 1959-1967. He led the Saudi Information Office in Washington from 1972-1981 and served with the Arab League’s observer delegation to the UN from 1981-1983.
