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In April 2016, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled Saudi Vision 2030 and the accompanying National Transformation Program (NTP). The Vision is a broad strategy designed to diversify the Saudi economy and reduce its reliance on hydrocarbons, in addition to developing national infrastructure and important sectors such as tech, manufacturing, health, education, and tourism. The Vision includes several large-scale investment projects and initiatives, the creation and/or reorganisation of government entities, and – significantly – wide-ranging social reforms. This has impacted the everyday lives of individuals and constituencies throughout the country. Vision 2030 represents the idea of a future Saudi Arabia that is more open and presents greater opportunities but also places more responsibilities on individuals in the Kingdom. This pertains not only to the expectation that young Saudis will actively seek their economic fortunes by becoming entrepreneurs, innovators, and the like, thus contributing to private-sector-led growth and development in the Kingdom. Far beyond the economy, Vision 2030 multiplies the paths that young citizens can pursue in spheres such as education, sport, entertainment, art, and culture. On top of that, it has charted a different outlook with respect to Saudi Arabia’s approach to religion in politics and society. In sum, the Vision has fundamentally changed the rights and responsibilities of young male and female nationals in the Kingdom, transforming the roles of Saudi women in particular. This workshop, hosted by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in cooperation with the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS), aims to discuss with German experts, government officials, students, and private-sector representatives the scale and impact of the changes occurring in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030, thus highlighting the socioeconomic complexity, diversity, and ambition of a transforming Kingdom.
Questions tackled in this closed-door, roundtable discussion include:
- How has the Vision impacted Saudi men and women since 2016, and what additional changes can be expected through 2030?
- Which aspects of social change introduced under Saudi Vision 2030 are likely to become deep-rooted? Which aspects might be considered less long-lasting?
- To what extent has a more open labour market, including increased employment opportunities for women, impacted social change?
- As a predominantly youthful Kingdom, how are demographic pressures impacting social change and societal transformation as increasing numbers of young Saudis attempt to enter the labour market?
- What impact does Saudi Arabia’s socioeconomic transformation have on neighbouring Arab states, as well as the Middle East and North Africa more broadly? To what extent do young citizens of these countries view changes taking place in the Kingdom as worth emulating?
