If you live in Saudi Arabia, you have most likely heard of Vision 2030. Its visual footprint is everywhere inside and outside the Kingdom, from giant billboards, newspaper headlines, and 3D projections, to websites and everyday packaging. It’s not random; Vision 2030 is an encompassing map that everyone is using to make sure they’re heading in the right direction. Companies, organizations, and everyday citizens are making their plans align with the big plan (Vision 2030) and its goals.
But do you still wonder what Vision 2030 is exactly? Don’t worry, this primer will give you the rundown of the Vision's mission in 10 minutes or less:
What is Vision 2030
Vision 2030 in its basic form is a set of goals and strategies geared towards taking the nation to the next level in terms of socio-economic development. This entails unlocking certain achievements that, in a way, provide the best possible future and set up for a successful nation.
What are these achievement quests? They range from achieving economic prosperity based on different activities and lessening our reliance on oil, to sustainability projects that safeguard the next generations’ future, and achieving leadership in innovation and the increasingly digitized world. They also means giving citizens, like you, more growth opportunities and options. It’s about leaping into the future (and being well-prepared for it) while staying culturally grounded and embracing your identity.
To make all these happen, the Kingdom will develop its public services, including boosting tourism, encouraging cultural and entertainment opportunities, creating dynamic job opportunities, and promoting transparency within governmental organizations, to name a few.
The pillars of the vision
Vision 2030 has three main pillars: to create a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation. These were developed after understanding the Kingdom's main strengths:
Heading towards a vibrant society
To become an even more vibrant society, a framework was created to improve its citizens' and residents' quality of life. This includes increasing cultural and entertainment avenues, promoting healthy lifestyles through sports and recreational activities, sustainability, and more.
An example in motion of this goal is The Riyadh Green project, the largest global urban afforestation project. It is part of the plan to have the capital recognized among the top 100 global cities. Another monumental project creating waves is The Line. This futuristic zero-carbon city merges nature and artificial intelligence to create a futuristic hybrid meant to create 380,000 jobs and add $48 billion to its GDP.
As part of this pillar, the country also focuses on its citizens and the Islamic faith. It plans to increase the number of Umrah visitors from 8 million to 30 million every year. Alongside this is an effort to double the number of Saudi heritage sites registered with UNESCO and build the largest Islamic Museum.
Transforming into a thriving economy
Saudi Arabia plans to generate new job opportunities for its citizens by investing heavily in developing an education system that aligns with market requirements. By narrowing the gap and connecting higher education outputs, one of its goals is to have at least five Saudi Arabian universities rank among the world's top 200 universities.
The country also focuses on creating opportunities for youth, entrepreneurs, and small enterprises. On the ground, different organizations and institutions are kick-starting new programs in alignment with this pillar. Misk has developed several initiatives that help you be workforce ready like the Youth Dialogue Platforms program. Or, if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, you can explore the Misk Seed Accelerator program, among other opportunities.
The path to economic diversification requires cultivating stronger connections and capitalizing on profitable investment opportunities in the Kingdom and beyond. According to the World Bank, as of 2020, Saudi Arabia jumped 30 spots in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2020 index – the most significant improvement and highest jump worldwide, credited to the Vision 2030 economic reforms.
Building an ambitious nation
An ambitious nation needs a practical, transparent, liable, enabling, and high-performing government. The aim is to create the right environment for citizens in the private sector, and the non-profit sector to take their competencies and initiate confronting challenges head-on while also seizing opportunities. To bring this to fruition, the National Transformation program was put in place to enhance operational efficiency and create centers of excellence.
One of the main platforms created under this pillar is the Control and Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha) which works at making the country more transparent, accountable, and free of corruption. Citizens are encouraged to report any criminal activities through their anonymous portal on their website.
Vision 2030 recognizes citizens as the main resource for development and progress, which makes Saudi Arabia’s most important asset and resource… you. While the Kingdom provides you with all the advantages and opportunities for growth, the task of reaching your full potential relies on how much you participate in the nation’s transformation.
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