Saudi National Day 94: Progress, Achievement, Momentum, and Growth

September 19th marked the launch of the 94th Saudi National Day celebration, where citizens participated in the many events throughout the country and can continue to find national or local events until the 23rd. While the holiday is structured to embrace national pride and celebrate heritage, it is also an opportune time to reflect on how the many successes and strides taken by our country have formulated into a successful track record, yielding the promise of a bright and well-structured future. Though there are many names involved (and also many hands in the proverbial soup) when it comes to the national trajectory Saudi Arabia is adhering to, you’d hear none other more often than His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has spearheaded, approved, promoted, or inspired, many of the remarkable developments that have been completed, with many more that are still in the works. Whether you’re talking about national finance, Vision 2030 progress, infrastructure, mega-projects, tourism, quality of life, sports, you name it, HRH will be involved. This Saudi National Day, among the other traditional events and practices, doesn’t seem that it would be complete without giving proper credit to the Crown Prince for his foresight, involvement, and enthusiasm to transform the nation on so many levels and in making life better for Saudi citizens.

According to Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani,Saudi Arabia has significantly advanced in the 2024 United Nations E-Government Survey, positioning itself among the top countries worldwide, and remarked that Saudi Arabia’s progress in digital government development is the outcome of the support, guidance, and oversight of HRH, the Crown Prince, within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030. This vision has defined the principles of digital transformation and established its groundwork, positioning Saudi Arabia as a model to follow. Elsewhere, The Council of Economic and Development Affairs examined a financial report for the second quarter of 2024, which included an analysis of the global economy, financial markets, and updates on the nation’s fiscal situation and key indicators. The report revealed a 4.9% increase in the non-oil sector compared to the previous year, with general inflation rates stabilizing at 1.5% in July. Alongside economic development progress, cultural diplomacy has also been a focal point, celebrating important accomplishments worldwide. The KSA hosted the 2024 UNESCO World Heritage Committee gathering, highlighting its vibrant cultural legacy and enhancing the country’s diplomatic relations across the globe. Saudi Arabia’s involvement in Expo 2023 in Osaka, Japan, is another event that underscored its commitment to a sustainable future. The Saudi pavilion, themed “Shaping the Future,” attracted considerable interest for its inventive approaches to sustainability and improvement.

The KSA’s economic growth has been an impressive result of adhering to the Vision 2030 game plan, drawing in more than $40 billion in foreign investments, and commencing the development of NEOM, which can only be described as a futuristic megacity. The Kingdom has also strengthened its position as a global economic center by hosting the Future Investment Initiative (FII), concentrating on sustainable development and investment prospects, and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) has announced substantial investments in renewable energy, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s environmental initiatives. On the tourism front, Saudi Arabia’s investment in tourism infrastructure has yielded positive results, with millions of visitors arriving annually. In 2023, the Kingdom hosted over 100 million tourists and aims to reach 150 million by 2030, with initiatives such as NEOM and the Red Sea Development demonstrating its dedication to the sustainability of the tourism sector. As stated at the beginning of the article, there are many things to celebrate this Saudi National Day, and we should take care not to forget the dedication that comes down from the top, those who are working diligently to ensure a promising future for all.

*Prof. Alaa Alghamdi

Saudi Academic & Writer

@ayghamd