The year 2022 that has just ended has been smart for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in every respect. The GCC country, which has the largest population and economy, has marked a series of current foreign issues.
In the fields of economics and the social and cultural landscape, there is much to be thankful for. As far as culture is concerned, some occasions that were taboo not so long ago are now commonplace.
The driving force behind all the recent adjustments was none other than the national transformation plans dubbed Vision 2030 that were established in 2016 through Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman or MBS, as he is commonly known.
The plan has brought new realities, one of which is that old tactics of doing business are applicable.
With the drastic drop in oil costs and a glut of resources at the time, Saudi Arabia can no longer rely entirely on oil to generate its policy. Strategies will be reviewed and existing plans and ethics will be reformed.
For this to work, the kingdom needed ambitious plans and to generate a thriving economy, it needed to come with some of the country’s workforce.
The shackles preventing women from entering the labour market were temporarily lifted and their numbers increased across the board in all occupational fields. Areas that were once taboo were no longer the case and the horrors of “mixing genres” have temporarily become an old memory.
This new impetus has given birth to a young and confident country led by a sensible king and the young crown prince, who has told his constituents that he has feelings for them because he is one of them. This aligned identity is music to their ears.
Women behind the wheel, cinemas, opening up the game for everyone have become the new reality. Things like the prolonged closure of department stores and public facilities during prayer hours, which increase far beyond a 30-minute break, have slipped on the horizon.
The year 2022 saw the Red Sea Film Festival in all its glory with film stars and personalities from all corners of the world. From Sharon Stone to Priyanka Chopra, everyone had kind words to explain what they witnessed during their stay, adding that it wasn’t like what they had heard or read.
2022 was also the year the first Saudi Games took place, an event driven by the core vision of offering a platform for Saudi athletes to stand out to the fullest, and motivate young Saudis through play and demonstrate the Kingdom’s roles globally by hosting the biggest event.
More than 6000 athletes and 2000 staff members representing more than two hundred clubs from across the Kingdom competed in forty-five sports categories, either as Americans and teams. The Games have become the biggest national sporting occasion in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and attracted a huge audience across the country, both on television and social media.
Not to mention that Saudi Arabia opened its school doors earlier in the year to all number one and kindergarten students following the prolonged Covid-19 lockdown.
Added to this were impressive projects like Red Sea Line and Project and the kingdom was on its way to making its mark as the first among nations in many fields. These included a commitment to a green economy through the diversification of energy from environmentally friendly sources. .
U. S. electric car maker Lucid Motors, which is partly owned by the Public Investment Fund, has signed an agreement to identify a plant in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC).
A new airline is being prepared. In addition, there would be the addition of a new airport in the capital, Riyadh. The kingdom’s shores have undergone a transformation in recent months and more will follow.
Despite the Russian-Ukrainian clash and its global effects, the kingdom has been largely insulated from any monetary adversity, thanks to prudent monetary measures and a budget that, for 2023, shows a surplus. Overall, it’s been a smart year, and more is expected for the new year.
Tariq A. Al Maeena is a Saudi socio-political commentator. He lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Twitter: @talmaeena
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