JEDDAH — Saudis on Monday celebrated their country’s 89th National Day commemorating the unification of the country under its present name by its founder the late King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.

Saudis expressed pride that in a span of just 89 years their country has reached the climax of glory in all areas and fields. Today their country is a Top-20 global economic giant, occupying a strong economic position among the 20 biggest economies in the world.

The Kingdom, though its moderate and consistent foreign policy, is also playing a pivotal role in consolidating peace and security in the world, which is aware of Saudi’s line of promoting stability and peace by denouncing foreign interventions aimed at destabilizing the region.

The Kingdom's leap toward modernization, consolidation of sustainable development, generous humanitarian initiatives, the promotion of peace and security and fight against extremism and terrorism have got fresh impetus during the reign of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and defense minister.

In line with Vision 2030, reforms are continuing. Gigantic projects, which shape the “Saudi dream” such as Neom City, the Red Sea Development Project and Al-Qiddiyah, are under implementation.

The Kingdom is also expanding its non-oil revenues through diversification and building a strong economy characterized by various options to diversify the sources of income.

With official backing, Saudi women were able to break taboos and to take up leading positions in the public and the private sectors. The hurdles that blocked the march of Saudi women have become history.

The King and the Crown Prince received congratulatory cables on National Day from a number of world leaders.

A number of governors, deputy governors, ministers and senior officials expressed similar sentiments highlighting the Kingdom’s achievements under King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad.

Minister of Finance Muhammad Al-Jadaan, in a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on the occasion of the Kingdom’s celebration of the 89th National Day, lauded the financial sector’s upswing and the success of the Vision 2030.

“The financial sector has made remarkable achievements that are matching global standards and unprecedented in the region, thanks to the ambitious Vision 2030,” said Al-Jadaan.

Al-Jadaan noted that the Kingdom embarks on a development march in accordance with the Vision, looking forward to the horizons of successes and achievements so as to ensure the consolidation of the leading status of the Kingdom among other nations.

“The economic indicators confirm to the achievement of a lot of positive results in the implementation of the reform program aimed at diversifying the national economy and achieving overall development, which emphasizes the soundness of the steps taken within the realization of the programs under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” he said.

Al-Jadaan said that this year the Kingdom’s financial sector has witnessed many achievements through the continuation of financial reforms and strengthening of the fiscal position such as the inclusion of the Saudi stock market in the global stock market indices, joining the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, the FTSE Emerging Markets and S&P Dow Jones Emerging Markets Index, and that reflected the significant development of the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) and its compliance with international standards.

The minister pointed to the international recognition of the efforts of the Kingdom, represented by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority and the Anti-Money Laundering Permanent Committee, in combating money laundering and terror funding. Such reforms and initiatives reinforced the Kingdom’s international financial stature and thus enabled it to host next summit of G20.

Al-Jadaan said that sustainable financial policies, developed by the Kingdom, have enabled it to identify major potential risks as well as to work out proposals to reduce their impact, in addition to providing tools of analysis and financial and economic forecasting in accordance with the best international standards and practices.