Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — More than halfway through its "Saudi Vision 2030" journey, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated notable progress, with 87% of the 1,064 initiatives either completed or advancing as planned.

This achievement underscores the Kingdom's substantial efforts since the vision's launch on April 25, 2016, under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The vision aims to transform the nation through significant economic growth and enhanced quality of life, positioning Saudi Arabia as a prosperous and future-ready economy.

The 2023 annual report highlights, aside from the initiatives' progress, that 81% of the third-level performance indicators have met their targets, with 105 indicators already surpassing future goals set for 2024/2025. The Public Investment Fund has also seen its managed assets grow significantly to SR2.81 trillion, marking a substantial increase from SR2.09 trillion in 2016.

The Kingdom has achieved a historic increase in the number of Umrah pilgrims, with 13.56 million visitors exceeding the 2023 target. Additionally, the number of Saudi heritage sites listed with UNESCO has grown to seven, reflecting the nation's rich cultural heritage and its growing recognition on the global stage.

With Saudi Arabia hosting the Expo 2030 in Riyadh, the Kingdom continues to bolster its regional and international stature, contributing to global dialogues on economic and cultural development. The tourism sector, too, has seen impressive growth, with Saudi Arabia welcoming 106 million visitors, including 27.4 million international tourists, and ranking second in the international tourist growth rate.

Efforts to enhance the quality of life have also shown positive results, with life expectancy reaching 78.10 years and health services coverage extending to 96.41% of the population centers. In the realm of physical activity, the percentage of adults engaging weekly has reached 62.3%, nearing the Vision's overall target.

The housing sector has also seen significant achievements, with 66,000 Saudi families receiving homes and the percentage of citizens owning their homes reaching 63.74%. These efforts are part of the broader goal to increase home ownership to 70% by 2030.

These milestones reflect Saudi Arabia's steadfast commitment to achieving the ambitious goals set out in Vision 2030, through comprehensive economic, social, and cultural reforms aimed at enhancing the nation's prosperity and the quality of life of its citizens.