The New Saudi Arabia

 Abdullah Al Alami*

4 December 2020

Leading health experts from Saudi Arabia convened for a fireside chat at a health event in early December. The topic is how the creation of the digital workplace is feeding into delivering the healthcare ambitions of the Saudi Vision 2030.

For many years, implementation of digital health solutions has been a strategic priority in Saudi Arabia, leading to hospitals and healthcare centers operating as sophisticated digital workplaces.

The second major development this week is Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) raising its shareholding in renewable energy developer ACWA Power. Saudi Arabia wants to ensure it plays an integral role in developing the state-owned wealth fund’s renewable energy interests.

This is a “vote of confidence” to expand Saudi Arabia’s operations without compromising environmental stewardship.

What is Saudi Arabia building to rebrand itself into a major tourism destination? The stunning and ambitious project built into sandstone near a UNESCO World Heritage Site is in the making.

“Sharaan”, the resort located in the Al-Ula desert is set to be open to visitors by 2023. Al-Ula is home to sandstone mountains and intriguing heritage sites, including Hegra, which was built by Nabataeans, who also constructed the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.

What about the oil industry? “the worst is behind us,” Saudi Aramco’s President and CEO, Amin Nasser, told an award ceremony in Riyadh last Thursday.

Congrats are due to Nasser who was announced as this year’s winner of the annual Chemists’ Club Kavaler Award. The award recognized Nasser’s work in the petrochemical industry on Dec. 3 and included a discussion about Aramco’s strategy, outlook, and key industry trends.

At the Google Community Space in San Francisco, an empowerment event took place to inspire and equip the next generation of female leaders. The project aims to give Saudi students across California access to the networks and resources to help them succeed with their big ideas.

Today, 70 percent of Saudi Arabia’s population is under the age of 34. There are more Saudi women graduating from college, and more Saudi women starting businesses. In addition, most successful companies have at least one-woman founder on the team.

This is the new Saudi Arabia, creating a digital workplace, increasing stake in PIF to diversify economic growth, rediscovering the past, more advances in the oil industry, and empowering students to pave the way for Saudi Arabia’s future.

*Saudi writer