Saudi Arabia Takes Early Spotlight at Davos, Showcases Vision 2030’s Next Phase
Davos: For long-time participants at the World Economic Forum, Monday in Davos is typically a gentle warm-up a day for reconnecting, setting agendas and preparing for the intensity of the week ahead. This year, however, Saudi Arabia moved swiftly to command attention, filling the usual lull with a packed programme of high-level panels ahead of Tuesday’s official opening.
At the Saudi House the Kingdom’s official pavilion on the Promenade, returning after its debut as a standalone venue at the 2025 WEF Annual Meeting Saudi ministers and global executives laid out their vision for the next phase of the Kingdom’s transformation. Established by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the pavilion is positioned as a platform for international thought leaders to address the challenges, opportunities and solutions shaping the global economy.
Opening a session focused on Saudi Arabia’s role at this year’s Forum and the next chapter of Vision 2030 — now in its 10th year and around two-thirds complete Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, said human capital remains the central driver of a competitive and modern economy.
She described one of the most significant achievements of the past decade as the emergence of a highly skilled generation of young Saudis who could work anywhere in the world but instead “choose to come home, choose to build at home and choose to deliver at home,” calling this trend the strongest symbol of Vision 2030’s success.
On the same panel, Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan said the progress was rooted in a broader “behavioral change” that has enhanced the Kingdom’s credibility with both international partners and its own citizens.
“Credibility comes from being very pragmatic, making sure that you maintain your fiscal policy discipline, but at the same time refocus your resources where it matters,” he said, cautioning that “markets will call your bluff if you’re not serious.”
The Saudi House, a cross-ministerial initiative led by the Ministry of Economy and Planning, is designed to underscore the Kingdom’s commitment to global cooperation by offering a space where ideas are shared and refined, while highlighting opportunities and lessons from what it describes as an unprecedented national transformation.
Echoing earlier remarks, Economy and Planning Minister Faisal Alibrahim said Saudi Arabia’s role as an anchor of stability has helped unlock its potential. He stressed that while reducing reliance on a single commodity remains a key objective, Vision 2030 is not an end point. “2030 is not the finishing line,” he said.
Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih said the Kingdom has succeeded in opening access to opportunities while managing major risks, arguing that few countries can offer a comparable overall mix.
“No country has all of those to 100 percent,” he said. “But who can give you the mix that gives you optimum access to opportunities while addressing all of those risks?” He added that Saudi Arabia has delivered that formula, pointing to a doubling of local investment in recent years to levels comparable with India and China.
While societal transformation dominated the morning discussions, the focus shifted in the afternoon to technology, tourism, sport and culture four strategic sectors expected to drive the next phase of Vision 2030.
During the day, the Ministry of Economy and Planning announced the SUSTAIN Platform, scheduled for launch in 2026, aimed at accelerating AI-enabled, cross-sector collaboration for sustainable development. The ministry said the platform will translate public- and private-sector coordination into a practical national tool, helping government bodies, businesses, investors, academia and civil society form credible partnerships and move initiatives from planning to implementation more efficiently.
“We are in a moment in time where technology may well impact the face of humanity,” said Dina Powell McCormick, recently appointed president and vice chairman of Meta, welcoming the Kingdom’s openness to partnering with technology companies and its embrace of innovation.
Minister of Tourism Ahmed Alkhateeb, speaking on the role of technology in his sector, said that while digital tools are essential, people remain central to travel and tourism.
“In travel and tourism, people are very important. We learn about other people’s culture through interacting with people. We digitalize the unnecessary and humanize the necessary,” he said. He added that technological change should not come at the expense of jobs, stressing the importance of protecting the workforce and setting an example.
Throughout the week, Saudi House will host more than 20 sessions, including over 10 officially accredited by the WEF, across six themes: Bold Vision, Insights for Impact, People and Human Capability, Quality of Life, Investment and Collaboration, and Welcoming the World.
The pavilion will also introduce “NextOn,” a new series of influential and educational talks featuring leading global voices.
