Projects Under ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ Set to Enter Implementation Phase

Saudi Vision 2030 continues with implementation steps for targeted economic transformation (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Vision 2030 continues with implementation steps for targeted economic transformation (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Projects Under ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ Set to Enter Implementation Phase

Saudi Vision 2030 continues with implementation steps for targeted economic transformation (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Vision 2030 continues with implementation steps for targeted economic transformation (Asharq Al-Awsat)

National development projects launched under “Vision 2030” in Saudi Arabia are witnessing remarkable and steady progress as they move forward from planning to implementation across the Kingdom.

Considered bold, yet achievable, these projects will raise the international bar in terms of quality, environmental friendliness, sustainability, and the use of renewable and alternative energy.

Largescale developments like “The Line”, “Red Sea”, “AlUla”, “AlSouda”, renewable energy programs like The National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), and initiatives like the “Riyadh Strategy” are steadily moving Saudi Arabia towards achieving the goals envisioned by its national transformation plan for the decade.

The Line, for example, offers a never-before-seen approach to urbanization – a 170km-belt of re-imagined urban development with multiple, hyper-connected communities, with natural and walkable spaces.

It is a model of urban design and livability that puts people and the planet in harmony for the 21st century and beyond. Built around nature, rather than over it, large areas of land will be preserved for conservation, supporting NEOM’s environment and rich heritage.

Construction of the smart city will start in the first quarter of 2021 and is set to be a home for more than 1 million people from all over the world and will create a platform for innovation and prosperous businesses.

It will also help in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges, like climate change, urban sprawl, traffic congestion, and social disconnection.

Meanwhile, the Riyadh Strategy is on track to generate mega projects, create job opportunities, and expand the Saudi capital’s economic horizons.

It aims to make Riyadh among the top 10 economic cities in the world to drive forward the country’s economic, industrial, and tourism growth in upcoming years.

Moreover, the scheme targets increasing the capital’s population from 7.5 million to around 15 to 20 million in 2030.



UN Trade Agency: New Trade War Deadline Prolongs Instability

Workers inspect imported stones at a marble factory in Kishangarh, in India's Rajasthan state on July 8, 2025. (Photo by HIMANSHU SHARMA / AFP)
Workers inspect imported stones at a marble factory in Kishangarh, in India's Rajasthan state on July 8, 2025. (Photo by HIMANSHU SHARMA / AFP)
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UN Trade Agency: New Trade War Deadline Prolongs Instability

Workers inspect imported stones at a marble factory in Kishangarh, in India's Rajasthan state on July 8, 2025. (Photo by HIMANSHU SHARMA / AFP)
Workers inspect imported stones at a marble factory in Kishangarh, in India's Rajasthan state on July 8, 2025. (Photo by HIMANSHU SHARMA / AFP)

The Trump administration's decision to extend a negotiating deadline for tariff rates is prolonging uncertainty and instability for countries, the executive director of the United Nations trade agency said on Tuesday.

US President Donald Trump on Monday ramped up his trade war, telling 14 nations, from powerhouse suppliers such as Japan and South Korea to minor trade players, that they now face sharply higher tariffs from a new deadline of August 1.

"This move actually extends the period of uncertainty, undermining long-term investment and business contracts, and creating further uncertainty and instability," Pamela Coke-Hamilton, executive director of the International Trade Centre, told reporters in Geneva, according to Reuters.

"If a business is not clear on what costs they are going to pay, they cannot plan, they cannot decide on who will invest," Coke-Hamilton said, citing the example of Lesotho, where major textile exporting companies have withheld their investment for the time being, pending a tariff outcome.

The uncertainty, combined with deep cuts in development aid, had created a "dual shock" for developing countries, she added.

Countries have been under pressure to conclude deals with the US after Trump unleashed a global trade war in April that roiled financial markets and sent policymakers scrambling to protect their economies.