CEO of the National Transformation Program (NTP) Thamir Al-Sadoun confirmed that the Kingdom is on track to achieve some of the Program’s goals before the turn of this decade.
“The National Transformation Program has achieved numerous milestones, with figures attesting to its success,” said Al-Sadoun in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat.
The program is a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Reviewing figures, Al-Sadoun stressed that foreign investment licenses shot up by over 96% last year compared to 2022.
“More than 200 licenses were issued for international company regional centers,” he revealed.
As for the legal sector, the NTP focused on activating digital transformation in judicial services, and succeeded in raising the percentage of services provided electronically.
He noted that the Kingdom’s “Najiz platform offers over 160 judicial services, saving 65 million visits and conserving 90 million sheets of paper annually.”
Regarding the environment, Al-Sadoun said: “Over 192,000 hectares of vegetation cover have been restored in the Kingdom, increasing protected area coverage to 18.8% of the total area, up from 4.3% in 2016.”
On water systems, the “Saudi Saline Water Conversion Corporation’s desalinated water production capacity reached an unprecedented 11.5 million cubic meters per day, a global record,” according to Al-Sadoun.
Concerning food security, Al-Sadoun said: “The Kingdom now has the largest grain storage capacity in the Middle East, increasing from 2.5 million tons in 2016 to 3.5 million tons.”
With regard to the Kingdom’s digital experience, he revealed that “5G services have been extended to 97 provinces across the Kingdom, with over 6,000 government services now offered electronically.”
Al-Sadoun added that up-to-date achievements and more are detailed in NTP’s annual report, which is available online.
The CEO noted challenges in updating laws but mentioned significant progress with new regulations for business, disability rights, and the environment.
“The Kingdom’s leaders and the NTP’s committee, made up of 12 members including ministers and officials, provide unwavering support to Vision realization programs,” affirmed Al-Sadoun.
“This strong support has kept us moving forward during this ambitious journey, even during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he asserted.
“For instance, one challenge we faced was improving the legal framework to meet our goals and adopt best practices.”
“We've made significant progress by introducing laws like the Disability Rights Law, ensuring the rights of people with disabilities and promoting their inclusion in society.”
“We've also implemented laws like the Occupational Safety and Health Law and the Wage Protection System to improve working conditions for everyone,” added Al-Sadoun.
“Several other regulations and laws are also helping us achieve our targets for 2030,” he revealed.
With the Kingdom making real progress in global indicators, he highlighted how these achievements reflect Saudi Arabia’s future ambitions regarding its global standing and competitiveness.
“The Kingdom has made impressive strides in international indicators, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the NTP,” he reiterated.
“Saudi Arabia’s rise to 17th place globally and 3rd among G20 nations in the Global Competitiveness Report highlights the Kingdom’s major economic reforms aimed at boosting the private sector and attracting investments,” explained Al-Sadoun.
As for what’s next for the NTP, Al-Sadoun said: “We remain committed to achieving our goals and targets, launching initiatives with tangible impact.”
“This impact is realized by the sons and daughters of this nation, and we will continue working with all stakeholders within the framework of the NTP to realize Vision 2030 and beyond,” he added.
