التخطيط للمستقبل لا يعني انتظار المستقبل

In the annual royal speech delivered before the Shura Council by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the discussion of achievements was not merely a showcase of numbers from past years, but the speech carried a deeper message regarding how to manage the future in a rapidly changing world. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the speech was its emphasis that long-term planning does not mean stagnation and immobility, but rather the ability to adapt to changes. This phrase, in my opinion, represents an important key to understanding the upcoming phase of the Kingdom's journey.

Over ten years of Vision 2030, the programs and strategies of the vision have achieved 93% of their targets, non-oil exports have grown by 155% compared to 2016, and the contribution of the private sector to the economy has risen to 51%. The transportation and logistics system has continued to play its role in dealing with changes in supply chains. These are indicators that not only reflect the magnitude of the achievement but also the transformation in the structure of the economy and its ability to respond to changing conditions. Here lies the importance of the economic message in the speech; the next phase is not merely a continuation of what has been achieved but a direction of resources towards areas with the highest economic and social impact. Therefore, there was an emphasis on building competitive local economic systems, enhancing partnerships with the private sector, increasing local content, and achieving sustainable financial returns.

Notably, the concept of adaptability was not limited to the economy; the royal speech placed humans at the heart of development, with education and health at the forefront of priorities. Investment in human capital aims to empower citizens to compete and excel in the labor market. The royal speech also addressed the reform of the real estate sector and increasing citizens' ownership of homes, while emphasizing the need to address its challenges in a way that preserves financial and economic stability and does not affect the prospects of future generations. In the same vein, artificial intelligence is presented as one of the tools of the future; the designation of 2026 as the "Year of Artificial Intelligence" does not seem to be a symbolic goal in the context of the speech but rather part of a direction towards developing applications and solutions that enhance productivity, improve service quality, and build Saudi competencies capable of leading these transformations. This complements the progress mentioned in the speech regarding digital readiness, cybersecurity, and the maturity of digital governments.

Externally, the concept of resilience appeared differently in dealing with security and regional transformations, enhancing Gulf cooperation, establishing the Mecca Defense Alliance with Turkey and Pakistan, and addressing the energy crisis. The speech affirmed the Kingdom's continued role in global energy security, alongside the establishment of a multinational maritime defense coalition to enhance maritime security and protect international waterways. It also renewed the Saudi position on the Palestinian issue, Yemen, and Sudan, emphasizing support for diplomatic solutions and de-escalation while not compromising the Kingdom's security.

Thus, the speech can be read as a transition from the question of what we have achieved? to a more important question of what enables us to continue and succeed when circumstances change. Countries are not only measured by their commitment to their plans but also by their ability to review their tools, redirect their resources, leverage changes, and turn challenges into opportunities. This may be one of the most important messages of the speech to state institutions: that success in the upcoming phase will not be determined solely by the number of initiatives or the high number of achieved indicators, but by the institutions' ability to measure impact, efficiently use resources, respond to changes, and ensure the sustainability of what has been achieved.

After ten years of Vision 2030, it seems that the bet is no longer just on achieving targets but on building a sustainable national capacity to create new targets when the world changes. Here, planning for the future becomes different—not just knowing what the future will look like but possessing the ability to deal with it, whatever its form may be.