Al-Riyadh Newspaper 05 Oct. 2025

The collected texts offer a multi-faceted overview of various initiatives and events within Saudi Arabia, focusing heavily on national development goals and large-scale projects. Several sources detail the Kingdom’s commitment to social welfare and community engagement, highlighting efforts to protect children in cyberspace, improve citizen services in Riyadh and other municipalities, and strengthen healthcare through advanced treatments and technologies, such as cancer detection and bone marrow transplants. Economically, the material references the Vision 2030 strategy, noting impressive growth in non-oil activities and strategic investments by the Public Investment Fund, alongside discussions of the growing real estate market and housing support programs. Furthermore, the texts cover cultural and international events, including the Riyadh International Book Fair, the Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition, and the Islamic Solidarity Games, while also touching upon global issues like the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the fluctuating international oil and precious metals markets.

Saudi Arabia’s Child Cyber Protection Initiatives

The discussion of Child Cyber Protection within the context of the provided sources highlights the critical efforts and global initiatives spearheaded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, recognizing the necessity of safeguarding children in the evolving digital environment.

Strategic Importance of Child Protection

The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 places the Saudi citizen as the focus and goal of development. Within this comprehensive framework, significant attention is given to children. This focus ensures integrated systems that guarantee children’s rights, provide protection, and secure their health and social care, promoting their comprehensive development in a safe environment.

The need for specific cyber protection measures arose as the Kingdom acknowledged the potential drawbacks of the “amazing technological development” that has transformed the world into a “small village”. This rapid technological change necessitated dedicated programs for greater awareness and education for individuals, particularly children.

Key Initiatives in Cyberspace

The Kingdom, under the guidance of its leadership, dedicated significant efforts to protecting children in cyberspace. These efforts culminated in two major actions:

1. The Child Protection in Cyberspace Initiative: This is a global initiative launched by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

• Goal: The initiative aims to maximize collective action and unify international efforts. It seeks to increase global awareness among decision-makers regarding the growing threats children face in cyberspace.
• Scope and Impact: The initiative targets reaching more than 150 million children worldwide. Furthermore, it supports the development of cyber safety skills for over 16 million beneficiaries and applies frameworks for responding to cyber threats affecting children in more than 50 countries globally.

1. The Global Child Cyber Protection Index (GCPI): The launch of this index anticipates World Children’s Day.

• Function: The Kingdom was keen that this indicator should not just be launched, but actively worked on locally. It serves as a global tool capable of measuring the progress made in building a safer cyberspace for children.
• Support for Decision-Makers: The Index is designed to provide practical insights to decision-makers, helping them enhance child protection in cyberspace.

The intensive programs and efforts deployed by the Kingdom for child protection in cyberspace are recognized and appreciated by international organizations and specialists, confirming the central role of the Kingdom on the global stage and its commitment to activating partnerships.

Saudi Vision 2030: Progress and Citizen Focus

The Saudi Vision 2030 is presented in the sources as more than mere slogans, but a comprehensive national project that places the Saudi citizen as the focus and goal of development. This ambitious roadmap aims to transform the Kingdom across multiple sectors, balancing national aspiration with prudent fiscal management.

Key objectives and outcomes associated with Vision 2030, as reflected in the sources, include:

Economic Diversification and Resilience

• Projecting Saudi Arabia as a Global Leader: The Vision establishes Saudi Arabia’s prominence on the global stage.
• Economic Diversification: A core objective is to move beyond reliance on oil. Efforts in economic diversification have resulted in the contribution of non-oil activities to the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reaching a historic high of 55.6% in the first half of 2025, a significant jump from the Vision’s launch in 2016.
• Non-Oil Exports: Non-oil exports have seen major growth, reaching a surplus of 49.8 billion riyals in 2024, marking an increase of nearly 95% in less than a decade.
• Non-Oil Revenues: Non-oil revenues are anticipated to reach 1,147 billion riyals in 2026, a 5.1% increase from the previous year, highlighting the shift away from oil dependency.
• Fiscal Stability and Growth: The Kingdom aims for a balanced economic scene. The prudent financial management reflected in the draft budget for 2026 demonstrates the government’s high flexibility and its ability to manage spending priorities while maintaining community welfare.
• Private Sector Growth: The Vision positions the private sector as a main engine for economic growth, with private investment registering 4.6% growth in the first half of 2025.

Focus on Citizen Welfare and Social Development

• Citizen-Centric Development: The citizen remains the “axis of development and its goal”. This involves ensuring integrated systems that guarantee children’s rights, protection, and comprehensive development in a safe environment.
• Quality of Life: Vision 2030 aims to enhance the quality of life for citizens, which is reflected in various sector-specific goals:
• Child Cyber Protection: The commitment to securing children’s welfare extends to the digital realm, evidenced by the Global Child Cyber Protection Index and the Child Protection in Cyberspace Initiative.
• Healthcare Transformation: The Vision supports the development of the healthcare sector, promoting a shift toward digital transformation, and is reflected in the efforts of specialized medical centers and initiatives like the new technology “Simmia” for early breast cancer diagnosis.
• Housing Stability (“Sakani”): Policies and programs, such as the “Sakani” program, are aligned with the Vision’s goal of raising the rate of residential ownership to 70% by 2030, and recent measures were introduced to ensure the stability and affordability of the real estate market.
• Green Initiatives: The “Saudi Green” Initiative is a profound philosophical shift, aiming for a cleaner, greener future, and committing to carbon neutrality by 2060, thereby enhancing the quality of life and sustaining the economy.

Investing in Human Capital and Global Competitiveness

• Human Capital: The Vision emphasizes the investment in human minds as the fundamental pillar for building the nation.
• Educational Development: Vision 2030 acts as a key driver for developing education and teachers, encouraging international scholarship programs and professional development to produce globally qualified citizens.
• Workforce Participation: The Vision has contributed to an increase in women’s participation in the labor market to 34.5% and a decrease in the unemployment rate among Saudis to 6.8%.
• Technological Advancement and Digital Transformation: The Kingdom is striving for global leadership in adopting advanced technology.
• Cybersecurity: Saudi Arabia achieved the first position globally in the Cybersecurity Index for the second consecutive year in 2025, demonstrating its commitment to building a secure digital environment.
• Urban Development: Initiatives like the “Riyadh Municipal Transformation Program” seek to upgrade the quality and efficiency of city services to match Riyadh’s status as a global city, aligning with Vision 2030’s goals.

In summary, the sources indicate that the primary objective of Vision 2030 is to achieve sustainable and comprehensive development by placing the citizen first, diversifying the economy, investing heavily in human capital, and adopting advanced technologies while preserving environmental and cultural heritage. The Vision focuses on maximizing the impact of achievements across all regions.

Saudi Real Estate Finance and Vision 2030

Real Estate Finance is identified in the sources as a fundamental pillar of Saudi Arabia’s comprehensive national development project, Vision 2030, which aims to increase the rate of residential ownership to 70% by 2030. The stability of the real estate market and the family unit is a primary concern for the leadership.

The discussion of real estate finance covers the existing Saudi model, recent government interventions to stabilize the market, and international comparisons that highlight areas for development.

The Saudi Real Estate Finance Model

The Kingdom’s approach relies heavily on government support and rapid market growth:

1. Market Size and Growth: The volume of real estate finance in Saudi Arabia reached approximately $226 billion in 2024, demonstrating a robust annual growth rate of 13%.
2. The “Sakani” Program: The government provides subsidized loans through the “Sakani” program, which offers low-interest rates (ranging from 3% to 5%) and financing up to 90% of the property value for first-time buyers.
3. Liquidity Mechanism: The Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC) plays a key role by purchasing new issue loans from banks to provide liquidity. While this system is considered effective, the secondary market for mortgage-backed financial securities (MBS) is less developed compared to markets like the United States.

Policies for Market Stabilization and Balance

The Kingdom has taken decisive action to address market volatility and ensure housing stability, particularly in response to rapid price escalation.

1. Addressing Price and Supply Imbalances

The market, especially in Riyadh, experienced high volatility, with real estate prices recording the highest change rate in the Kingdom at 10.7% in the first quarter of the current year. This rapid increase was attributed to high demand and a shortage of real estate supply.

To mitigate these issues, policies were introduced that:

• Encourage Investment: Policies were put in place to discourage land hoarding (“treasuring it”) and promote real investment.
• Increase Supply: Measures included lifting the suspension on throwing (selling) lands in Riyadh and other areas (covering over 81 million square meters), which is expected to increase the supply of real estate and subsequently lead to a reduction in prices.

2. Stabilizing Rental Values (Tackling the Price Surge)

Recent directives were issued to stabilize the rental market, which had suffered from arbitrary and unsupported price increases.

• Tackling Monopolistic Practices: The new regulations aim to break non-standard pricing and monopolistic practices.
• Fixed Rental Value: A key measure is the fixing of the rental value for both residential and commercial properties for a period of five years (effective from September 2025).
• Protection for Tenants: This aims to enable tenants (individuals and businesses) to plan financially over the medium term without unexpected increases, thereby stabilizing the financial planning of small and medium-sized companies, especially in the retail sector.
• “Ejar” Platform: The regulations require mandatory contract documentation on the “Ejar” platform to preserve the rights of all parties involved.

These policies reflect a high degree of flexibility and efficiency on the part of the government to intervene with solutions that ultimately benefit the public.

Global Comparisons and Future Development Needs

A review of global real estate finance models highlights the areas where the Saudi model could evolve to achieve the goals of Vision 2030:

Global ModelKey FeatureComparison/Insight for Saudi ArabiaSource(s)United StatesHighly competitive market, strong secondary market for MBS.Saudi Arabia needs to develop its secondary market to increase liquidity and potentially lower interest rates (currently higher than US rates due to risk calculation).China & SingaporeReliance on mandatory savings schemes (CPF/Housing Fund) to support loans.Saudi Arabia lacks a comprehensive mandatory savings system. Implementing such a system could reduce reliance on external debt and protect against interest rate fluctuations.GermanyStable market relying on “Bausparverträge” (savings contracts) with fixed, low-interest rates.Germany offers greater stability. Saudi Arabia needs a similar regulated savings system to protect against inflation in interest rates.FranceGovernment-backed interest-free loans for first-time buyers (PTZ).The Saudi “Sakani” loans are subsidized but have low interest; France’s model provides an example of maximizing youth support through zero-interest options, which should be linked to sustainability criteria.JapanStable long-term loans (up to 100 years), benefiting from lessons learned during past asset bubbles.Japan’s focus on long-term stability and avoiding bubbles is valuable. Saudi Arabia needs to focus on long-term loans to enhance stability.Recommendations for Improvement:

Based on international comparisons, the sources suggest that the Saudi model could be enhanced by:

• Developing a strong secondary market for financial securities.
• Launching a national compulsory savings program to target youth (18–35 years).
• Offering interest-free government loans for housing.
• Accelerating digitization of finance services (using rapid technology adoption like the UK and Japan) and enhancing financial market oversight.

World Teachers’ Day and Saudi Vision 2030

The sources discuss the observance and significance of the Teacher’s Global Day (or World Teachers’ Day) and the central role of the teacher in national development, particularly within the context of Saudi Arabia.

Global Observance and Historical Context

Teacher’s Global Day is an annual global event that takes place on October 5th. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Ministry of Education, participates in celebrating this day every year.

The celebration of this day originated to commemorate the signing of the 1966 recommendation concerning the status of teachers, developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNESCO. This day was formally designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1994.

The original 1966 recommendation addressed the status of teachers, established policy criteria, and specified standards for teacher education, training, and continuous professional development.

Significance and Objectives

Teacher’s Global Day is considered an opportunity to:

• Honor the teaching profession globally.
• Highlight the vital role of teachers in building generations.
• Acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of teachers and female teachers.
• Increase awareness about the importance of the teacher’s role in society and their fundamental contribution to the development of communities.
• Recognize the teacher as an essential pillar for building the future and ensuring the continuation of scientific and practical life.
• Provide a unique opportunity to leave a lasting and sustainable impact on the lives of others and achieve self-realization.

The sources emphasize that this day should be utilized globally every year to honor and appreciate the teacher in recognition of their value.

The Teacher’s Role in Saudi Vision 2030

The discussion in the sources consistently reinforces the teacher’s vital function in supporting the national transformation roadmap:

• Human Capital Investment: The Saudi Vision 2030, which views the citizen as the focus and goal of development, heavily emphasizes the investment in human minds as the fundamental pillar for national development.
• Educational Driver: Vision 2030 acts as a principal catalyst for developing education and teachers.
• Global Qualifications: Efforts are focused on training and preparing Saudi teachers with global standards to lead the educational process in various specialties. The Saudi teacher is positioned to be a competent and conscious generation ready for global competition and innovation.
• Continuous Development: The current era, guided by Vision 2030, involves continuous professional development, international scholarships, and programs aimed at improving teaching practices and enhancing the educational environment.
• Pioneering Role: The teacher is viewed not merely as a content implementer, but as a professional practitioner and leader of learning. They are the main partner in achieving sustainable development.

Activities and Programs in the Kingdom

Educational institutions, including general education schools, universities, and colleges, carry out a variety of programs on this day, such as exhibitions, seminars, and lectures. These activities aim to reinforce the stature of the teacher and highlight their foundational role in the journey of life. The celebrations are held under the theme “Our Pride is in Our Nature”.

The Ministry of Education directs schools and administrations to implement programs and activities to celebrate this day, focusing on showcasing the achievements of male and female teachers and instilling national and ethical values in students’ hearts.

Saudi Arabia Vision 2030: Economic Growth Strategy

The Economic Growth Strategy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is centered on the comprehensive national project of Vision 2030, which aims to achieve sustainable and comprehensive development by placing the Saudi citizen as the focus and goal of development. This strategy balances national ambition with fiscal prudence and relies on economic diversification, private sector empowerment, and investment in human capital and technology.

Key pillars and achievements of this strategy include:

1. Economic Diversification and Resilience

A core objective of the growth strategy is to move beyond reliance on oil. The Kingdom has demonstrated high flexibility and resilience, sustaining a robust economic path despite global economic turbulence and geopolitical risks.

• Non-Oil GDP Growth: Efforts toward diversification have been successful, with the contribution of non-oil activities to the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reaching a historic high of 55.6% in the first half of 2025, increasing by 4.8%.
• Non-Oil Revenue: Structural reforms have significantly impacted revenue generation, with non-oil revenues anticipated to reach 1,147 billion riyals in 2026, marking a 5.1% increase from the previous year. Non-oil exports achieved a surplus of 49.8 billion riyals in 2024, reflecting an increase of almost 95% in less than a decade.
• Targeted Investments: The diversification strategy focuses on large projects that have a significant economic and social impact. For example, the Kingdom is investing heavily in manufacturing, leading to the establishment of major facilities like the King Salman Complex for Car Manufacturing, which promotes the localization of industrial knowledge.

2. Fiscal Management and Stability

The strategy is characterized by sound financial management (الادارة المالية الرشيدة), which balances expenditure rationalization with protecting community welfare.

• High Flexibility: The government maintains high flexibility in managing spending priorities, demonstrating the capacity to accelerate or slow down expenditure based on necessity without impacting macroeconomic stability.
• Fiscal Planning: The draft budget for 2026 anticipates registering a calculated deficit of 3.3% of the real GDP. This deficit is precisely calculated to accelerate growth and reflects a continuation of structural policies aimed at stimulating the economy, rather than structural weaknesses.
• Financing Tools: The Kingdom maintains safe levels of public debt and diversifies its financing tools, using sukuk, bonds, and loans, alongside expanding alternative financing for megaprojects.

3. Private Sector Empowerment

The strategy views the private sector as the main engine for economic growth.

• Investment Growth: Private investment has shown tangible results, registering 4.6% growth in the first half of 2025.
• Confidence Building: The government has fostered a competitive and stimulating business environment, fulfilling obligations to companies and boosting investor confidence both locally and internationally.
• Real Estate Sector: The real estate sector is recognized as a key economic driver. Government policies, such as stabilizing rental values for five years, aim to encourage real investment over land hoarding and ensure market balance, which supports the financial planning of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

4. Human Capital and Technology Investment

The investment in human capital (رأس المال البشري) is the fundamental pillar for national building.

• Workforce Outcomes: The strategy has led to measurable social and economic transformations, including a decrease in the unemployment rate among Saudis to 6.8% and an increase in women’s participation in the labor market to 34.5%.
• Technological Adoption: The Kingdom is striving for global leadership in adopting advanced technology. Saudi Arabia achieved the first position globally in the Cybersecurity Index for the second consecutive year in 2025, demonstrating its commitment to building a secure digital environment that supports sustained economic development.
• Targeted Skill Development: Programs like “Azm” (عزم), launched by the Public Investment Fund, focus on developing and employing national cadres in technical and professional fields, ensuring the workforce is qualified for global competition and prepared for large-scale development projects.

5. Sector-Specific Strategies

• Polymers and Petrochemicals: The National Industrial and Logistics Development Program (NIDLP), a Vision 2030 initiative, highlights the need to accelerate the development of the polymer industry to transform crude oil and gas into high value-added polymer products, enhancing competitiveness and increasing non-oil revenues.
• Tourism and Culture: These sectors are noted as being among the fastest-growing globally. The strategy supports cultural investments (e.g., arts and crafts) to enhance the overall visitor experience, increase tourist spending, and create sustainable income for craftsmen and hotels.
• Urban Development: Initiatives like the Riyadh Municipal Transformation Program aim to upgrade city services to match Riyadh’s status as a global city, thereby enhancing the quality of life and supporting its growing economic role as a destination for investment and global events.

In essence, the strategy involves a deliberate and flexible roadmap focused on maximizing the impact of achievements across all sectors, positioning Saudi Arabia for sustained growth and global competitiveness.