Saudi Arabia’s economic miracle and the logic of megaprojects

Saudi Arabia’s economic miracle is not a passing claim but an inspiring story supported by hard data.

Reports by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank stand as the strongest evidence of this transformation.

In less than seven years, the Kingdom has reduced its dependence on oil from 92 percent to 48 percent, cut unemployment to its lowest level in modern Saudi history and empowered women across all sectors.

Today, women account for more than 35 percent of the labor force, compared to just 10 to 15 percent previously.

Saudi Arabia has also risen to the top of numerous international rankings.

It ranks first globally in cybersecurity, according to the 2025 edition of the International Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Yearbook.

It has been first worldwide in terms of public trust in government decisions for three consecutive years, according to the Edelman Trust Report.

And it led the world in the growth of international tourism revenues in the first quarter of 2025, according to UN Tourism.

The Kingdom also ranks first in the Global Cybersecurity Index issued by the International Telecommunication Union and has achieved first place worldwide in the Government AI Strategy pillar of the Global AI Index, reflecting its qualitative progress in digital transformation, governance and international competitiveness.

Saudi Arabia has additionally emerged as a regional and global hub for entertainment, music, culture, sports and moderation.

This comes alongside unprecedented reforms in governance, anticorruption, the judiciary and state institutions more broadly.

Despite all this, some voices in the international media continue to focus narrowly on the feasibility and progress of Saudi Arabia’s megaprojects and constantly cast doubt on them, often overlooking a central pillar of Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program: flexibility and continuous strategic reassessment.

Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification journey, combined with the recalibration of its investment strategy and the scale of projects it has secured and implemented across multiple sectors, naturally requires periodic reprioritization. This includes the phasing of projects, rescheduling spending and aligning timelines with strategic returns.

Any short-term adjustments will be more than compensated for in the future by the revenues generated from the megaprojects being developed under Vision 2030.

What is being delivered today represents a time-based investment, while what is being deferred represents a sustainable investment with higher cumulative returns.

Priority is given to projects with immediate strategic value, while those designed for long-term impact are deferred without cancellation and reordered within a broader national framework.

This is how serious states operate amid intensifying global competition and emerging opportunities across sectors.
In short, this is a strategic depth that Saudi Arabia is consciously reinforcing in its economic transformation, one that some may fail to grasp but that promises stronger and more resilient returns over the long term.

With all that in mind, the Saudi giant has only just begun and it is advisable to pay close attention to the historic economic transformation unfolding in the very near future — one that will benefit Saudis, the region and the world. You are welcome to join.

• Salman Al-Ansari is a prominent Saudi geopolitical researcher and frequent guest on CNN, BBC and France 24. Ranked the most influential political pundit in the Middle East in 2021 by Arab News. X: @salansar1