JEDDAH: In view of the swift steps to implement the National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020 and Vision 2030, the ministries are competing with each other to ensure their success.

Almost every ministry has been entrusted with the responsibility for achieving the goals set out in Vision 2030.

The Kingdom’s moves to ease the conditions for issuing visas as an effort to attract foreign investment and capital are being seen as an effort to diversity its economy beyond oil.

Bloomberg has said in its comment that Majid Al-Qassabi, minister of commerce and investment, announced a new mechanism for issuing visas swiftly to investors as part of NTP and Vision 2030.

The minister told Bloomberg that visa was one of the core issues that were related to improvement of work environment.

He pointed out that the Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) has formed a committee to make the work of investors easy.

“There are programs for making visas available swiftly. The idea of green card has also been floated, as fast issuing of visas was very important.”

Al-Qassabi said the Saudi authorities were trying to strengthen the foreign direct investment in non-oil sectors to even out the losses due to a drop in oil prices.

The NTP is part of a strategy to achieve the ultimate goal of Vision 2030, Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al-Fayez, planning consultant, has said. “The NTP stems mostly from the previous five-year plans and should not be confused with the Vision.”

“The vision requires willingness for implementation, data and logistics, a unified base of information, accurate knowledge of state-owned human and other resources, the introduction of laws and regulations to govern the transition, awareness among citizens and readiness among state employees to take on responsibilities,” he said.

Through KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), he said, ministers will have up to 100 or more targets to meet. Every three to six months, they must present what they have accomplished and will be held accountable for shortfalls, he said.

Close to half million jobs in the nongovernment sector by 2020 is expected to be generated under the NTP.