The Kingdom has entered a new phase that lays stress on the wellbeing of the Saudi people, based on the fundamentals of development, economic growth, and innovation. The strong will of the leadership and the people has given added impetus to the determined efforts to fulfill all the planned objectives. This does not in any way imply that the Kingdom has not seen any form of development over the past decades. It is a well-known fact that ever since the foundation of the Kingdom by late King Abdulaziz, the Kingdom has been a haven for peace and security. He laid the foundation for a stable and flourishing nation in the years to come. What brings change in the new phase is the renewed determination of the Kingdom to diversify its sources of income away from oil, under the National Transformation Program 2020 and the Saudi Vision 2030. Oil will no longer be the primary factor in moving the wheels of development. The Kingdom plans to be a favored destination for external investments rather than itself being an investor overseas. It seeks to be a producer of strategic goods instead of importing them. An important element in the new era is the "people's desire for change," as summarized by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in an interview with Washington Post. He sees this factor as fundamental to future success, when the "sky is the limit" for fulfilling the Kingdom's ambitions. The fact that Prince Mohammed represents the young generation and speaks the language of their ambitions is a key factor as well. He looks to the future from the perspective of the younger generation. In his interview, Prince Mohammed was emphatic of finding lasting solutions rather than temporary cures. He cited the housing and unemployment problems as issues that need attention. His views clearly reflected the leadership's desire for change Recognizing and acknowledging any problem is the first step towards solving it. Citizens thus feel assured of the correct steps being taken to achieve the set objective for the ultimate good of the people.
