Episode 5-Beyond the Mirage: Saudi Arabia's Economic Revolution

Since 2016, under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has been experiencing something of an economic transformation. At the heart of this shift is Vision 2030, an ambitious and visionary plan for a post-oil economy.As the world's largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia is an important country. Its economic transformation has far-reaching implications, not only for the Kingdom but for the Middle East and the rest of the world.In our fifth episode, we spoke to Tim Callen, a former assistant director in the Middle East and Central Asia department at the International Monetary Fund. He served as the IMF’s mission chief for Saudi Arabia and as the chief of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries’ division from 2012-2021.He is currently a visiting fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.In this episode we touch on topics including:Saudi Vision 2030 and assessing the progress so farThe development of the kingdom's financial and capital marketsLooking at FDI levels into the kingdomThe increasing influence of the PIF in the economyChallenges facing Saudi Arabia's economy in 2024 and beyondIntro theme song-'Tales of the Arabian Nights' composed by StudioKolomna via Pixabay