Dhaka : The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates its 96th National Day, commemorating the unification of the Kingdom by the late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud and celebrating the nation’s remarkable journey of development, prosperity and transformation.This year’s National Day is celebrated under the theme “Our Pride Is in Our Nature” (عزّنابطبعنا), reflecting the values, traditions and qualities that characterize Saudi society, while highlighting the Kingdom’s confidence in its national identity and its aspirations for the future.
The National Day comes as Saudi Arabia continues to advance the ambitious objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which has entered its final phase, covering the period from 2026 to 2030. The current phase focuses on consolidating the achievements of the previous years, accelerating economic diversification, strengthening investment, empowering the private sector and enhancing sustainable development.According to the latest official Vision 2030 Annual Report for 2025, 93% of Vision’s key performance indicators had achieved and some were close to achieving their annual targets. Furthermore, 90% of Vision 2030 initiatives were either completed or progressing according to plan, out of 1,290 initiatives, including 225 completed initiatives and 935 progressing as planned.
The Kingdom has also recorded significant economic achievements. The number of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises reached approximately 8.88 million in 2025, exceeding the annual target of 7.55 million. Non-oil exports reached approximately US$166 billion, compared with around US$64.6 billion in 2016, reflecting the continued expansion of the Kingdom’s non-oil economy.Saudi Arabia also advanced to 17th globally in the 2025 World Competitiveness Ranking, surpassing the Vision 2030 target of 39th place.
In the social development sector, the percentage of Saudi citizens who own their homes reached 66.24% in 2025, exceeding the Vision’s target of 65%. The Kingdom also welcomed approximately 18.03 million pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia for Umrah, surpassing the annual target of 15 million.
In healthcare and quality of life, basic healthcare services reached 97.5% coverage of populated areas by the end of 2025. Road-traffic fatalities have declined by more than 60% since the launch of Vision 2030, while deaths resulting from chronic diseases declined by approximately 40%, and deaths from infectious diseases decreased by 50%.Women’s participation in the Saudi economy has also continued to expand. Female economic participation exceeded 36%, compared with 17% in 2017, while women’s representation in middle and senior management positions reached 44.1%, compared with 28.6% in 2017.
Investment has remained another important pillar of the Kingdom’s transformation. Foreign direct investment inflows increased by 14% in 2025 to approximately SAR 136 billion, while the stock of foreign direct investment reached approximately SAR 1.1 trillion.These achievements form part of a broader transformation taking place across the Kingdom, encompassing tourism, culture, entertainment, sports, technology, transportation, energy, industry and other strategic sectors. Major national projects and initiatives continue to contribute to the diversification of the Saudi economy and the development of new opportunities for citizens, residents, investors and international partners.
As Saudi Arabia celebrates its 96th National Day, the occasion represents both a celebration of the Kingdom’s rich history and identity and an opportunity to highlight its continuing transformation and aspirations for the future.Guided by the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom continues its journey toward a diversified and sustainable economy, a vibrant society and an ambitious nation, building on its achievements while pursuing new opportunities for growth and development.
