On February 16th, 2021, the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (NCUSAR) and the U.S.-Saudi Business Council (USSBC) hosted a public virtual discussion on a new book co-published by Dr. Turki Faisal Al Rasheed and Dr. Paul Joyce. Dr. John Duke Anthony, Founding President and CEO of NCUSAR, opened the webinar with a summary of the topics of discussion and a brief introduction to the two speakers/co-authors of “Saudi Arabia Transformation: Uncertainty and Sustainability,” Dr. Turki Faisal Al Rasheed and Dr. Paul Joyce. Dr. Turki discussed Saudi Arabia’s long-term strategic vision, its current implementation of long-term projects, and its historical transformation into the country it is today. Dr. Turki emphasized that in the end, the Saudi government simply aims to “create a society for Saudi citizens that is prosperous because it is a diversified economy, and a society that has happy citizens who are satisfied with their lives.” Dr. Joyce elaborated on the Saudi Government’s approach to improving its strategic planning, its long-term visions and implementation of those visions, strategy in pursuing partnerships, and capability-building efforts. The event followed with a question-and-answer session moderated by USSBC President and CEO H. Delano Roosevelt and final remarks on the USSBC’s role in Saudi development. Mr. Roosevelt stressed the Council’s capability to help any of the attendees if they need assistance investing in Saudi Arabia or partnering with Saudi companies to take advantage of the business opportunities discussed. Dr. Anthony concluded the session with remarks on the progress made by Saudi Arabia, noting in particular that the U.S. has more investments in Saudi Arabia than any other country and its companies have the most joint partnerships with Saudi companies.
The full recording of the discussion is available for free at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDy-XdfOV00.
