Saudis have no fear

This much I know is true, when the crown prince addresses his people, we have a feeling of safety and that our lives are truly changing for the better. He always paints the full picture of both the present and the future, speaking from heart-to-heart, and has true leadership qualities, particularly wisdom, self-confidence, and great humility. His sound vision for a better future for the Kingdom and his actions are a reassurance that every Saudi is in his heart and at the top of his priorities.

His intelligent perspective and clear vision are a breath of fresh air, far from the echo of empty slogans. He speaks with full transparency, relying on numbers and reasoning without hyperbole, in both domestic and foreign matters. When it comes to foreign policy, he appreciates the value of others, while at the same time rejecting their transgressions. All these features reflect the special charisma of the crown prince during the engaging interview that he gave on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the launch of Vision 2030, during which he spoke about the future of the Kingdom.

When asked what comes after 2030, simply he answered “2040,” indicating that he is charting a course to a bright future that does not stop at excellence on the local level, but rather, will establish the Kingdom’s competitiveness globally.

The crown prince’s message of reassurance made it clear that we are dealing with an exceptional leader with an insightful political and economic vision that is bound to succeed, as reflected in the figures he quoted about the Kingdom’s incredible progress. These include a decrease in unemployment, an increase in the housing rate, and other successes that have been achieved during the five years since the launch of Vision 2030.

During the interview, the Crown Prince said, “Saudis have no fear.” This is a fact, for how could we be afraid when you, Your Highness, are the architect of the future? This statement was one of the main things that caught the attention of the global media, and was widely circulated creating a strong impact. His spontaneous responses highlighted the wisdom and successful strategy of the crown prince in managing the affairs of the Kingdom. The American Associated Press quoted the crown prince’s saying, “I believe that the term ‘fear’ does not exist in any Saudi dictionary because Saudis fear nothing.” The Economic Times talked about the crown prince’s comprehensive vision in the decision-making strategy, highlighting his quote: “Without a strong position for the State that draws policies and sets strategies and aligns them with the different entities and grants to every ministry the role it is needed to implement it, nothing will be achieved.”

Bloomberg talked about His Highness’ reassurance to Saudis that the Kingdom would not impose an income tax, and that decision to impose the 15% value-added tax was temporary. The Financial Times also highlighted his statements that Riyadh aspires to establish good relations with Tehran and rejects the presence of militias threatening Saudi Arabia’s security.

Many global reactions indicate envy of the progress and goodness in our country led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which only serves to increase our reassurance at having him as a leader. As he said, the greatest thing Saudi Arabia has is its Saudi citizens. In response, I say from the bottom of my heart, you are the greatest thing we have, Mohammed bin Salman.

This article was originally published in, and translated from, Saudi Arabian outlet al-Jazirah.

Read more:

Mohammed bin Salman’s development project

Who are we? An interview with Mohammed bin Salman

Vision 2030: A dawn that dispels doubts