WEF 2025: Saudi Foreign Minister Sees Opportunity for Middle East to “Turn a Page” After Gaza Ceasefire
At the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, highlighted the opportunities emerging in the Middle East following the recent Gaza ceasefire. The ceasefire, which took effect earlier in the week, marks a pivotal moment for the region.
Prince Faisal expressed optimism about the future, despite the region's challenges:
“We are certainly in a region that is abundant with risk factors. But we are also in a region that has huge potential. Even with a very difficult year behind us, we have shown we can be resilient as a region. We can look to the future, whether it’s the Kingdom, the GCC countries, or the progress we are seeing in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza.”
He continued:
“The opportunity to turn a page exists in the whole region. I choose to be optimistic.”
Saudi Ministers Discuss Growth and Transformation
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Tourism's Role in Building Trust:
H.E. Ahmed A. Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, emphasized the rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector.
“Since opening our doors in 2019, we’ve been blessed to receive millions of international arrivals. We started with 10 million tourists in 2019 and reached nearly 30 million last year. Travel and tourism is contributing to building a diversified and more resilient economy.” -
Redefining Growth Beyond GDP:
During a session on measuring growth, H.E. Mohammed A. Aljadaan, Minister of Finance, stressed that growth metrics should extend beyond GDP, including inclusivity and sustainability:
“We must ensure that growth is measurable across all dimensions and benefits everyone.” -
Saudi Vision 2030 and Long-term Planning:
H.E. Faisal F. Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning, discussed Saudi Arabia's long-term economic vision:
“Saudi Vision 2030 is an example of bold leadership. It has led us to plan with confidence, deliver with optimism, and manage with prudence.”
Key Announcements from the Saudi Delegation
- Tourism Insights: A WEF briefing paper featuring H.E. Al-Khateeb examined sustainable and inclusive growth in the travel and tourism sector, highlighting cross-sector collaboration’s role in shaping the future.
- Investor White Paper: The Ministry of Tourism released an Investor White Paper detailing the initiatives transforming Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector under Vision 2030.
- Salesforce and IBM Partnership: During a panel hosted by the Ministry of Investment and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Salesforce unveiled plans to open a new regional headquarters in Riyadh. The company also pledged to provide upskilling opportunities for 30,000 Saudi citizens by 2030 and announced a partnership with IBM to establish an AI Innovation Center in the Kingdom.
