Saudi Arabia’s Public Diplomacy Under Vision 2030

In modern globalized society, states are not only evaluated based on their economic or military strength but also by the way they are perceived by other nations. This is where public diplomacy becomes important. It enables states to interact with foreign societies and influence their image via culture, media, and interaction. For many years, Saudi Arabia had been relying primarily on its oil resources and strategic position with little emphasis on public diplomacy. However, the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016, was a significant change in this strategy. It signaled Saudi Arabia’s intention to not only transform its economy but also improve its global image.

Before 2016, Saudi Arabia was not much interested in actively communicating with foreign audiences. The external discourse made its global image, and most of its accounts were based on its social conservativeness and reliance on oil. This was reversed with the introduction of Vision 2030 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The strategy focused on economic diversification, social reforms, and internationalization. The creation of a Public Diplomacy Agency in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also indicated that enhancing the international image of the country was now a strategic priority.

One of the main goals of Saudi Arabia’s public diplomacy under Vision 2030 is to reduce its dependence on oil. According to World Bank, Oil still contributes around 70–80% of government revenue which makes the economy vulnerable to global price changes. In this regard, the Kingdom seeks to diversify by expanding other industries, including tourism, entertainment, and technology. Another important goal is to enhance its international image and portray itself as a progressive and contemporary state. The involvement of economic and image-building objectives in Saudi Arabia is also reflective of the fact that the country is set to receive 100 million visitors annually by 2030.

Saudi Arabia has embraced a number of strategies to meet these goals. In 2019, the opening of the country to international tourism was one of the greatest steps. This was a historic step because Saudi Arabia had been closed to the majority of tourists. Tourism has since expanded at a very high rate with the country recording more than 100 million domestic and foreign trips in 2023, which is higher than the original expectations (Ministry of Tourism, 2024). Significant development projects like NEOM, Qiddiya, and Al-Ula have been created to facilitate this expansion and make Saudi Arabia a modern and attractive destination (Vision 2030).

Sports diplomacy is another significant strategy. Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in international sports in order to gain global recognition. For example, it purchased English football club Newcastle United in 2021 and invested in the Saudi Pro League, attracting international players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Neymar Jr. These actions have helped the Kingdom to gain attention. Moreover, Saudi Arabia will host FIFA world cup 2034, which will further enhance its presence in the world. These programs demonstrate how sport can be employed as a public diplomacy instrument to enhance the reputation of a country.

Cultural diplomacy is also an important part of Saudi Arabia’s strategy. The country has focused the promoting its rich cultural heritage and enhancing the experience of the Muslim pilgrims visiting Mecca every year. It has also introduced cinemas, concerts, and cultural festivals, which were once limited. These modifications are supposed to depict a more open and modern society. Events such as Expo 2030 in Riyadh will enable the exposure of millions of visitors to the Saudi culture directly. Such type of people-to-people connection is a significant element of the public diplomacy because it contributes to the development of mutual understanding among nations.

Despite these efforts, Saudi Arabia is experiencing a number of challenges in its public diplomacy. The worst of these is the problem of human rights. In 2018, the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul resulted in an immense damage to the international image of the Kingdom. The incident raised the issue of freedom of speech and political dissent within Saudi Arabia on the international level. It is still influencing the perception of the country by Western governments and media outlets even several years later.

The word “sportswashing” is often used to describe Saudi Arabia’s heavy investment in sports. According to critics, such investments are not about sports at all, but about the use of entertainment to distract the world on human rights issues at home. Many scholars of international relations and public diplomacy take this criticism seriously and this makes Saudi Arabian image campaign less effective in some parts of the world, especially in Europe and North America.

There is another greater challenge of credibility. Public diplomacy is most effective in cases where the image a nation presents to the outside world is the same one at home. As of the Freedom House 2024 report, Saudi Arabia is still considered to be “Not Free,” and there are severe limitations on political rights and civil liberties. If ordinary Saudi citizens, especially women, journalists, and activists, do not experience the promised reforms in their daily lives, then the international message becomes ineffective. Marketing alone cannot be used as a foundation of soft power, it requires actual and tangible change on the ground to be believable.

In Conclusion, the public diplomacy of Saudi Arabia under the Vision 2030 is a significant attempt to end the oil-based identity and form a new global image. The Kingdom is making attempts to portray itself as a dynamic and modern state through tourism, sports, cultural reforms, and international engagement. However, the effectiveness of this initiative will rely on its ability to respond to current issues and establish a credible reputation among the global community. Vision 2030 is not merely an economic plan; it is a broader strategy to rebrand Saudi Arabia in the world.