The MBS of Saudi -Arabia turns 40 after decade to transform Saudi Arabia with large reforms

When President Donald Trump Saudi Arabia chose his first foreign journey of the new term – Meeting Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) in Riyad – it underlined how closely the American interests now follow Saudi change. In turn, MBS will visit the White House in the coming months. The timing is remarkable: this month it will be 40 and marks for 10 years in power, with a domestic record that few leaders have matched in one decade.

The most visible shift has been in the rights of women. In a nation of more than 20 million citizens, women now drive without a male guardian and hold a role in the law, aviation, diplomacy and the C-suite-the household and broaden the talent basis of the country. Women now form around 36% of the workforce. That is a statistics that seems normal to Americans, but marks a profound social change for Saudi Arabia.

Regionally, MBS has tied domestic change in strategy abroad. He supports the expansion of the Abraham agreements, but claims that permanent standardization with Israel requires a credible path to a Palestinian state – the necessary political prize after Gaza to build a coordination that integrates Israel into the region.

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This pace of change did not come without coercion. Dissent is tightly controlled and the political space remains limited. Critics point to arrests of activists, business people and even Royals. But history shows that in rigid systems rapid reform often clashes with deep -rooted interests – and large reformers such as Atatürk van Turkey, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore and the Deng Xiaoping of China, rarely transformed nations without suppressing opposition.

For his part, MBS admits that he has made mistakes – some precious, others controversial – but he has proven to be an unusually fast student: adjusting course if necessary, avoiding the temptation to double on errors and maintain Momentum while refining strategy. That ability to calibrate again is rare in leadership.

What changed under MBS

• Religious police set aside; Social space opened. For more than a century, the religious police have enforced clothing codes and gender separation. Their removal indicated that public life would no longer be governed by fear of moral police work, creating room for mixed workplaces and modern entertainment.
• Women’s Rights Advanced. The driving ban ended; Limitations of guardianship were relaxed and women were given practical autonomy to work, travel and manage their affairs. Women now reform the labor market in ways that are unimaginable ten years ago.
• Cultural awakening. Entertainment – once not existing – has become a domestic industry. Cinemas reopened, concerts draw worldwide artists and Saudi cities host Formula 1, heavyweight boxing and international festivals. Simplified visa fuel tourism, while cultural “seasons” and mega-losse projects continue to spend at home. By vacation in their own country, MBS indicated that the kingdom can meet the lifestyle expectations of citizens.
• Digital government. Unified Digital Platforms brought a revolution into services, allowing citizens to complete tasks in a few minutes instead of hours of paperwork. The shift reduced corruption possibilities and increased efficiency.
• Anti-corruption campaign. A controversial one -time ride recovered billions of assets in 2017 and showed that even the most powerful was not beyond the study, so that the expectations of accountability were at the top.
• Economic restructuring. Policy aimed at breaking dependence on oil by investing in technology, renewable energy And artificial intelligence. The Public Investment Fund (PIF), now one of the world’s largest sovereign funds, has become a heavyweight in global technical and infrastructure and at the same time cherish new domestic industries.
• Mega projects to sow new sectors. Neom, Qiddiya and the Red Sea Resorts are among the most ambitious development experiments of the 21st century. Their success is crucial; Not attracting residents, investors and tourists would be expensive. To cover the risk, MBS spreads investments over many initiatives, reasoning that only a few are needed to succeed on scale to transform the economy. (I serve on the Neom advisory board.)
• Tax reform. Decades of cheap fuel, water and electricity encouraged waste and the budget were emptied. Mechied broad subsidies and replacing with targeted support for households with a lower income improved the tax discipline. New taxes and privatization programs broadened income, making the state less vulnerable to oil price fluctuations.
• Institutional and legal modernization. New codified laws in civil transactions, evidence and personal status replace a patchwork of judicial discretion, giving citizens and investors greater predictability. Courts now resolve faster and more transparent commercial disputes, a critical factor for attracting foreign capital.
• Reform of education. In vain, religion-heavy curricula are overhauled to emphasize STEM fields and foreign languages ​​in addition to critical thinking.
• Homeowner. By implementing a variety of support programs, the Saudi house ownership increased from 45% to 63% during this period.
• Global attitude beyond oil. The Kingdom is now competing for the FIFA World Cup 2034 EMO and win-large events from Expo 2030. Diplomatically, it is more active and mediating disputes such as Russia-Ukraine and construction partnerships in Asia, Africa and the West.

A reform agenda with time by his side

What distinguishes MBS from many historical reformers is time. At the age of 40 he was able to stay in power for decades – not only long enough to launch reforms, but to put them in so deeply in Saudi institutions and society that reversing becomes impossible. Few leaders in every era have done so much in 10 years, while they also rearrange the global role of their country – and have the runway to endure it.

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What to see afterwards

Expect a Washington agenda aimed at Defense integration, technological cooperation, energy and investments that creates American jobs in a diplomacy to expand the Arab Israeli standardization with a serious political horizon for Palestinians.

The crown prince of Saudi -Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) poses prior to a work lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron in the Elysee Presidential Palace on June 16, 2023, in Paris, France. (Getty Images)

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If MBS can combine internal modernization with a sustainable regional arrangement, the payment extends much further than the Golf – to pump prices, regional stability and American influence for a generation.