It is important to note that the process of utilizing natural resources and diversifying revenue sources first got underway with the development of Jubail and Yanbu in the 1970s. Despite initial resistance to these efforts, the Kingdom succeeded in turning its oil wealth into value-added products and achieving sustainable development by investing in petrochemicals and oil derivatives that had previously been imported. Oil is, without a doubt, our most precious natural resource; however, it is finite, its production relies on capital investments, and, unlike the knowledge economy, oil industry jobs are limited and highly specialized. While we had invested successfully in oil in the past, we were now insisting on the importance of investing in human capital, an infinitely sustainable and productive resource, particularly in the information age. We presented our justifications to the Supreme Economic Council, each of which was well-received. We presented the Knowledge Strategy and our expectations of the steps needed to implement it. The council referred the strategy to the Ministry of Economy and Planning, where it remained for years until a royal directive was issued in 2013 ordering the ministry to put in place an executive plan to implement it. The Korean Development Institute provided consultations on the plan, in which Al Aghar Group participated along with a workshop at the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology. It is worth noting that Al Aghar Group had previously organized the region’s firs t Knowledge Economy Conference [36] in Jeddah in 2008 as well as the 1001 Inventions exhibition. [37] In light of Al Aghar Group’s work on the knowledge economy, I was invited to present a paper on behalf of the group at the 2009 International Knowledge Forum titled Noor . The forum was organized by the General Investment Authority in partnership with the Knowledge Economic City in Madinah, and brought together local and international participants. It also served as a reminder that collaboration and partnerships are the key to triggering a knowledge transformation. In the paper, I wrote: Saudi Arabia enjoys a special status in the Arab and Islamic worlds. First, it hosts and serves the Two Holy Mosques. Second, it has a strategic geographical location and an effective and influential political role that shapes the future of the region. The Kingdom continues to drive economic and technological development in the fields of training and education, invest in venture capital, attract human capital, and support research and development centers. These efforts have brought the Kingdom closer to becoming a knowledge society, which is an absolute necessity if it wants to catch up with developed countries. The world is witnessing a series of rapid developments in the fields of technology and knowledge, which have already begun to shape the new world order. Competitiveness of countries depends on their ability to utilize human capital as the main component of production and transform it into a creative force that innovates and increases its competitive advantage. After having successfully invested in finite natural resources, it is time to invest in a sustainable and beneficiary resource, namely the human capital, which represents one aspect of sustainable development that continually renews itself and relies on active and rigorous investment in human potential. Humans are both the ends and means. The knowledge and economic cities that have been established during the reign of King Abdullah are a testament to this. The Kingdom is actively building a knowledge economy and developing the expertise of its citizens to bridge the gap with developed nations on one hand, and be a catalyst and a model imitated by other countries in the region, on the other. Transforming the nation into a knowledge society is a prerequisite to preserving, enhancing solidarity, and protecting the shared interests and goals of the Arab and Islamic nations. This process is already underway. The government has invested SAR13 billion in training, SAR9 billion in education, SAR4.5 billion in communications, and over SAR8
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