The Saudi Vice Minister of Finance, His Excellency Mr. Abdulmuhsen bin Saad Alkhalaf, participated in the High-Level Strategic Dialogue between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), held on Sunday, October 26, 2025, in Riyadh, with the participation of IMF Directors and representatives. The dialogue aimed to discuss the activities of the IMF Regional Office in the Kingdom.
In his opening remarks, Vice Minister Alkhalaf emphasized that Saudi Arabia recognized early on that economic diversification is not merely a choice but an absolute necessity. He noted that the core of Vision 2030 lies in building a modern and diversified economy focused on expanding non-oil exports, enhancing productivity, and strengthening human capital, thereby reinforcing the Kingdom's position as a globally competitive economic power and contributing to regional and global economic stability.
Vice Minister Alkhalaf also commended the strategic partnership with the IMF in supporting policy dialogue, institutional capacity development, and financial and economic stability across the Middle East and Central Asia. He highlighted that the cooperation between the Kingdom and the IMF spans global, regional, and domestic dimensions, reflecting both sides' commitment to deepening their partnership through the IMF's Regional Office in Riyadh, which has become a central hub for dialogue and knowledge exchange.
He further noted the opportunity to deepen economic policy dialogue through joint platforms for discussion and collaboration, most notably the AlUla Conference, which was launched in February of this year. The conference has already established itself as a leading forum that brings together policymakers and leaders from the financial and economic sectors, and it is set to become a flagship regional event in the years ahead.
The Saudi-IMF strategic dialogue serves as an important platform for exchanging views between the Kingdom and the IMF on regional and global economic developments, discussing shared priorities, as well as exploring new avenues to enhance policy coordination, strengthen economic resilience, and support sustainable growth across the region.