Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers on Sunday approved the general budget for the fiscal year of 2022, with an estimated total revenues of SR1045 billion and spending of SR955 billion. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman chaired the virtual session of the Cabinet that endorsed the budget with a surplus amounting to SR90 billion, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
At the outset of the Cabinet session, King Salman announced the budget in a speech in which he said: “With Allah’s blessing, we announce the budget of the fiscal year 2022 after the Kingdom’s overcoming of the economic repercussions and the exceptional phases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Kingdom has been continuing its economic and financial reforms in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 by which we aim to place further attention on the security and health of citizens and residents, as well as on human development, the continuation of economic growth and diversity, and financial sustainability.”
The minister noted that Saudi Arabia’s economy is witnessing progressive growth in the role of economic drivers that support the private sector, where top economic drivers include the effective development contribution of projects and programs that are implemented by the Public Investment Fund and the National Development Fund, in addition to the progress achieved in implementing the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), National Investment Strategy, Shareek (partner) Program, and Financial Sector Development Program and privatization. He also referred to the remarkable growth in the performance of activities till the third quarter of 2021, which reflects the continuous gradual recovery that was accompanied with high rates of immunization against the COVID-19 virus and contributed to alleviating more precautionary procedures adopted in the Kingdom.