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In the lexicon of international relations, a simple “good morning” can signal far more than pleasantries — it can herald a nation’s readiness to shape the global agenda from a position of strength rather than mere reaction. ��������’s contemporary foreign policy precisely embodies this greeting to the world, delivered from a position of confidence and responsibility rather than reactive anxiety due to unfolding events.

The Kingdom extends its “good morning” to Arab neighbors, regional powers and international spheres of influence through a calibrated approach that blends national security imperatives with domestic development priorities, while fulfilling its obligation to contribute to regional stability amid mounting challenges. This policy resembles a tranquil dawn preceding a turbulent day, transmitting assured signals before the clamor of events intensifies.

The fundamental question emerges: How has �������� engineered this delicate equilibrium that simultaneously serves internal development goals while expanding its global influence?

For decades, �������� has anchored regional stability, but recent years have thrown this role into sharper relief amid the acute geopolitical transformations reshaping the Middle East. ��������’s evolution transcends its traditional identity as an energy powerhouse. Today’s Kingdom operates as a sophisticated regional actor, wielding a comprehensive toolkit of active diplomacy, strategic investments and carefully calibrated international partnerships.

For decades, �������� has anchored regional stability, but recent years have thrown this role into sharper relief

Kowther Al-Arbash

Operating within an intricate international landscape, Riyadh, like a seasoned chess grandmaster surveying the board, calculates each strategic move with both domestic imperatives and international implications in mind. This transformation aligns seamlessly with Vision 2030’s ambitious blueprint to position �������� as a global nexus of investment, technology and renewable energy, while preserving its historic role as guardian of oil market stability.

The Kingdom’s foreign policy decisions now flow from developmental and investment priorities that carry equal weight with security considerations. This paradigm shift explains ��������’s nuanced engagement with major powers — maintaining robust ties with Washington while simultaneously deepening relationships with Beijing and Moscow, all while preserving crucial decision-making autonomy.

Beyond these strategic interests, ��������’s mediation efforts across regional flashpoints demonstrate its commitment to constructive engagement. In Yemen, the Kingdom has pursued a graduated diplomatic pathway aimed at ending hostilities and rebuilding governmental institutions. Similarly, Riyadh played a pivotal role in bringing Sudanese factions to the negotiating table, working to prevent the nation’s descent into comprehensive chaos.

This mediating role reflects ��������’s sophisticated understanding that regional stability operates like an interconnected ecosystem — disruption in one area inevitably ripples throughout the entire system. The Kingdom has also amplified its involvement in critical security portfolios, including counterterrorism operations and maritime security in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf — issues that directly impact Saudi national security while serving broader international interests.

Through this approach, �������� demonstrates that protecting its interests cannot occur in isolation from its partners’ interests and that Saudi national security remains inseparable from regional security as a whole.

��������’s hosting of the Syria 2025 conference following the Assad regime's collapse exemplifies this strategic vision. Far from mere diplomatic theater, this initiative positioned the Kingdom at the center of Syria’s political reconstruction.

Working alongside Arab and international partners, �������� advocated for lifting international sanctions on Syria and opening reconstruction pathways. The Kingdom even initiated debt-relief measures to enable Syria’s access to development financing from global institutions.

This forward-looking approach recognizes that Syrian stability constitutes both a humanitarian imperative and a strategic necessity for Saudi security, particularly as stability to the north helps counterbalance expanding foreign influence across the region.

Thus emerges ��������’s role as a diplomatic architect seeking to redraw the political map with reformist rather than vengeful spirit, laying the foundations for a new Middle East.

��������’s leadership role has not emerged from a vacuum. It stems from a deliberate long-term strategy that eschews polarization while building bridges across ideological and geopolitical divides.

The Kingdom’s message to its neighbors resonates with opportunity rather than crisis, dialogue over confrontation

Kowther Al-Arbash

The Kingdom maintains its foundational strategic partnership with the US while simultaneously expanding collaboration with China and Russia, creating an intricate web of relationships that renders it indispensable in regional calculations.

Concurrently, �������� strengthens its Arab and Islamic leadership through organizations like the Islamic Cooperation Organization, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council, positioning itself as the authoritative voice for regional concerns on global challenges ranging from climate change to economic volatility.

Within this delicate equation emerges ��������’s ability to speak the language of interests with diplomatic grace, resembling a resilient bridge spanning turbulent political waters.

Saudi foreign policy embodies a sophisticated framework balancing national priorities with regional security imperatives. This approach avoids both isolationist tendencies and unrealistic idealism, instead pursuing a pragmatic path grounded in a solid national vision, while leveraging active diplomacy, economic strength and the Kingdom’s deep civilizational and religious heritage.

As global challenges intensify — from armed conflicts to climate disruption and seismic economic shifts — �������� continues to demonstrate how nations can exercise power responsibly, prioritizing citizens’ welfare while fulfilling broader regional obligations and reshaping power dynamics toward stability and prosperity.

The Kingdom’s message to its neighbors resonates with opportunity rather than crisis, dialogue over confrontation. In an era of deepening global divisions, �������� emerges not merely as an economic powerhouse or regional pivot, but as a responsible stakeholder committed to constructing a transformed Middle East — one where national security interconnects across borders and where domestic interests advance through expanded regional partnerships.

This delicate equilibrium represents ��������’s authentic strength: the capacity to simultaneously protect national interests while championing the regional stability that the international community urgently requires.

• Kowther Al-Arbash is a Saudi writer, poet and former member of the Shoura Council. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the King Abdulaziz Center for Civilizational Communication. X: @kowthermusa