Charting Future Horizons amid Regional Crises: Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Thinking and Maritime Policy

This article critically analyzes Saudi Arabia’s evolving strategic thinking and maritime policy in the context of persistent regional crises and shifting global dynamics. Moving beyond descriptive accounts, the study investigates how the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision ۲۰۳۰ can be reconciled with the acute security threats proliferating in its neighboring waters. It evaluates the critical role of Saudi Arabia’s geographic location, at the nexus of major global maritime routes, in shaping its aspirations to become a regional logistics hub, while also addressing the vulnerabilities exposed by ongoing instability. By applying SWOT framework, this study assesses the impact of recent policy shifts and identifies strategic opportunities and challenges facing the Kingdom. The findings indicate that by accelerating the implementation of an integrated National Maritime Policy, strengthening multilateral and regional maritime security cooperation, prioritizing the sustainability of the blue economy and the expansion of protected areas, enhancing technological development and workforce localization within the maritime sector, and diversifying partnerships along with improving infrastructure resilience, Saudi Arabia’s maritime strategy can explore new opportunities amidst uncertainty and transformation.

کلیدواژه ها:

Saudi Arabia ، maritime policy ، Strategic thinking ، Vision ۲۰۳۰ ، SWOT