Saudi government performance improves in first quarter of 2026: Economic council

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Council of Economic and Development Affairs said government entities improved their performance in achieving Vision 2030 targets during the first quarter of 2026 compared with the final quarter of 2025.The council held a meeting via videoconference on Tuesday, during which it reviewed the Ministry of Economy and Planning's monthly report on global economic developments, regional trends and their implications for the Saudi economy.The report highlighted the resilience of the Kingdom's economy and the adaptability of its logistics sector amid global developments. It also pointed to the positive impact of government policies on economic growth, including inflation remaining among the lowest globally and a trade surplus driven by export growth, supporting the objectives of Vision 2030.The council also reviewed the quarterly report presented by the National Center for Performance Measurement (Adaa), which assessed the performance of government entities during the first quarter of 2026 and their progress in implementing Vision 2030 initiatives and performance indicators.The report showed an increase in the proportion of government initiatives that are either on track or completed in meeting their targets compared with the fourth quarter of 2025. It also highlighted continued efforts to support government entities, address challenges and monitor corrective action plans to further improve public sector performance.The council discussed the annual report of the Ministerial Committee for Traffic Safety, which reviewed the Kingdom's traffic safety performance as a key pillar of the Health Sector Transformation Program and Vision 2030.The report examined long-term traffic accident trends, strategic performance indicators for 2025 and targets through 2027, regional traffic safety assessments, and the committee's key decisions and achievements.It noted that Saudi Arabia has achieved significant progress in road safety through coordinated efforts across government agencies, resulting in a historic decline of more than 60 in road traffic fatalities in 2025 compared with 2016 levels.The report emphasized that efforts will continue to further enhance road safety, improve quality of life, and protect the health and safety of citizens and residents.The council also reviewed a number of administrative matters, including draft organizational arrangements for the Industrial Council, updates on the health situation during the Umrah season, a report on Saudi Arabia's participation in the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, progress on the Kingdom's initiative to host the headquarters of regional and international organizations, the quarterly report on government entities' performance in the United Nations E-Government Development Index, the periodic report of the National Framework Committee for Governance, Risk, Compliance and Internal Audit, and the monthly executive summary on foreign trade.The council issued the necessary decisions and recommendations on the matters discussed during the meeting.