New Dimensions of Saudi Arabia’s Soft Power

To maintain its prestige and strengthen its power status while effectively competing ‎for regional dominance against Shia Iran and Turkey, Riyadh’s authorities ‎have rationalized their selection of foreign policy tools, shifting the focus ‎from hard power to soft power. The shift resulted from the fact that Crown‎ Prince Mohammed Bin Salman started to perceive soft power as the most effective ‎means to stabilize the regional situation, which is a prerequisite for‎ implementing the infrastructure giga-projects under Saudi Vision 2030, diversifying‎ the Saudi economy, putting emphasis on sportswashing, the blue‎ economy and the progressive liberalization of socio-cultural life, aimed at ‎engaging foreign capital in the kingdom, attracting mega-investments and increasing ‎tourism revenues to outcompete the UAE, as well as facilitating Riyadh’s ‎leadership among Sunni Arab states and reducing dependence on the ‎USA. From the perspective of Riyadh, the shift towards soft power is intended ‎to portray Saudi Arabia as a modern, innovative, open, and tolerant monarchy.‎‎‎