RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Council of Economic and Development Affairs held a meeting via videoconference, during which it reviewed the Ministry of Economy and Planning's monthly report on key developments in the global economy amid rapidly evolving geopolitical conditions. The report highlighted rising global inflationary pressures and monetary policy tightening by major central banks, as well as their implications for the Saudi economy and the resulting opportunities and challenges. The report also highlighted the Saudi economy's strength and resilience amid regional and global developments, noting continued momentum in private-sector activity, with the Purchasing Managers’ Index rising to 53.8 points in August from 53.1 points the previous month, marking its fifth consecutive month of growth despite regional tensions. The Business Confidence Index stood at 56.7 points, up 0.2 points from the previous month, reflecting business confidence in the outlook for the national economy and its ability to sustain growth. The council also discussed a report submitted by the Strategic Management Office at the Council of Economic and Development Affairs on the performance of Vision Realization Programs and national strategies for the second quarter of 2026, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The report reviewed the transformational efforts of the past decade and the strong foundations they have established as the vision moves toward maximizing impact, consolidating gains, and sustaining achievements across its three pillars: a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation. The report highlighted significant developments demonstrating the vision's flexibility and ability to adapt to changing circumstances. The council reviewed the annual report of the Quality of Life Program Center, which outlined its key activities in 2025 in enabling the Quality of Life Program, one of the Vision Realization Programs, to achieve its strategic objectives and advance its initiatives. The report showed that the program's initiatives contributed 44 percent to local content by the end of 2025, exceeding the 37 percent target, while their contribution to gross domestic product reached SR78 billion ($20.76 billion), surpassing the SR77.1 billion target. The report also highlighted the program's growing role in supporting the national economy and advancing Saudi Vision 2030 objectives. The council also reviewed the 2025 annual report of the Citizen Account Program, submitted by the Secretariat of the Citizen Account Program Committee. The report outlined the program's efforts to direct support to eligible families and individuals, the beneficiary journey from registration through eligibility and entitlement, and the program's operational, economic, and financial impact. Total support provided through the Citizen Account Program since its launch has reached approximately SR262 billion, while the total number of beneficiaries receiving support has reached around 2.4 million heads of households and independent individuals, reflecting the program's role in supporting beneficiary families and strengthening the social protection system. The council reviewed the quarterly presentation submitted by the National Center for Performance Measurement on the performance of public entities during the second quarter of 2026. The presentation covered the performance of government entities' Saudi Vision 2030 indicators and initiatives, efforts to support and enable government entities to achieve their targets, and the results of assessments of their management practices. The report highlighted the center's continued work to measure the performance of national strategies, review strategic documents, and ensure that indicators and initiatives cover all strategic objectives. The center continues to support government entities through review sessions to address challenges and follow up on corrective action plans. These efforts also focus on identifying areas for improvement and monitoring their implementation to enhance government performance. During the meeting, the council considered several procedural matters, including the justice sector development strategy and the draft clinical studies law. It was also briefed on the results of the monthly executive summaries of the Consumer Price Index and Wholesale Price Index, the quarterly report on the work of the permanent committee for price monitoring, the monthly executive summary of foreign trade, and the underlying reports on which these summaries were based. The council took the necessary decisions and recommendations regarding these matters.