The Role of Vision 2030 in Shaping Saudi Arabia’s Public Diplomacy: A Netnographic Case Study of MOFA Officials, X Posts, and Expert Perspectives

Abstract

This study investigates how Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has influenced the public diplomacy strategy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), focusing on both internal practices and external engagement, with particular attention to the messaging disseminated through MOFA’s official X (formerly Twitter) account. The study integrates the theoretical frameworks of the following: gatekeeping, multiple modernities, nation branding and public diplomacy, to guide its analysis. This integrated framework provides insights into how internal decision-making among MOFA officials shapes and curates public diplomacy messages designed to transform the Kingdom’s international image. Employing a qualitative case study design, the research draws on two primary data sources: a netnographic analysis of 4,213 posts published on MOFA’s X account between 2019 and 2021, collected retrospectively through X’s Application Programming Interface (API), semi-structured interviews with five officials responsible for managing the account, together interviews with 12 public diplomacy experts in 2022. This approach has driven rapid change but also created friction among personnel navigating societal values and institutional expectations. Moreover, the study shows how MOFA’s posts strategically deploy themes like humanitarian aid, sports diplomacy, and cultural openness to support the Kingdom’s nation branding agenda. Ultimately, Saudi Arabia’s public diplomacy reflects a culturally grounded form of modernisation consistent with the multiple modernities framework, offering new insights into how monarchic states use digital platforms to promote its image and advance soft power objectives.