Lt. Col., USAF (retired) Joe Willoughby

Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (retired), Foreign Area Officer, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 -

Progress Towards Security Reform Efforts

Retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Joe Willoughby joined the Council at the Headliners Club on February 23, 2026, to discuss Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030 – Mandates and Issues.” The Lt. Colonel recently returned from tours in the U.S. Embassies in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, where he served as a U.S. Government Civilian Security Cooperation Officer. Alongside the expertise he developed in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East during his distinguished career, he also brings specialized knowledge of Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Willoughby provided deep insights from the perspective of a career professional who engages with the Saudi government on Informed Military Sales and travels frequently to the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has invested approximately $1.3 trillion to date to create a more sustainable economy and vibrant society. Willoughby, based on years of travel to the area, shared the transformations he has witnessed under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed recent relations with the United States.

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Mark Wheeler and Joe Willoughby

Joe Stafford, Pam McIllhenny and Jody Ferguson

Jonathan Lass, Bob Manza and Sue Meller

James Taylor and Humberto Hernández Haddad

Joe Willoughby

Bob Campbell, Sue Meller and Pam McIllhenny

AUSTIN COUNCIL ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS EVENTS