There’s plenty that’s attracted criticism of Saudi Arabian policy since King Salman succeeded to the kingdom’s throne almost five years ago and made his son Mohammed Bin Salman, now crown prince, a cabinet minister. There’s the war in Yemen and…
Category: Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a nation with the influence of a superpower in oil, finance and the Muslim world
The storm about the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi after he entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in October is unlikely to pass soon. If murder has been committed, it is unforgivable. But Saudi Arabia’s status as a small nation…
Crown Prince Mohammed reassures friends and counters critics in Bloomberg interview
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman reassured friends and countered critics in a comprehensive and confident interview published last night by Bloomberg. He said President Trump’s speech in Mississippi on 3 October in which he said Saudi Arabia might…
What Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman told Bloomberg (in 1,400 words)
The US and Canada President Trump’s statement in Mississippi in which he said Saudi Arabia might not last two weeks without US military support was inaccurate but his speech would not undermine Saudi relations with the US. Canada’s criticism of…
Trump needs Saudi Arabia more than it needs him
It tells you something when an American president talks openly about his unsuccessful attempts to persuade another country to do what he wishes. But that’s what happened yesterday during President Trump’s unscripted speech to supporters in Mississippi. Trump referred to…
Has Saudi Arabia dumped Trump?
President Trump with King Salman during his visit to Riyadh in May 2017 Confounding some forecasts, the Opec-non-Opec market monitoring meeting in Algeria yesterday made no recommendation for output to be lifted to offset a new price surge and suggestions…
The higher Crown Prince Mohammed rises, the more he has to lose
Like a mountain-climber nearing the summit, the higher Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman rises the further he can fall The detention of dozens of princes, government officials and business people is seen as further evidence that Crown Prince Mohammed Bin…
Is GCC split behind the spate of Arabian initiatives?
Women will be in the driving seat in Saudi Arabia from next June We’ll believe it when we see it, but King Salman’s order today that women will be able to get driving licences from next June means it won’t…
Saudi Green Building Forum’s saaf® wins UN consultative special status
The UN’s Economic & Social Council (Ecosoc) has granted consultative special status to the Saudi Green Building Forum’s saaf® programme. This the first time a Saudi Arabian non-government organisation (NGO) has been recognised in this way for its work in…
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea tourism plan
Saudi Arabia wants to turn hundreds of kilometres of its Red Sea coastline into a global tourism destination governed by laws “on par with international standards” as part of its plan to transform the economy and reduce its reliance on…