Page 12 - Trends

Focus: Saudi Arabiacus: Saudi Arabia
Fo

It’s Complicated

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stands at a complex crossroads and the decisions it takes now
will almost certainly have strong domestic, regional and global implications for years to come.

By Al Emid, Riyadh

T he Kingdom of Saudi Arabia cur- DQG UHÁHFWHG WKH &URZQ 3ULQFH·V SRZHU many of whom were discontented and dis-
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rently stands at so many crossroads
gruntled at the long history of government
— and rather complex ones, it may
funds being appropriated by members of
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be added — that a short magazine
specializing in political, security and in-
tailored to be a kind of popular and popu-
article cannot do more than just consider D JOREDO ULVN DQG VWUDWHJLF FRQVXOWLQJ ÀUP the political and economic elite. “This was
some of the more striking examples. The tegrity risk. “This was the result of the po- list move and, on that score, the reaction
paths that KSA chooses at these cross- litical emergence and consolation of power to it amongst the general public seemed to
roads will affect its relationships with its of [the Crown] Prince,” he says during an have been, in many cases, quite positive,”
own population, its neighbors in the Gulf LQWHUYLHZ LQ KLV 'XEDL RIÀFH %LQ 6DO- *ULIÀWKV VD\V
Cooperation Council, as well as with Rus- PDQ·V WDUJHWV LQFOXGHG SRZHUIXO SULQFHV 7KH SURPLQHQW SURÀOH RI WKH SULQFHV DQG
sia and with the West. Politically, the full who controlled large ministries. “They EXVLQHVVPHQ LQ ODVW 1RYHPEHU·V ZDYH RI
fallout continues from the arrests last No- DOVR FRQWUROOHG VLJQLÀFDQW HFRQRPLF UH- arrests suggests that the government will
vember of more than 200 prominent Saudi sources of those ministries that they could not undertake any future actions on the
princes and businessmen on corruption use to distribute money to their clients and same scale, although less senior govern-
charges. The sweep also netted billions in also feed it back to themselves in some PHQW RIÀFLDOV FRXOG VWLOO EH FKDUJHG ZLWK
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decision maker for the sweep was Crown the Crown Prince to strike a blow at those While this episode has no direct-line
Prince and Minister of Defense Moham- networks and continue centralizing eco- impact outside of the country to date, it
med bin Salman Al Saud, who had earlier nomic power in government hands. could still reduce multinational compa-
consolidated his power. QLHV· LQWHUHVW LQ GHDOLQJ ZLWK WKH 6DX-
The sweep recalibrated the nexus be- Joining hands di Arabia. That would slow the inward
tween business and politics in the country The sweep appealed to the Saudi public, ÁRZ RI IRUHLJQ GLUHFW LQYHVWPHQW )', E\

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12 TRENDS | February 2018 TRENDS | February 2018