Page 14 - Trends

Focus: Saudi Arabia

Relaxing the ban on women driving will complement the 0HDQZKLOH )', QHW LQÁRZV LQWR 6DXGL
Arabia have been dropping steadily since
government’s aim of shoring up its populist appeal. ZKHQ )', KLW %\
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multinational corporations whose execu- FOHDUHU ´7KH\·UH JRLQJ WR ZDQW WR EH DEOH )LJXUHV IRU ZLOO EHFRPH DYDLODEOH
tives may be understandably nervous until to demonstrate credibly to everyone that LQ DSSUR[LPDWHO\ VL[ PRQWKV
the proverbial dust has settled. There are ¶:H·YH GRQH WKLV ³ ZH·YH SXQLVKHG WKH
reports that some of them have been told ZURQJGRHUV DQG ZH·YH UHFODLPHG VRPH RI Expanding beyond four walls
by their business partners not to invest in WKH DVVHWV· µ *ULIÀWKV VD\V SDUDSKUDVLQJ Socially, most recent developments in
the kingdom until the situation becomes the apparent government attitude. Saudi Arabia can be generally considered
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ing include the expansion of the rights of
2023 45 PERCENT 200 women, who are now allowed to drive,
attend public events and carry out other
New taxes will boost non-oil Target of a balanced budget More than this number of commonplace activities long considered
revenues but, at the same time, still depends on rising oil prominent Saudi princes and their right in other cultures. These chang-
the government plans to boost prices, while this percentage businessmen were detained es appear aimed at several priorities
expenditures while achieving a of expenditures go to in November 2017, on within the country.
balanced budget by this year. government salaries. corruption charges. Relaxing the ban on women driving
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14 TRENDS | February 2018