Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has occupied the foreign media extensively over the past years, especially after he led the shift away from dependence on oil as a main source of national income, and thought of formulating a different pattern for the Riyadh economy, within the comprehensive Vision 2030.
Over the course of the first six months of 2017, the young prince – as described by foreign newspapers – mainly occupied large areas of its pages, especially since he was able to turn the helm into a pattern that the West wanted to see in the Kingdom for many years.
The two young princes
The American newspaper The New Yorker compared Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump, mainly, as both of them are in their third decade, and also bear heavy responsibilities on their shoulders, as the newspaper believes that the crown prince carries the banner of change in the kingdom, And that he set his country's economic and political policies, and concluded its military deals, in addition to sounding the whistle to search for new economic sources of income, away from the main dependence on oil resources.
The American newspaper likened Kushner to Prince Muhammad bin Salman, especially since he bears the tasks of establishing peace in the Middle East and drawing the pattern of the United States’ relations with China and Mexico, in addition to reorganizing the house from the inside, in line with Trump’s modern and different vision of the previous administration in the White House.
vision engineer
In turn, the New York Times praised, following the meeting that the Crown Prince conducted on mbc, as it indicated the extensive effort he is making to implement the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which represents a lifeline from the fluctuation of oil prices at the global level for nearly two years. , pointing out that the young prince is leading his vision in a way that is close to complete success.
In a related context, the British newspaper, The Guardian, said that Prince Mohammed bin Salman caused a wide resonance during the last period, especially after meeting the US President at the White House, last March, to discuss a number of issues and files of concern to both the Kingdom and the United States. Mainly in the region.
The giant British newspaper highlighted the Crown Prince’s speech in the recent television interview, in which he affirmed the Kingdom’s determination not to wait for its land to be the arena of conflict with Iran, which represented a stern warning to the mullahs’ regime, and a message to it of the need to abandon dreams of imposing ideological influence on the Islamic world. .
For his part, the British writer Ian King stressed that the Kingdom's comprehensive vision 2030, drawn by the Crown Prince, represents one of the best steps of social and economic reform in the Kingdom, stressing the need to intensify the social character in the reforms of the comprehensive vision.
King explained that “Vision 2030” seems like a great idea, but it clearly needs more social reforms, considering that integrating women into the labor market and mainly skills-based jobs are the most important items of the economic reforms of the comprehensive vision.
The Saudi-American rapprochement
The newspapers highlighted Prince Mohammed bin Salman's speech during his dialogue with the veteran American writer David Ignatius, about his aspiration for better relations with the United States in light of the policies of US President Donald Trump, and describing him – Trump – as the president who put America back on the right track after his predecessor Obama, who did not trust him. The Saudis, Trump did not complete 100 days until he restored all of America's traditional alliances.
On the other hand, the "Bloomberg" network confirmed that the meeting that brought together Prince Mohammed bin Salman with US President Donald Trump at the White House was a "historic turning point" in the Kingdom's relations with the United States.
In a report, the agency quoted: “Relations have gone through a period of divergence in many files.. However, today’s meeting brought matters back to the right track and constituted a major shift in relations between the two countries in all political, military, security and economic fields.”
According to “Bloomberg”: The praise for Trump’s “great understanding” of Saudi-American relations reflects the Arab countries’ keenness to renew the alliance after the tensions in the relationship during the era of former President Obama, who formulated the nuclear agreement in 2015 with Iran.
Modernization of Saudi Arabia
Simon Henderson, director of the Gulf and Energy Policy Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Studies, said that the new administration views Saudi Arabia as “an essential part of the Middle East, and an important country to have a positive relationship with, even if this relationship witnessed some tensions.” This contrasts with the Obama administration. So they want to make that clear distinction.”
The agency's report added: Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit comes after his visit to Washington in June after the unveiling of "Vision 2030", which aims to "modernize" the largest oil-exporting country, and transform its economy into an economy that does not depend on oil. Saudi Aramco is also planning what could be the world's largest initial public offering, with about $100 billion of shares expected to be sold.
Iranian danger
And she added: The Saudis also said that Trump and Prince Mohammed bin Salman “share the same views on the danger of Iranian expansionist moves in the region.”
According to Kristin Smith Diwan, a resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have had a "positive count" toward the Trump administration, especially when it comes to what they see as malign Iranian influence in the region. And in February, the Trump administration said it had put Tehran under "watch," after it test-fired a missile days earlier.
Gulf communication
For his part, Mr. Diwan said during a speech in Washington that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are now responding to Trump's "more ad hoc foreign policy," including Jared Kushner, who plays a prominent role with allies in the Persian Gulf.
Mr. Diwan explained that Prince Mohammed's visit is an indication of the Gulf countries' "early attempt to build close relations."
political elevation
The director of the Institute for Contemporary Middle East and North Africa Studies at Princeton University, the American veteran writer Professor Bernard Heikal, praised the ascension of Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the mandate of the Covenant, indicating that the steps of the young prince's political elevation carry good future plans to keep the kingdom in its strong image in the Middle East.
Heikal explained, in the context of his article in the Irish newspaper "Irish Examiner", that Prince Muhammad bin Salman's assumption of the mandate of the Covenant will simplify the decision-making process and mitigate the political risks inherent in any system of power centers, which is expected to be reflected in turn in the power of decisions that are made. Saudi Arabia's foreign policies.
The veteran professor pointed out that the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his great confidence in his son, Prince Muhammad bin Salman, was not the only motive for granting him this high position, pointing out that the young crown prince has clear political weight, which qualified him over recent years to take over. This position is well deserved despite his young age.
Heikal added that Mohammed bin Salman showed great experience and weight in dealing with many vital files at the level of foreign policy, the foremost of which was establishing wonderful relations with US President Donald Trump and supporting them with heavy-caliber deals on the military, strategic and economic levels, to ensure deep partnership. between Riyadh and Washington.
The American professor added that Mohammed bin Salman was able to take the Kingdom's economy away from the traditional image that has always governed the rules regulating it, and sought to formulate new economic policies that include measures to rationalize consumption and main lines to attract foreign investments to the Kingdom, as well as moving forward with the steps of opening up his country to World cultures and entertainment aspects.
Heikal stressed that the most important items of the Crown Prince's plans are those related to the comprehensive Vision 2030, which aims primarily to transform the Kingdom away from the main dependence on oil income, and then revitalize the sectors contributing to the Saudi economy, including foreign investments, financial markets, and others. of the possible resources of the kingdom.
Saeed Al Mansour (Jeddah)