Saudi Crown Prince’s ambitious agenda a tightrope act
For most outside observers the recent unprecedented events in Saudi Arabia, in many ways still a tribal society as closed and enigmatic for foreigners as the ‘godless’ USSR once was for western-watchers, must have come as a sudden and total surprise. But the smoke signals emanating from the kingdom this year were all harbingers of change, though not of the ruthless and all-pervasive kind witnessed on the weekend. Heralding the beginning of a bold new Saudi drive towards modernization and economic and social rationalization, a bloodless purge encompassed eleven princes, including billionaire tycoon Alwaleed bin Talal, National Guard chief Prince Miteb, son of late King Abdullah, and senior technocrats, officials and businessmen, all detained pending judicial process. The moving spirit behind the ‘coup’, and the architect of the country’s grandiose new vision and massive reform and austerity agenda, is that man in a hurry, 32 year old Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the man who would be king, sooner rather than later.
Prince Mohammad’s ascent as Crown Prince early this year, replacing an older cousin, strengthened his grip on power and his restless energy has kept him in the news since then. His most recent accomplishment was ‘Davos in the Desert’, a gathering in Riyadh of leading international investors, intended to attract foreign capital and private sector collaboration, and lessen the kingdom’s dependence on ever declining oil revenues. To provide a level economic playing field, monopolies of vested interests, obstructionist technocrats, and above all, widespread corruption needs to be rooted out, starting from the topmost heights. There is a perception however that there is more to the affair than meets the eye. The prince it is contended wants in fact to get rid of the hurdles in the way to power.
The present Saudi situation is, however, fluid and uncertain, investor confidence is shy, and strong reaction from the anti-reform ultra-conservatives cannot be ruled out. It would be helpful for his domestic agenda if the Crown Prince were to soften his hardline views on Iran, Qatar, and above all, conclude the Yemen war.
