Misplaced Pages

#799200

75-749: Created in 2011, the MiSK foundation was initiated by Mohammad bin Salman , then advisor to the Governor of Riyadh . The name of the Foundation comes from "misk" (" musk " in English); the perfume is a symbol of generosity and benevolence. The Foundation's work is focused on education , culture and media . In 2017, the Foundation became a "member company" of the MIT Media Lab consortium. The MiSK Art Institute, launched in 2017,

150-459: A United Nations special rapporteurs as a "crackdown" taking place "on a wide scale across" Saudi Arabia; the special rapporteur called for the "urgent release" of the detainees. Six of the women arrestees were tortured, some in the presence of the Crown Prince's advisor Saud al-Qahtani . In early January 2019, Rahaf Mohammed sought her right of asylum while transiting Bangkok airport, on

225-507: A 34,000 square kilometre area across a lagoon of 50 islands on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastline into a luxury tourism destination with laws on a par with international standards. In a further effort to boost the tourism industry, in November 2017 it was announced that Saudi Arabia would start issuing tourist visas for foreigners, beginning in 2018. Mohammed's biggest bet was his plan to restore Saudi dominance in global oil markets by driving

300-471: A classical power grab move sometimes to arrest your rivals, your potential rivals under the pretext of corruption". Trump expressed support for the move and confidence in the Saudi Arabian leaders, tweeting "Some of those they are harshly treating have been 'milking' their country for years!" French president Emmanuel Macron , who visited Riyadh days after the purge, when asked about the purge stated "this

375-556: A conservative attitude towards politics, and a liberal stance on economic and social issues. It has been heavily influenced by the views of his former adviser Saud al-Qahtani and the ruler of Abu Dhabi , Mohammed bin Zayed . His style of ruling has been described as extremely brutal by journalist Rula Jebreal and authoritarian by Jamal Khashoggi and Theodor Winkler. Mohammed bin Salman has also been championing an Arab nationalist ideology domestically and through foreign policy; with

450-476: A focus on opposing Islamist movements. Mohammed heads a repressive authoritarian government in Saudi Arabia. Human rights activists and women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia have faced abuse and torture by the regime. Critics, journalists and former insiders are tortured and killed. The government has targeted Saudi dissidents who are located abroad. Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist of The Washington Post ,

525-556: A law degree from King Saud University , he became an advisor to his father in 2009. He was appointed deputy crown prince and defense minister after his father became king in 2015, then promoted to crown prince in 2017. Mohammed succeeded his father as prime minister in 2022. Mohammed leads an authoritarian government . Those regarded as political dissidents are systematically repressed through methods including imprisonment and torture; citizens face arrest for social media posts that mildly criticise government policies. A 2021 report by

600-592: A long war of attrition . In April 2015, King Salman appointed his nephew Muhammad bin Nayef as crown prince and his son Mohammed as deputy crown prince. In late 2015, at a meeting between his father and Barack Obama , Mohammed bin Salman broke protocol to deliver a monologue criticising US foreign policy . When he announced an anti-terrorist military alliance of Islamic countries in December 2015, some countries involved said they had not been consulted. Regarding his role in

675-405: A mass seizure of assets by the bin Salman regime. The New York Times wrote: The sweeping campaign of arrests appears to be the latest move to consolidate the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the favorite son and top adviser of King Salman. The king had decreed the creation of a powerful new anticorruption committee, headed by the crown prince, only hours before the committee ordered

750-749: A petition, calling for the male guardianship system to be fully abolished. Al-Yousef went to the royal court to deliver the petition. Human Rights Watch described the 2016 wave of activism against male guardianship as "incredible and unprecedented". During 2018–2019 there was a crackdown on women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia engaged in the women to drive movement and the Saudi anti male-guardianship campaign and of their supporters, with waves of arrests mainly in May 2018 and April 2019. The arrests were described in June 2018 by

825-400: Is an ongoing campaign by Saudi women against the requirement under the law to obtain permission from their male guardian for activities such as getting a job, travelling internationally or getting married. Wajeha al-Huwaider deliberately tried to travel internationally without male guardianship permission in 2009 and encouraged other women to do likewise. Women activists wrote a letter to

SECTION 10

#1733086113800

900-467: Is bound by only a very small number whose reliability, 1,400 years later, is unimpeachable. Every other source of Islamic law, he said, is open to interpretation—and he is therefore entitled to interpret them as he sees fit. The effect of this maneuver is to chuck about 95 percent of Islamic law into the sandpit of Saudi history and leave MBS free to do whatever he wants. "He's short-circuiting the tradition," Haykel said. ".. That leaves him to determine what

975-549: Is in the interest of the Muslim community. If that means opening movie theaters, allowing tourists, or women on the beaches on the Red Sea, then so be it.” As of early 2021, Mohammed has "ordered a codification of Saudi laws that would end the power of individual Wahhabi judges to implement" their own interpretation of Sharia. According to Wood, many conservative clerics strongly appear to have succumbed to "good old-fashioned intimidation" by

1050-545: Is not clear what those detained are suspected of." Another hypothesis was that the purge was part of a move towards reform. Steven Mufson of The Washington Post argues that Mohammed "knows that only if he can place the royal family under the law, and not above as it was in the past, can he ask the whole country to change their attitudes relative to taxes [and] subsidies." An analysis from the CBC claimed that "the clampdown against corruption resonates with ordinary Saudis who feel that

1125-499: Is not the role of a president, and similarly I would not expect a leader of a foreign country to come and infringe on domestic matters." On 30 January 2019, the Saudi government announced the conclusion of the Anti-Corruption Committee's work. As many as 500 people were rounded up in the sweep. Saudi Arabian banks froze more than 2,000 domestic accounts as part of the crackdown. According to The Wall Street Journal ,

1200-553: Is the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , formally serving as Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He is the heir apparent to the Saudi throne , the seventh son of King Salman of Saudi Arabia , and the grandson of the nation's founder, King Abdulaziz . Mohammed is the first child of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and his third wife, Fahda bint Falah Al Hithlain . After obtaining

1275-686: Is the artistic branch of the MiSK Foundation. MiSK led the Saudi pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale, organizing an exhibition by the Jeddah -based Saudi artist Zahrah Al Ghamdi . In November 2018, a month after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi , the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pulled funding from the foundation. In 2017, the Gates Foundation had committed $ 5 million to MiSK. “Jamal Khashoggi’s abduction and murder are extremely troubling,” said

1350-575: The Board of Fatwas [which issues religious rulings]... our laws are coming from Islam and the Qur'an , but we have the four schools — Hanbali , Hanafi , Shafi’i , Maliki —and they argue about interpretation. And you will find a Shiite in the cabinet, you will find Shiites in government, the most important university in Saudi Arabia is headed by a Shiite. So we believe that we are a mix of Muslim schools and sects." In 2016, Mohammed took steps to drastically curtail

1425-634: The Houthis usurped power in Sana'a before he was minister of defence. In response to the threat from ISIL , Mohammed established the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), a Saudi-led Islamic alliance against terrorism, in December 2015. The IMCTC's first meeting took place in Riyadh in November 2017 and involved defence ministers and officials from 41 countries. Mohammed

1500-477: The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia 's assets were approaching $ 400 billion and would pass $ 600 billion by 2020. Mohammed announced a project to build Saudi Arabia's first nuclear reactor in November 2018. The kingdom aims to build 16 nuclear facilities over the next 20 years. Efforts to diversify the Saudi energy sector also include wind and solar, including a 1.8 gigawatt solar plant announced in

1575-686: The Quran and the Sunnah , or the example of the Prophet Muhammad , gathered in many tens of thousands of fragments from the Prophet's life and sayings. Certain rules—not many—come from the unambiguous legislative content of the Quran, he said, and he cannot do anything about them even if he wants to. But those sayings of the Prophet (called Hadith ), he explained, do not all have equal value as sources of law, and he said he

SECTION 20

#1733086113800

1650-521: The assassination of Jamal Khashoggi constituting a triggering factor in the online support according to Thomson Reuters . The online reaction included a Twitter revival of the anti male-guardianship campaign, with the trending slogan, "Remove guardianship and we won't all migrate". In August 2019, a royal decree was published in the Saudi official gazette Um al-Qura that would allow Saudi women over 21 to obtain passports and travel abroad without male guardian permission. The decree also gave women

1725-996: The Gates Foundation in a statement. In April 2022, MiSK Foundation acquired 96% ownership of the Japanese video game company SNK . In April 2024, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced the opening of its first regional office in partnership with Misk in Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City . The announcement was made during the World Economic Forum special meeting held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Mohammad bin Salman Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud ( Arabic : محمد بن سلمان آل سعود , romanized :  Muḥammad bin Salmān Āl Su‘ūd ; born 31 August 1985), commonly known by his initials as MBS or MbS ,

1800-644: The Houthis' seizure of Sana'a , which had forced the Yemeni government into exile, Mohammed launched the intervention without full coordination across security services. Saudi National Guard minister Mutaib bin Abdullah Al Saud , who was out of the country, was left out of the loop of operations. While Mohammed sold the war as a quick win on Houthi rebels in Yemen and a way to put President Hadi back in power, however, it became

1875-607: The Palestinian issue? I don’t, but my people do." Mohammed bin Salman was born on 31 August 1985 to Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz and his third spouse, Fahda bint Falah Al Hithlain . He is the eldest of his mother's six children and the eighth child and seventh son of his father. His full siblings include Prince Turki and Defense Minister Prince Khalid . Mohammed holds a bachelor's degree in law from King Saud University , where he graduated second in his class. After graduating from university, Mohammed spent several years in

1950-726: The Saudi Arabian National Guard; Minister of Economy and Planning Adel Fakeih ; and the commander of the Royal Saudi Navy , Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan . Those arrested in the Ritz Carlton were the subject of what became called "the night of beating". Most were beaten, and some were tied to walls in stress positions as part of torture by Saudi agents. The interrogators knew very little outside of

2025-745: The Saudi Arabian constitution, and that Islamic scholars generally do not see male guardian approval as a requirement for a woman to be employed. The group held workshops on the issue and studied Islamic religious arguments in relation to male guardianship. In July 2016, Human Rights Watch issued a detailed report on male guardianship in Saudi Arabia. The report brought attention to the topic, and Twitter hashtags #IAmMyOwnGuardian and #StopEnslavingSaudiWomen became popular. Several months later, in September 2016, 2500 women sent telegrams to King Salman , and fourteen thousand people, including Aziza al-Yousef , Loujain al-Hathloul and Eman al-Nafjan , signed

2100-472: The Saudi Minister of Labor and brought media attention to the issue in 2011. A 14,000-signature petition was given to royal authorities by Aziza al-Yousef in 2016 following a Human Rights Watch report on male guardianship. A crackdown against the activists took place in mid-May 2018, with 13 arrests as of 22 May 2018 . Several of the women remained in prison as of December 2018 . Some of

2175-424: The Saudi government has promoted a new Saudi identity and nationalist history that downplays religious heritage and restricts Islamic influence in the cultural sphere. Journalist Graeme Wood writes, "it is hard to exaggerate how drastically this sidelining of Islamic law will change Saudi Arabia." Gabriella Perez argues that the new social changes implemented by MBS are oriented towards secularist repression, with

2250-473: The Saudi government targeted cash and assets worth up to $ 800 billion. The Saudi authorities claimed that amount was composed of assets worth around $ 300 billion to $ 400 billion that they can prove was linked to corruption. On 27 September 2022, Mohammed was appointed as Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia by King Salman. Traditionally, the king has held the title of prime minister. Mohammed's ideology has been described as nationalist and populist , with

2325-561: The Saudi press announced the arrest of the Saudi prince and billionaire Al-Waleed bin Talal , a frequent English-language news commentator and a major shareholder in Citi , News Corp and Twitter, as well as over 40 princes and government ministers at the behest of the Crown Prince on corruption and money laundering charges. Others arrested or fired in the purge included Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, head of

Misk Foundation - Misplaced Pages Continue

2400-545: The United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) found that Mohammed had ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi . Between 2017 and 2019, he led the purge of competing Saudi political and economic elites , seizing up to US$ 800 billion in assets and cash and cementing control over Saudi politics. Since his appointment as crown prince in 2017, Mohammed has introduced a series of social and economic reforms; these include curtailing

2475-472: The al-Salam palace. In May 2017, Mohammed launched a purge against competing Saudi business and political elites under the auspices of anti-corruption. He said, "no one will survive in a corruption case—whoever he is, even if he's a prince or a minister". In November 2017, he ordered some 200 wealthy businessmen and princes to be placed under house arrest in The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh . On 4 November 2017,

2550-411: The arrests. Writing for The Huffington Post , University of Delaware professor of Islam and Global Affairs, Muqtedar Khan , speculated as to whether the removal of Al-Waleed bin Talal, a critic of Donald Trump, amounted to a coup. BBC correspondent Frank Gardner was quoted as saying that "Prince Mohammed is moving to consolidate his growing power while spearheading a reform programme". Yet "[i]t

2625-612: The ban on abayas was restricted only for all-female examination centres run by the ETEC. Mohammed took the leadership in the restructuring of Saudi Arabia's economy , which he officially announced in April 2016 when he introduced Vision 2030, the country's strategic orientation for the next 15 years. Vision 2030 plans to reform Saudi Arabia's economy towards a more diversified and privatised structure. It details goals and measures in various fields, from developing non-oil revenues and privatisation of

2700-462: The basis of what she stated was physical and psychological abuse by her family. Her situation gained wide international media attention and support from online social networks, saving her from being deported according to ESOHR -appointed lawyer François Zimeray. Following the international online campaign Canadian authorities offered her asylum after she was given refugee status by the UNHCR. Anger against

2775-517: The chairman of the board for the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, and a member of the board of trustees for Albir Society in the Riyadh region. In October 2011, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz died. Prince Salman began his ascent to power by becoming second deputy prime minister and minister of defence. He made Mohammed his private advisor. In June 2012, Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz died. Mohammed moved up into

2850-480: The cut would "increase Russian revenues and blunt the effectiveness of sanctions " and accused Saudi Arabia of "coercing" other oil producing countries to agree. The record-high energy prices were driven by a global surge in demand as the world quit the economic recession caused by COVID-19, particularly due to strong energy demand in Asia. The relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia evolved under Mohammed, granting

2925-425: The devotion of Saudi religious leaders to Wahhabi doctrines "in language never before used by a Saudi monarch", saying "there are no fixed schools of thought and there is no infallible person", and that fatwas "should be based on the time, place and mindset in which they are issued", rather than regarded as immutable. In interviews with Wood, Mohammed explained that Islamic law is based on two textual sources:

3000-422: The economy to e-government and sustainable development . One of the major motives behind this economic restructure through Vision 2030 can be traced back to Saudi Arabia's reliance on a rentier economy, as a limit on oil resources makes its sustainability a problem in the future. While the country claims to own a proven reserve of 266.58 billion barrels of crude oil, the energy analyst Matthew R. Simmons estimates

3075-544: The economy; however, the country remains heavily reliant on oil. Under Mohammed, Saudi Arabia has pursued an "aggressive" foreign policy aimed at increasing the country's regional and international influence and attracting greater foreign investment. The Kingdom has coordinated energy policy with Russia, strengthened its relations with China , and expanded diplomatic and commercial relations with emerging economies and regional powers in Africa, South America, and Asia. Mohammed

Misk Foundation - Misplaced Pages Continue

3150-539: The first prince in modern Saudi history whose constituency has not been within the royal family, it's outside it. It's been young Saudis, particularly younger Saudi men in the street". Robert W. Jordan , former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said that "certainly Saudi Arabia has had a corruption problem for many years. I think the population, especially, has been very unhappy with princes coming in and grabbing business deals, with public funds going to flood control projects that never seem to get built... I would also say it's

3225-519: The government to reverse their religious positions and supporting the government line on issues such as "the opening of cinemas and mass layoffs of Wahhabi imams". In December 2022, Saudi Arabia's Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) declared a governmental ban on Muslim female students from wearing the traditional abaya clothing to examination centres; insisting that students should wear only school uniforms. A later clarification from ETEC reported by The Milli Chronicle stated that

3300-469: The guardian is central to the clerics’ idea of a moral public sphere. The Wahhabi interpretation of sharia requires a “muhrim” — father, husband, brother or son — to accompany women in public, allow them to travel and attest their legal contracts. In the late twentieth century, after the Grand Mosque seizure in 1979, King Khalid gave more power to religious groups. In 2016, Human Rights Watch described

3375-420: The hands of Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman and undermine the pre-existing structure of consensus-based governance among Saudi elites. The arrests resulted in the final sidelining of the faction of King Abdullah , and Mohammed bin Salman's complete consolidation of control of all three branches of the security forces. It also cemented bin Salman's supremacy over business elites in Saudi Arabia and resulted in

3450-422: The influence of Saudi Wahhabi clergy, "who still command millions of followers in the country and beyond". Mohammed's inviting of "a constant stream of Western male and female singers, bands, dancers and even American female wrestlers" to perform in Saudi Arabia is in complete conflict with religious conservatives who have spoken "against the opening up of the kingdom to secular Western culture ". Under Mohammed,

3525-490: The influence of the Wahhabi religious establishment by restricting the powers of the religious police and improving women's rights , removing the ban on female drivers in 2018, and weakening the male-guardianship system in 2019. His Saudi Vision 2030 program aims to reduce Saudi economy 's reliance on oil through investment in other sectors such as technology and tourism , which has contributed to greater diversification of

3600-473: The male guardianship situation in Saudi Arabia, stating that a Saudi woman's life "is controlled by a man from birth until death". As of 2018 , any adult woman in Saudi Arabia is required to obtain approval from her male guardian for activities such as accessing healthcare, getting a job, travelling or getting married. Wajeha al-Huwaider is a Saudi women's rights activist who in 2003 was banned by Saudi authorities from publishing her opinions in Saudi media and

3675-426: The military intervention, Mohammed gave his first on-the-record interview on 4 January 2016 to The Economist , which had called him the "architect of the war in Yemen". Denying the title, he explained the mechanism of the decision-making institutions actually holding stakes in the intervention, including the council of security and political affairs and the ministry of foreign affairs from the Saudi side. He added that

3750-514: The new competition into bankruptcy, by keeping the oil price low enough for a long enough period. Saudi Arabia persuaded OPEC to do the same. A few small players went bankrupt, but American frackers only shut down their less-profitable operations temporarily, and waited for oil prices to go up again. Saudi Arabia, which had been spending $ 100 billion a year to keep services and subsidies going, had to admit defeat in November 2016. It then cut production significantly and asked its OPEC partners to do

3825-634: The number two position in the hierarchy, as his father became the new crown prince and first deputy prime minister. On 2 March 2013, Chief of the Crown Prince Court Saud bin Nayef Al Saud was appointed governor of the Eastern Province , and Mohammed succeeded him as chief of the court. He was also given the rank of minister. On 25 April 2014, Mohammed was appointed state minister. On 23 January 2015, King Abdullah died and Salman ascended

SECTION 50

#1733086113800

3900-473: The potential to adversely impact freedom of religion in the country. In a 2018 interview with The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg , Mohammed stated regarding his basic approach to religion in Saudi Arabian society: "We believe we have, in Saudi Arabia, Sunni and Shiite . We believe we have within Sunni Islam four schools of thought, and we have the ulema [the religious authorities] and

3975-523: The powers of the " Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice " (CPVPV), or Islamic religious police. The "feared" CPVPV, which had thousands of officers on the streets and powers to arrest, detain, and interrogate those suspected of violating sharia, was banned "from pursuing, questioning, asking for identification, arresting and detaining anyone suspected of a crime". The cinema industry

4050-625: The private sector before becoming an aide to his father. He worked as a consultant for the Experts Commission, working for the Saudi Cabinet. On 15 December 2009, at the age of 24, he entered politics as a special advisor to his father when the latter was the governor of Riyadh Province . At this time Mohammed began to move from one position to another, such as secretary-general of the Riyadh Competitive Council, special advisor to

4125-412: The rights to register a marriage, divorce or birth or obtain official family documents; and gave the mother the right to be a legal guardian of a child. The date of the measures officially come into force was not stated in the decree. Madawi al-Rasheed interpreted the weakening of the guardianship system as an effect (a "second victory") of the Saudi feminist movement , following the 2018 lifting of

4200-655: The ruler. While Saudi rulers "have historically stayed away from religion", and "outsourced" issues of theology and religious law to "the big beards", traditionally conservative and orthodox religious scholars, Mohammed has "a law degree from King Saud University" and "flaunts his knowledge and dominance over the clerics", according to Graeme Wood. He is "probably the only leader in the Arab world who knows anything about Islamic epistemology and jurisprudence", according to American historian Professor Bernard Haykel . In an interview televised in Saudi Arabia on 25 April 2021, Mohammed criticised

4275-459: The same attempted border crossings without male guardian approval, with the aim of ending the male guardianship system. Late in 2011, during the 2011–12 Saudi Arabian protests , Saudi women started a campaign against the Saudi Ministry of Labor requirement for guardian approval for employment. The group contacted the media and argued that women's equality is established in the eighth article of

4350-476: The same month as part of a long-term project in partnership with SoftBank . Saudi Arabia, OPEC 's largest producer, has the second-largest amount of oil reserves in the world. On 28 September 2021, Joe Biden 's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan , met with Mohammed in Saudi Arabia to discuss the high oil prices . In October 2022 in protest of Saudi Arabia cutting oil production, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Saudi Arabia knew

4425-482: The same. In the last week of September 2018, Mohammed inaugurated the much-awaited $ 6.7bn high-speed railway line connecting Mecca and Medina , the two holiest cities of Islam. The Haramain Express is 450 km line travelling up to 300 km/h that can transport around 60 million passengers annually. The commercial operations of the railway began on 11 October 2018. In October 2018, Mohammed announced that

4500-447: The state has been asking them to accept belt tightening while, at the same time, they see corruption and the power elite accumulating more wealth". Mohammed's reform agenda is widely supported by Saudi Arabia's burgeoning youth population, but faces resistance from some of the old guard more comfortable with the kingdom's traditions of incremental change and rule by consensus. According to a former British ambassador to Riyadh, Mohammed "is

4575-815: The then President of the United States , called him to "congratulate him on his recent elevation". Trump and Mohammed pledged "close cooperation" on security and economic issues, according to the White House, and the two leaders also discussed the need to cut off support for terrorism, the recent diplomatic dispute with Qatar, and the push to secure peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Mohammed told The Washington Post in April 2017 that without America's cultural influence on Saudi Arabia, "we would have ended up like North Korea." In April 2022, Prince Mohammed met with newly elected Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at

SECTION 60

#1733086113800

4650-479: The throne. Mohammed was appointed minister of defence and secretary general of the royal court. In addition, he retained his post as the minister of state. The political unrest in Yemen (which began escalating in 2011) rapidly became a major issue for the newly appointed minister of defence, with Houthis taking control of northern Yemen in late 2014, followed by the resignation of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and his cabinet. Mohammed's first move as minister

4725-502: The transactions as under duress and were able to stop some of them. During the proceedings, there was no due process nor plea bargains . US officials described the actions as "coercion, abuse, and torture". Detainees were denied sleep, had their heads covered, and were beaten. Seventeen had to be hospitalised. After many days, the remaining detainees were moved to Al-Ha'ir Prison , while some released are banned from travelling abroad. The purge helped centralize political powers in

4800-765: The true number to be far less, as the last non-Saudi report by the General Accounting Office in 1978 only mentioned 110 billion barrels. At the inaugural Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh in October 2017, Mohammed announced plans for the creation of Neom , a $ 500 billion economic zone to cover an area of 26,000 square kilometres on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, extending into Jordan and Egypt. Neom aims to attract investment in sectors including renewable energy , biotechnology (especially genetically modified agriculture ), robotics and advanced manufacturing. The announcement followed plans to develop

4875-545: The two nations the ability to coordinate in oil export decisions. Mohammed has presided over unprecedented spending on sport since becoming Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler in 2017. He has also been assiduous in striking deals to bring top sports events to Saudi, including the FIFA Club World Cup in 2034 and the Asian Games in 2029. In 2023, Mohammed said this approach is central to the country's goal of becoming one of

4950-504: The victims' assets within Saudi Arabia and wanted to know more about their off-shore holdings, while the victims did not know why they were detained. The detainees were threatened with blackmail. At one point, the interrogators told the victims to contact their bank managers in Geneva and elsewhere and ask for large sums of money, and were surprised due to their inexpertise that the assets were not entirely in cash. Swiss banks identified some of

5025-478: The women activists were tortured, some of them in the supervision of Saud al-Qahtani , a close advisor of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman . Women in the pre-Roman Arabian kingdom of Nabataea were independent legal persons able to sign contracts in their own name. In Nabataea women were free to conduct legal contracts in their own name with no male guardian, unlike in Greek and Roman law, and in Saudi Arabia where

5100-461: The world's top 10 tourist destinations, stating: "When you want to diversify an economy you have to work in all sectors: mining, infrastructure, manufacturing, transportation, logistics all this… Part of it is tourism and if you want to develop tourism part of it is culture, part of it is your sport sector, because you need to create a calendar." Saudi anti male-guardianship campaign#Moves toward equality The anti male-guardianship campaign

5175-606: Was appointed crown prince on 21 June 2017, following the King's decision to depose Muhammad bin Nayef and make his own son the heir to the throne. The change of succession had been predicted in December 2015 by an unusually blunt and public memo published by the German Federal Intelligence Service , which was subsequently rebuked by the German government. On the day Mohammed bin Salman became crown prince Donald Trump ,

5250-512: Was arrested again after holding a women's rights street protest in August 2006. In June 2009, she protested against male guardianship by trying three times to enter Bahrain without permission from her male guardian. She was refused departure from Saudi Arabia at the Bahraini border all three times because of her lack of male-guardian authorisation. Al-Huwaider encouraged other Saudi women to carry out

5325-408: Was murdered by the regime. Mohammed has justified the mass arrests of human rights activists as being as necessary for enacting reforms in Saudi Arabia and for establishing a state based on Arab nationalism . Mohammed has increasingly consolidated power in Saudi Arabia during his tenure as leader. He significantly restricted the powers of the Saudi religious police . On 29 January 2015, Mohammed

5400-480: Was named the chair of the newly established Council for Economic and Development Affairs , replacing the disbanded Supreme Economic Commission . In April 2015, Mohammed was given control over Saudi Aramco by royal decree following his appointment as deputy crown prince. According to David Ottaway of the Wilson Center , "[o]f all [Mohammed's] domestic reforms," the most "consequential" has been his work limiting

5475-477: Was reinstated, social liberties were expanded, gender mixing and dating have been normalised by the state in the public sphere. Schmidt-Feuerheerd argues that the new state policies are also accompanied by an increasing clampdown on political and religious activities independent of the government. Mohammed has stated that "in Islamic law, the head of the Islamic establishment is wali al-amr (Arabic: وَلِيّ الأمر ),

5550-628: Was the architect of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen and was involved in the escalation of the Qatar diplomatic crisis , as well as a 2018 diplomatic dispute with Canada . Amid the Israel-Hamas war, according to reporting by The Atlantic , Mohammed reportedly told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in January 2024 that he was still open to Saudi normalization with Israel, adding, "Do I care personally about

5625-459: Was to mobilise a pan-GCC coalition to intervene following a series of suicide bombings in the Yemeni capital Sana'a via air strikes against Houthis , and impose a naval blockade . In March 2015, Saudi Arabia began leading a coalition of countries allied against the Houthi rebels. While there was agreement among those Saudi princes heading security services regarding the necessity of a response to

#799200