This week, The 966 hosts discuss the upcoming COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, the F1 race in Jeddah, an excellent recent commentary piece by Jon Alterman of the CSIS, Tadawul’s 15-year high, and the rising cost of solar energy components in Saudi Arabia.
The hosts discuss the upcoming COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference, hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy, which will take place from 31 October to 12 November 2021, and discuss the high stakes and complexity in coming to a global agreement moving forward on climate matters.
Dress Code at the Jeddah Grand Prix? (4:50)
The Upcoming Formula One Grand Prix in Jeddah is December 5th, and a new dress code for the event is making the rounds on the internet.
The dress code includes “no excessive makeup, no transparent clothing, no clothing which rests above the knee, no miniskirts, no backless dresses, nothing which shows straps, no tight clothing and no bikinis.”
Saudi may want tourism, but it doesn’t want to be Las Vegas.
The Puzzle of U.S.-Saudi Ties (7:35)
Jon Alterman from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a reputable DC-based think tank, published a commentary on “the Puzzle” of U.S.-Saudi relations. It begins, “By most accounts, the Biden administration is pleased with the results of its policy toward Saudi Arabia, Alterman writes. But, he says, “The Saudis seem less satisfied, though. They feel the Biden team has pocketed their efforts at partnership and has given little in return.” The hosts discuss why this commentary gets it right.
Saudi Arabia’s Stock Market, the Tadawul, hits a 15-YEAR high (14:30)
On Tuesday of this week, Saudi stocks reached a more than 15-year high. Those gains continued through the rest of the week, and the Tadawul ended even higher on Thursday.
The 966 hosts discuss why investors remain optimistic in the region.
The Rising Cost of Solar in Saudi Arabia (19:49)
Bid prices to develop Saudi Arabia’s latest round of solar-power projects rose substantially from earlier this year. This underscores how soaring panel costs are hitting the renewable-energy industry, according to a Bloomberg report. The hosts discuss the status of solar development in Saudi Arabia and why they would like to see it move faster.
The 966 is an effort to go beyond the headlines and tackle the complex economic, social and political issues – why they matter to and within Saudi Arabia, how they impact U.S. interests in the region and what they mean for the U.S.-Saudi relationship. Subscribe here.
